Nitrate issue upsetting coral.

[andrea.nichols.1650]

I have a 20 tall tank with 2 oc clowns, Duncan, frog spawn, zoas, polys, and hydnophora. And 2 large bristle worms I can't seem to remove.

My nitrates are around 20-30ppm and I am trying to get it under control and it seems like when I try to decrease them they go back the next day...

My Duncan and frog spawn are not looking too happy while the others are doing fine..

I'm wondering if I should move them to my quarantine tank until I get the nitrates down.. My Duncan has 8 head and is my pride and joy and I'd hate to lose it..

Any thoughts on this?

Here are the tank members as of now

 

[Tab28]

Are there any other water perimeter issue other than nitrates? It will take awhile to get nitrates under control. If you can not find what is causing them to maintain the high level you may never get them to lower.

What type of skimmer are you using. Water change routine and feeding schedule will help with getting your nitrates under control.

 

[andrea.nichols.1650]

Other parameters are good ammonia is 0.. Nitrite 0.. But nitrates around 30 ppm.. I don't have a skimmer at the moment and do a 10% water change every Thursday... Feed the lps like 3 times a week.. I suck up any krill or my sister over.. Fish I feed in the morning and a pinch at night ..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How did you try to reduce it?

A 10% change once a week won't do much for nitrate.

 

[andrea.nichols.1650]

I did a 20% change early morning then a 10% the same night waited 2 days then did another 20%... I decides to wait a few days so I don't shock anything... I also added a bag of denitrate into my filter and been cleaning out the filters every other day or so to clear any gunk.. I don't know what else to do I know I need a skimmer but don't have the money till Friday..

 

[Tab28]

You will not see a lowering of nitrates with that schedule. Three feedings a week is more than you need to do, especially since you have no skimmer. Try cutting back feedings to once a week or twice smaller amounts. Two 25% Water changes a week will help lower nitrates. What type of filter system are you using?

 

[andrea.nichols.1650]

I have a wet dry hang on back it's a penguin with a biowheel

 

[ARVERLY]

Corals don't look that bad at all.. Either do more water changes or get a skimmer. I'd personally do the latter

 

[andrea.nichols.1650]

Okay I'll deff be getting a skimmer this Friday

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When cost is a factor, organic carbon dosing is a good option.

 

[Tank.Bro!]

Get a skimmer even a cheap prizm will do great for your tank size right now cyber Monday prices are all over reef equipment on this forum and on the internet got mine 1 week before Black Friday for 53.67

 

[Tab28]

When cost is a factor, organic carbon dosing is a good option.

Can you carbon dose without a skimmer?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Can you carbon dose without a skimmer?

Some people do. I think it is more experimental, but it still can work.

 

[Tank.Bro!]

I used to carbon dose without a skimmer and the only problem is you have to switch the carbon out a lot from my experiment which is pricey at times if you buy high end carbon.

 

[Tab28]

I used to carbon dose without a skimmer and the only problem is you have to switch the carbon out a lot from my experiment which is pricey at times if you buy high end carbon.

I think you may be referring to a different type of carbon.

 

[Tank.Bro!]

It says on the container activated carbon

 

[Tab28]

Carbon dosing in reefing is a practice of adding, usually a sugar or vodka based liquid to your filtering system. There are also commercial products for carbon dosing. Not to be confused with activated carbon. Which removes minerals and impurities from water. Carbon dosing feeds bacteria that eat nitrates and phosphates from water. Carbon dosing itself does not clean your water. The skimmer is needed to remove the waste from the feeding bacteria. Without a skimmer to help remove the waste proteins from the bacteria you will more than likely get algae blooms on your sand bed. A skimmer removes more than just that but that is why skimmer is needed for carbon dosing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The carbon in granular activated carbon is inorganic carbon, used to bind up, ironically, organic matter in the aquarium

Organic carbon dosing means adding things like vodka or vinegar to feed bacteria.

 

[Tank.Bro!]

Oh lol

 

[andrea.nichols.1650]

With frequent water changes I have been able to get my nitrates to 20ppm... During the change I noticed that my frog spawn who I thought was sick from the nitrates, has actually been acting weird cuz it is splitting heads... So not only has my Duncan grew 3 head in 6 weeks my frog spawn now has 3 sprouts and is about to become 2 heads...

Guess nitrates haven't been too bad if they are growing like that... Needless to say I'm a proud mama