need help... high nitrates

tgp4274 · Jun 23, 2015

ok guys I need help......
I have a 130 and I have just lost 5 fish in the last three days.....

I have really high nitrates (120+ on api)
I have tried everything to try n get these down....
I was running bio-pellets but took them out cause of needing a new reactor..
I am carbon doseing vodka at moment and am up to 12mil and not seeing any deference
I do 10 gal water changes per week and am using rodi water with a 0 tds reading
even when I was running the pellets I t seemed like they never went down
I now am using red sea tests an ofcourse the color is way dark color off the chart

sawdonkey · Jun 23, 2015

Skimmer? You can have really high nitrates and fish should not die. It's not good for them for long periods, but you shouldn't have deaths due to nitrates. Have you tested for ammonia?

klondike4001 · Jun 23, 2015

What are your ammonia and nitrite levels at? Are you running a fuge?

klondike4001 · Jun 23, 2015

What's your alk running at?

Daytonareefing · Jun 23, 2015

Maybe your getting the fish to drunk on the vodka. I'm kidding. We need a lot more info on the tank to help and pictures may help.

Daytonareefing · Jun 23, 2015

Maybe your getting the fish to drunk on the vodka. I'm kidding. We need a lot more info on the tank to help and pictures may help.

redfishbluefish · Jun 23, 2015

Nitrates can kill, but most fish can take high levels of nitrate if it slowly built up. Unless these fish were recently introduced, or they are nitrate sensitive, I'm not sure the nitrates were your cause for the fish deaths.

However, I'd still want to reduce that high nitrate level. I'd be doing relatively large water changes....maybe 50% changes to start to bring those numbers down.

As mentioned above, I've got to believe you have a skimmer if your using either biopellets of vodka....both require a skimmer to "work." I'd also like to know your phosphate level to get a better picture.

But again, start with large water changes to start to bring that number down.

sawdonkey · Jun 24, 2015

redfishbluefish said:
Nitrates can kill, but most fish can take high levels of nitrate if it slowly built up. Unless these fish were recently introduced, or they are nitrate sensitive, I'm not sure the nitrates were your cause for the fish deaths.

However, I'd still want to reduce that high nitrate level. I'd be doing relatively large water changes....maybe 50% changes to start to bring those numbers down.

As mentioned above, I've got to believe you have a skimmer if your using either biopellets of vodka....both require a skimmer to "work." I'd also like to know your phosphate level to get a better picture.

But again, start with large water changes to start to bring that number down.

klondike4001 said:
What's your alk running at?

klondike4001 said:
What are your ammonia and nitrite levels at? Are you running a fuge?

I'm just curious, what would phosphates or alk have to do with nitrates or fish deaths? I had a FOWLR for years and never even knew these were a concern.

Are you asking about a fuge because it may become a nitrate factory?

redfishbluefish · Jun 24, 2015

I'm asking about phosphates because for biopellets or vodka to work, you need phosphates (along with the nitrates). It will also tell me if that nitrate level is real. There is a biological ratio of N to P.....called the redfield ratio.....that should be about 16 to 1, respectively. If it's not, then you have some funk going on in the tank....leaching rock or something.

And you do have a skimmer?

sawdonkey · Jun 24, 2015

redfishbluefish said:
I'm asking about phosphates because for biopellets or vodka to work, you need phosphates (along with the nitrates). It will also tell me if that nitrate level is real. There is a biological ratio of N to P.....called the redfield ratio.....that should be about 16 to 1, respectively. If it's not, then you have some funk going on in the tank....leaching rock or something.

And you do have a skimmer?

Got it, thanks. I've heard of the Redfield Ratio, but never thought of using it to calculate the unknown parameter. Learn something every day!

klondike4001 · Jun 24, 2015

sawdonkey said:
I'm just curious, what would phosphates or alk have to do with nitrates or fish deaths? I had a FOWLR for years and never even knew these were a concern.

Are you asking about a fuge because it may become a nitrate factory?

I ask about alk and other params because I've seen this poster ask about coral colors fading in other recent threads where they were already showing signs of higher NO3.

And on another note, 10g per week is about 5 gallons too little to be hitting the 10% mark if your volume is 150g total system, especially if you're already experiencing higher values of the nitrogen cycle.

tgp4274 · Jun 24, 2015

Yes the water is about a hundred and fifty gallons total.... I am running a skimmer and it does seem to be on overdrive lately..... am also running an algae scrubber but has been on there for about 2 months and I only get a brown slime not growing much. last I checked my phosphates were about .5

tgp4274 · Jun 24, 2015

Oh n my alkalinity is about 9.5

klondike4001 · Jun 24, 2015

Stable at 9.5? Last time I saw you post your params you posted 10+ dKH.

For the time being you need do a large water change, 30% plus. You need to get those nitrates down.

Reefing Madness · Jun 24, 2015

Carbon Dose, aka Vodka Dose
Start out at 1ml a day for 3 days, then bump it to 5mls a day for 4 days, then bump that another 5mls for the following week.
Every week you do not see your Nitrates start to fall, add another 5mls, keep doing this until you see the Nitrates start to fall, once you do, then don't add anymore mls, that dose will be your daily maintenance dose until the Nitrates come down to where you want them.
Once they are all the way down, then cut that dose in half, that will now be your daily maintenance dose, every day.
Note: Once you get to 10mls and above, split the dose up during the day, put half in for the morning and the other half in for the evening.

tgp4274 · Jun 24, 2015

I dose 6mils twice a day at moment... I have been slowly raiseing it bout 1mil every two weeks.....
Yes alk now at 9.5 steady... On doseing pump...

Reefing Madness · Jun 24, 2015

You keep raising it that way, and it will take you 7 months to see those numbers drop.
Nothing wrong with that alk #

zemuss · Jun 24, 2015

How much rock is in this tank?
How long have you had the tank?
What is your live stock like?
How often do you feed?
What does a normal feeding look like? Quantity and food types.
Equipment listings
Have you taken your water to a LFS for testing confirmation?
What type of sand bed do you have?
How often do you change your water? Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly
Has the tank produced an algae bloom, milky water in the past few weeks?
If so do you now have any types of Algae in the tank because of the bloom?

This should cover many quesitons we might have to help you.

"Z"

tgp4274 · Jun 24, 2015

Bout 150# rock..
Tanks bout 2yrs old but had to empty everything bout a month ago due to a seam leak.
I do now have hair alg n cyano....
Have bout 6fish left in tank n two in hospital tank...
Feed pellets in morning n was three cubes of frozen once a day. Am down to one cube now...
When feed cubes i have three dif i mix n match or a chunk of rod's

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jun 24, 2015

The vodka will do the trick if you stick with it long enough and are skimming adequately.

This has more discussion on reducing nitrate:

https://www.reef2reef.com/blog/nitrate-in-the-reef-aquarium/