I think I am screwed - URGENT HELP PLEASE

[Piscans]

They tried three different kits and it was consistent. I would think that's proof enough. They may want to consult an expert, though.

To the OP: Did you happen to disturb a spot in the sandbed you haven't really kept clean?

thatd release hydrogen sulphide, not nitrate

 

[Eienna]

thatd release hydrogen sulphide, not nitrate

It releases sulphide from anaerobic conditions. It releases nitrate from broken-down waste.

 

[Piscans]

It releases sulphide from anaerobic conditions. It releases nitrate from broken-down waste.

ah ok. when i think of undisturbed sand, i usually think like deep in the sand, not just the top with all the detritus on it. that can def contribute to nitrate but id imagine its salt or test kit. 239 ppm is a lot for a stirred sandbed.

 

[Eienna]

ah ok. when i think of undisturbed sand, i usually think like deep in the sand, not just the top with all the detritus on it. that can def contribute to nitrate but id imagine its salt or test kit. 239 ppm is a lot for a stirred sandbed.

The waste tends to sink into it...gets kinda gross if you don't siphon it out regularly. I agree, however. It's certainly unusual to get that much if it is indeed the issue.

 

[HBtank]

corals
Lps - since dip all 3 Lps have bounced back but they other 2 did melt away in tank
Mushrooms - perfectly fine
Zoa - unhappy and not extending fully - not growing for sure
Anemone - fully happy

Monti - a small red frag has perished - bleached
Grafted - in bad shape hardly can distinguish the color

sps - some older - milli and unknown are Doing fine but all others are new to tank from just 2 days ago

I’m confused, 12 hours ago it was this:

”Corals - no sign of stress all fluffy - SPS extending their polyps and LPS are good too. / fish are good and no sign of stress”

And your last test was almost a month ago, so how long were nitrates elevated? Do you know?

How do you know your reaction and “dipping” etc.hasn’t cause issues? What did you do with the Monti etc.. since yesterday?

 

[Lavey29]

Yet they are not seeing any of that?

Um he said some of his corals are dying? With respect to fish, the affects may not be as immediate at ammonia poisoning but will progressively worsen.

 

[Lavey29]

You'll notice that the link you posted does not link to any actual sources. Its something from a freshwater aquarium guide with "Corals" tacked on at the end. Its hobby nonsense.

This site will also tell you that nitrite is harmful, when nitrite LC50 for shrimp larvae is about 200ppm, and its about 500 ppm for fish.


Here's a survey study on nitrate toxicity in freshwater and marine organisms. Go through it and you'll notice that the lowest number that they observed any toxicity for nitrate in seawater is 573 ppm on Monocanthus fingerlings. On most other test, the numbers were in 3000+ ppm range.


Seriously, ignore everything you find on hobby sites. 90% of it is just regurgitated freshwater stuff and is outright wrong. If it's written by Randy - you can probably take it seriously.

https://www.golias.net/akvaristika/docs/Nitrate%20toxicity%20to%20aquatic%20animals.pdf

Nitrate toxicity to aquatic animals: a review with new data for freshwater invertebrates Camargo, Alonso, Salamanca 2003

I guess like many things in science such as climate change, there are differing opinions. Studies can be manipulated to produce a specific result. It's really hard to be certain about a lot of things now. To many variables but I'm sure we can agree over 200 nitrates in a reef tank is not an ideal environment for the inhabitants.

 

[HBtank]

Um he said some of his corals are dying? With respect to fish, the affects may not be as immediate at ammonia poisoning but will progressively worsen.

Not when I posted that. Check the OP.

Need more information to be honest, everything isn’t adding up.

 

[Lavey29]

Not when I posted that. Check the OP.

Need more information to be honest, everything isn’t adding up.

I thought the same when he first posted that high nitrates number. I still have doubts about it unless something big died in the tank somewhere but who knows. I also think the info I posted doesn't indicate immediate bad things happen but that they get progressively worse over time if not corrected.

 

[HBtank]

I thought the same when he first posted that high nitrates number. I still have doubts about it unless something big died in the tank somewhere but who knows. I also think the info I posted doesn't indicate immediate bad things happen but that they get progressively worse over time if not corrected.

