Input on Nitrates

reefermadness21 · Dec 18, 2021

I have a 22 gallon mixed tank with a ten gallon sump, sump has a protein skimmer , chaeto, and return pump. I have 2 clowns, a canary blenny and a goby, along with 3 hermits, and some snails. I have six groups of zoa's, an anemone, favia, acan, a war coral, a lepto, and a cyphastrea (all small and new). I checked my water specs and constantly get 40 ppm on nitrates even on the day after a water change, salinity is 1.025, coral pro salt and RO water used. Am I worrying to much about nitrates? My Ph is 8.0, ammonia .5 ppm, nitrites 0 ppm, tests done using API test kit. TIA

Idech · Dec 18, 2021

I doubt your ammonia is 0.5 unless you’re not cycled yet. What test are you using for nitrates ?

API is very imprecise. You should get a Hanna High range nitrate checker.

ZoWhat · Dec 18, 2021

reefermadness21 said:
....tests done using API test kit. TIA

You unknowingly answered your own question

Take your water to be tested at a LFS that uses Salifert or RedSea or Hanna

reefermadness21 · Dec 18, 2021

Idech said:
I doubt your ammonia is 0.5 unless you’re not cycled yet. What test are you using for nitrates ?

API is very imprecise. You should get a Hanna High range nitrate checker.

Thats where I was leaning towards, thanks.

reefermadness21 · Dec 20, 2021

So I ordered the Hanna nitrate meter, I will let you know.

reefermadness21 · Dec 24, 2021

So I am still getting 40’s for nitrate, did a water change toDay, ph was 8.5, I only have 3 fish, hermit crabs, and a few snails. Could a dead fish keep the levels elevated? Also I have a protein skimmer, and chaeto, I don’t have an actual filter, just biocubes, and I have been replenishing copepods.

Greg P · Dec 24, 2021

WCs won't remove what's trapped in your system. You're seeing what your system is putting back into the water column.

What do you have in your DT for LR?
Regardless, detritus/mulm builds up and instead of being removed through mechanical filtration causes NO3 to rise.

Keep your filtration/rocks/sand clear of buildup you can see. Daily or weekly, whatever you need to do.
Rinsing biocubes, cleaning socks, turkey basting live rock. Keep the 'mulm' from building up.

Dead/decaying stuff is eventually broken down, but is a big source of NO3

Lavey29 · Dec 24, 2021

You dont have a lot of corals yet so they are not using up your nitrates, feed fish less maybe only once a day. Dont feed the corals at all, What is your phosphate number? Your nitrates are elevated but not high in a dangerous sense to anything.

Greg P · Dec 24, 2021

Just to elaborate a bit ...
When I mentioned 'rinse' your biocubes, I mean you could do a WC and save some water in a bucket, then swish the cubes in that old water to remove the 'sludge/mulm/sediment', then place them back.
The bacteria will stay stuck to the cubes so no worry about losing them

reefermadness21 · Dec 26, 2021

Lavey29 said:
You dont have a lot of corals yet so they are not using up your nitrates, feed fish less maybe only once a day. Dont feed the corals at all, What is your phosphate number? Your nitrates are elevated but not high in a dangerous sense to anything.

Phosphate is 32 ppb

reefermadness21 · Dec 26, 2021

I started the tank the first of October, I used nitrifying bacteria from algae barn, along with copepods after the cycle. Would adding more nitrifying bacteria cause it to cycle again? I started with a piece of live rock about the size of a salad plate, the rest was dry rock. The bio cubes look clean. The corals look happy, some of the zoas (smaller ones) don’t open up. The chaeto looks good also. I have read so many different things, thanks in advance

Lavey29 · Dec 26, 2021

reefermadness21 said:
Phosphate is 32 ppb

That's elevated also but makes sense for a newer tank. Feed a little less, no coral food right now, water changes and both numbers will come down to reasonable levels. You can try a bag of chemipure blue in your sump to. It reduces both of these areas but doesn't bottom them out fast like other chemicals do.

Greg P · Dec 28, 2021

IMO, nitrifying bacteria only convert/process NH3 to NO2, which then is converted to NO3. You will always end up with elevated NO3 until you or your critters remove it.

Until your corals grow large enough to remove NO3 for you, you'll need do it yourself.
Frequent weekly sock changes/utilize nitrate removers/water changes/sand cleaning

Harold999 · Dec 28, 2021

What's the nitrate level of your freshly made new saltwater? Ever tested that?
If that's close to zero, which it should, then 40ppm nitrates should decrease to 32ppm after a 20% waterchange.
Nitrates aren't hidden under a rock or something, all is in the water column. Waterchanges - with water that has zero nitrates - always work.

Greg P · Dec 28, 2021

Harold999 said:
What's the nitrate level of your freshly made new saltwater? Ever tested that?
If that's close to zero, which it should, then 40ppm nitrates should decrease to 32ppm after a 20% waterchange.
Nitrates aren't hidden under a rock or something, all is in the water column. Waterchanges - with water that has zero nitrates - always work.

Except if the OP is not keeping detritus cleaned up

Harold999 · Dec 28, 2021

Greg P said:
Except if the OP is not keeping detritus cleaned up

Yeah, but decaying matter is a source for nitrate built up over a longer period of time. A waterchange should immediately lower nitrates if you test right after that and even then the OP doesn't see any change?
In this case i suspect the freshly new made water containing nitrates.

Greg P · Dec 28, 2021

Harold999 said:
Yeah, but decaying matter is a source for nitrate built up over a longer period of time. A waterchange should immediately lower nitrates if you test right after that and even then the OP doesn't see any change?
In this case i suspect the freshly new made water containing nitrates.

I agree, as long as detritus is being kept to a minimum.
There's been no mention yet or pictures showing how the tank is being kept clean.
It only takes a trapped/swirling pile of old fish food under a rock to keep NO3 levels up.
Just exploring all options.