Insanely high Nitrate and phosphate

[Damon Jensen]

Sorry, but my glass needs cleaning.
200gl FOWLR, 3 trigger, puffer, queen angle, file fish, rock mover wrasse, eel, unknown Fish withblue with yellow tail and nasty tang.
Sump, protein skimmer, charcoal, filter socks, small UV....Can't grow micro algea....but that is another story.
18 months out of fallow.
About a year ago, I started using Salifert and thought they kit was bad because showed nitrate and phosphate off yesterday charts.
I change 25gl weekly and I am an over feeder....but lately I feed 1 cube per fish twice a day and the eel about 3 silversides every other day.

I have started changing 50 gl about every 3 days, so far 200gl. Still off the charts. I moved my rocks and am pulling out nasty water. I use Vibrant weekly.

Here is the interesting part...my observation tank which is only inverts right now.....same high levels, I add small amounts of seaweed twice a week.....same high levels

RO/DI water instant ocean salt....water has no nitrate or phosphate when made.

So, what could be driving my levels so high? Should I keep the pace on 50 gl 2 times a week until the levels reach 0?

 

[KC's CNC Creations]

your levels are high from all the food additions!!! it's a predator tank, accept that they'll be high and you'll have fat and happy fish.

 

[Damon Jensen]

Sorry, but my glass needs cleaning.
200gl FOWLR, 3 trigger, puffer, queen angle, file fish, rock mover wrasse, eel, unknown Fish withblue with yellow tail and nasty tang.
Sump, protein skimmer, charcoal, filter socks, small UV....Can't grow micro algea....but that is another story.
18 months out of fallow.
About a year ago, I started using Salifert and thought they kit was bad because showed nitrate and phosphate off yesterday charts.
I change 25gl weekly and I am an over feeder....but lately I feed 1 cube per fish twice a day and the eel about 3 silversides every other day.

I have started changing 50 gl about every 3 days, so far 200gl. Still off the charts. I moved my rocks and am pulling out nasty water. I use Vibrant weekly.

Here is the interesting part...my observation tank which is only inverts right now.....same high levels, I add small amounts of seaweed twice a week.....same high levels

RO/DI water instant ocean salt....water has no nitrate or phosphate when made.

So, what could be driving my levels so high? Should I keep the pace on 50 gl 2 times a week until the levels reach 0?

Also all other levels are normal.
Fish have no issues, but invert die...I know Brad my blueline and 4he other crew eat the inverts, but I cannot keep a seahare more than 2 days even when protected from Brad

 

[Damon Jensen]

your levels are high from all the food additions!!! it's a predator tank, accept that they'll be high and you'll have fat and happy fish.

Oh, they are fat. I need inverts though

 

[sp1187]

what's "off the charts"?

 

[KC's CNC Creations]

inverts in a predator tank = Expencive Live Food

a sulfur denitrator is going to be your best bet to reduce the nitrates, GFO will pull the phosphates down.

 

[IKD]

Are the inverts dying from the nutrients or the fish? You have puffers, eels, and triggers in there.

 

[dedragon]

i mean the triggers and eels will munch on most of the inverts anyway, i wouldnt worry about trying to keep them

 

[JumboShrimp]

My two 150-gallon FOWLR are both Nitrates 160+ ppm, Phosphates 5.0 ppm. I feed heavy like you. Fish are all beautiful and happy, but I did buy a Sulphur Denitrator to try to get the levels down due to Cyno. I started a thread to track the Sulphur Denitrator’s progress if you want to follow it.