Not here to debate nutrients, lots of stunning tanks out there with levels that would make most here panic.

Only focused on overreactions,. But this isn't making sense, corals we’re “fluffy and happy” 12 hours ago, now there is “recoveries from dips” and discussion of zoas “not growing” in 12 hours…

 

[Bucs20fan]

Not here to debate nutrients, lots of stunning tanks out there with levels that would make most here panic.

Only focused on overreactions,. But this isn't making sense, corals we’re “fluffy and happy” 12 hours ago, now there is “recoveries from dips” and discussion of zoas “not growing” in 12 hours…

"Something else is afoot Watson, and we must get to the bottom of it"

 

[92Miata]

I guess like many things in science such as climate change, there are differing opinions. Studies can be manipulated to produce a specific result. It's really hard to be certain about a lot of things now. To many variables but I'm sure we can agree over 200 nitrates in a reef tank is not an ideal environment for the inhabitants.

There are no differing opinions on this in the science, and there really aren't any differing opinions on the science in climate change. And it really demonstrates your scientific illiteracy that you use that example.

There is the science, and then there are people like you regurgitating stuff they read in blogs, which is just stuff regurgitated from 30 year old manuals on keeping freshwater angelfish.

Your original claim was that 200ppm nitrate would kill all his fish in quick order. This claim has been demonstrated false.

 

[kingoftheHiLLpeople]

Y'all need to read his posts! He diluted the water sample 1:10 with fresh sw and got 23.9.

Still no test reads 200 - specifically 239 which makes me curious about the whole thing which is why i stopped responding lol

 

[Eienna]

Well, I'm not entirely sure what the heck is going on, but I'll leave you with my hypothesis and a general principle for now. If a parameter is really high but the corals all look good, or it was likely to have happened slowly, drop it back down SLOWLY. If the corals or fish appear in serious distress, however, or you caught something obviously dangerous mid-happening (like you see your ATO stuck on and your salinity's hitting the floor,) then you should make more drastic changes. Nothing wrong with asking, though, if you're not sure.

 

[Eienna]

Still no test reads 200 - specifically 239 which makes me curious about the whole thing which is why i stopped responding lol

The tank water being tested was diluted to make it readable, then basic math was applied to get the real number.

 

[k2-]

Recent updates -

1. some of my acro frags which were installed less than 48 hours ago had a bleaching at the back end.
   1. As discussed moved all corals to second stable tank
2. Dipped my terminal grafted monti frag into a dip and now its back in tank - still have to do a postmortem -analyze dip residue to see what happened to it
3. Working on water - getting mixed in my 30G mixing tank and will be performing alot more changes.
4. Checked my Ca dosing (only dosing tank currently has) -> It has 0 nitrates as i would expect, so right now removing accidental dosing as a possible cause
5. Will check readings again once LFS opens - However same result when i used a new box of reagent (see my earlier post and API strip pointing the same value)

 

[Eienna]

I'd move the bleachies to a darker spot with increased flow, if you haven't already. That (and possibly aminos and feeding) could help bring them back.

 

[k2-]

Thanks - I will perform amino dosing in a bit. Now they are directly below the flow and have good water flowing around them. PAR in this tank is suited for LPS (100-150) and it should give some rest.

Talking to a local company which uses my same salt mix (Red Sea coral Pro) for a bulk water delivery.What happened is really strange from 3.1 to 200+ in a few weeks.

 

[MERKEY]

Thanks - I will perform amino dosing in a bit. Now they are directly below the flow and have good water flowing around them. PAR in this tank is suited for LPS (100-150) and it should give some rest.

Talking to a local company which uses my same salt mix (Red Sea coral Pro) for a bulk water delivery.What happened is really strange from 3.1 to 200+ in a few weeks.

It's not strange...you mixed up your sand bed and added N03.

This is all from what you have said in this thread.

You admit to not testing for a month in which time things have changed since you mixed up your sand bed and added N03 booster.

There is no mystery here.

Water changes are the only real cure for large N03 removal.

Keep going down a rabbit hole if you'd like

 

[k2-]

Makes sense and Agreed nothing else makes sense. Water change and be done