Need Advice: Nitrates

[Drewb628]

Try Ulva in your refugium instead of chaeto. I picked up 4oz from a seller on ebay jrbkirk and it dropped my nitrates from 50 to around 2 in less than a week after fighting with high nitrates for close to a year.

Thanks I will have to try that. My LFS offers a few Macro Algaes so I will try that out.

 

[Drewb628]

Additionally, in regards to corals they are likely melting vs being eaten. If your observing the Tang picking near the corals it’s just cleaning the rock. None of the fish listed would eat corals, IME.

With 50+ Nitrate/.25 Phosphate you’re well beyond suggest limits for adding corals. I’d hold off adding more until you can solve for nutrients.

i haven't seen anything picking at them, which is part of my confusion. My Xenia appear to be ripped off at the base. Whole stalks disappear over night.

 

[Jekyl]

Probably not what you want to hear, but you're about 3 fish too many in my opinion. Especially the blue tang. Fixing that will no doubt get your nitrates to a better place.

 

[AJsReef]

i haven't seen anything picking at them, which is part of my confusion. My Xenia appear to be ripped off at the base. Whole stalks disappear over night.

Seems fairly consistent with “melting”, soft corals will seemingly disappear when conditions aren’t right.

I’d work on reducing Nitrate/Phosphate for sure, as you’re looking to do. Ideally Phosphate below .1

 

[Reefer Reboot]

Have you tried out the Red Sea test kit yet. IME, I've been testing nitrates weekly with API, Nyos and Salifert kits simultaneously for over a year and API always reads much higher than the other two. As to which one is correct, well, only your corals can answer that for you.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Any filter sources (pads, socks, etc have the ability to store nitrates and release them when clogged. Clean filters regularly and instead of carbon, try a pouch of Chemipure elite which will bring down nitrates and keep them in check
Main causes generally are :

• The aquarium is too young for the livestock within it
• Overstocked. Too many fish
• Not enough Live Rock/Live Sand/Beneficial Bacteria habitat
• Overfeeding
• Little or no water changes
• Small water change volumes
• Too much detritus
• No protein skimmer or protein skimmer is too small

 

[Drewb628]

Have you tried out the Red Sea test kit yet. IME, I've been testing nitrates weekly with API, Nyos and Salifert kits simultaneously for over a year and API always reads much higher than the other two. As to which one is correct, well, only your corals can answer that for you.

I have. The red sea had a lower reading than the salfert but still way too high.

 

[fish farmer]

I second the stronger light for Chaeto, you shouldn't have a problem growing chaeto with those nitrate and phosphate levels. Do you have a sump? Wondering since you have an HOB fuge, if you don't have space in a sump for chaeto.

 

[PeterC99]

Okay. I'm just frustrated and looking for advice on how to proceed. I have a 55 gallon tank, that is almost a year old. I have been fighting nitrates from the start. I can't seem to get below 50. I do 10% water changes weekly, and just did a 50% water change, and that is only a short term fix.

I have fish (blue hippo tang, 2 clowns, diamond goby, 4 cardinal fish, and flamehawk) and 3 frags in the tank. I thought maybe I was over feeding, but when I cut back on the food and spread it throughout the day the fish decimated the few corals I do have. Not even sure which fish it is because it seems to happen at night. All of my fish are supposed to be "reef safe." I have 2 nori clips that I refresh daily which they always eat, and am feeding a pinch of pellets and a mixture of frozen food.

I also picked up a HOB refugium for the nitrates but my chaeto won't grow. It just withers away over the course of a month or 2. I even turned off the timer to let the light go all day, and that didn't change anything. I have a Tunze 8821 which isn't the refugium light, but from what I read it should work just fine.

Everything else is within a good range. Alkilinity and Calcium are on the low side, but still fine.

I'm just looking on any advice of what to try next.

Your ability NOT to grow chaeto is key - high nitrates and no chaeto growth is a problem. Sounds like it could be the refigium light or not enough flow.

I put a Tunze MAR on my RSR 170 with high nitrates. Within 2 months the nitrates were zero and I was harvesting chaeto like crazy.

 

[Drewb628]

Your ability NOT to grow chaeto is key - high nitrates and no chaeto growth is a problem. Sounds like it could be the refigium light or not enough flow.

I put a Tunze MAR on my RSR 170 with high nitrates. Within 2 months the nitrates were zero and I was harvesting chaeto like crazy.

I keep reading not enough flow. Is this referring to flow in the tank or the refugium?

 

[PeterC99]

I keep reading not enough flow. Is this referring to flow in the tank or the refugium?

Flow through the refugium.

 

[Drewb628]

Flow through the refugium.

Perfect thanks. I've been on the lookout for a Tunze 8831 for a while, so I will see if I can get a stronger pump for my refugium as well to increase flow in there.

 

[minus9]

I wouldn't necessarily cut back on feeding the fish, just break it up into smaller, more frequent feedings. It really comes down to not having enough of a bio filter with your current stocking of fish. I really like the Nyos nitrate kit, it's simple and easy to read and use. Remember, N and P aren't the deciding factor for macro algae to grow, trace elements play a very important roll here too, along with proper lighting. You can also run the photo period longer, say 14hrs. Maybe consider adding bio media to your sump, bio spheres are great and don't require a lot of room. Also, siporax, 25mm version, can really aid in reducing N and P. Efficient protein skimming is important here, maybe an upgrade is in order? 15% weekly water changes are good, but make sure you're using a quality salt and RO or it's pointless. Consider a little carbon dosing that really targets your goals. I really like Tropic Marin Elimi-NP for this, but you have to go slow and start with the minimum dose. Like others mentioned, maybe rethink your current fish list and possibly re-home the larger ones to an appropriately sized tank.
Maybe consider ATI ICP to rule out other possible issues.
Here's my list in order:
Weekly water changes, 15%
Add bio media
Protein skimmer (appropriate sized)
Photo period increase for refugium and correct stronger light source.
Trace elements (look into reef moonshiners method)
Weekly or bi-weekly probiotic bacteria additions. Biodigest prodibio and PNS Probio