Nitrate help

[furni80]

Good day: I have question about nitrate. To start, about three weeks ago I had an ich break out caused by my sump pump going out so I put the fish in quarantine. Before pulling fish my nitrates were running about 15-20ppm, after pulling fish they did drop back to zero, after 3 weeks with only a couple shrimp some hermits and a brittle all of the sudden they are up to about 40. The only thing I put in is a few bits of mysis every other day. I am running 2 protein skimmers, one in the sump and one hob and a uv filter. Had a blow out of green hair algae that I'm guessing is from the Nitrates? I did get a couple more hermits that took care of that pretty good. I would like to get this under control before I start introducing fish back into the tank in another 5 weeks or so. I will be doing a water change this weekend, is there anything else I can do the drop the Nitrate? Am I doing something to cause them to rise again? I appreciate your input and expertise.
Thanks

 

[chris124]

What test are you using? I don't know why they would go up like that after pulling your fish. Are you sure they where eating the mysis?

 

[twilliard]

Second what kit!
sounds like bad tests to me

 

[furni80]

The test is API. I'm only putting in maybe 10 pieces of mysis.

 

[furni80]

Also it's a 125 gallon tank

 

[915MANG]

The test is API. I'm only putting in maybe 10 pieces of mysis.

Is that 10 cubes of mysis? I usually put a few cubes in some rodi water, pour some food in the tank. Then put the food in the fridge. Is your tank pretty large? Kinda seems like a lot, thanks

 

[twilliard]

I hope not cubes!

 

[furni80]

Nope, strained with a little garlic extract and trace elements added.

 

[twilliard]

I guess what we were after is that you don't strain 10 cubes right?

 

[furni80]

No just mysis alone. 10 pieces of mysis.

 

[Amoo]

Have you tested the Nitrates on your RO/DI water? Not just measured for 0 TDS, but actually run a Nitrate test on them.

 

[twilliard]

Jump online and get a red sea pro algae control kit
this will give you a little more accurate look at things

 

[Reefing Madness]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index...ar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

http://www.coralmagazine-us.com/content/foiling-phosphate

 

[furni80]

I haven't checked the ro but I will.

 

[chris124]

You might want to see if you LFS will test your water to see if you test kit is bad. I also use API and my test was showing nitrates at 20ppm and after doing my water change it was still 20ppm. So my LFS tested my water and my nitrates where 0ppm and my new API kit also shows 0ppm.

 

[furni80]

So the kits may have a shelf life? I'll take some to my LFS.

 

[Harold Green]

How long has the tank been set up? Definitely check the water with a different kit and the ro output too. Did you have much biological processing in the sump? Refusium, live rock, sponges, bags of carbon, etc. A die off of bacteria in the sump while the pump was out could have caused some water issues.

 

[furni80]

Definitely had died off in the sump so that could definitely have something to do with it.

 

[chris124]

So the kits may have a shelf life? I'll take some to my LFS.

My API test kit was a little over a year old and the nitrate and ph test where way off. My LFS recommended replacing it every six months to be safe.

 

[chris124]

Definitely had died off in the sump so that could definitely have something to do with it.

Thats probably the problem but still check you test kit just to be safe.