Nitrate levels 80-120!! Help!

[jigenovana]

My 60 gallon tank has been high on nitrates for about 2-3 months now. Did partial water changes every week for about 20-30% and the results just stay the same. I added some chaeto in the sump and yet the results still stay the same. I'm using API kit. My ammonia stays at 0ppm though.

My corals has been fine during those periods and seems to be growing a bit fast. My LS are all okay. Everything seems to be fine, except for the red slime infestation but is 80% removed now.

Does anyone know any chemicals I can put to improve my nitrates. Or should I just keep doing the water changes?

 

[jtl]

You really need to zero in on the cause otherwise it will be an ongoing battle but get a different test kit or have your water tested at your lfs. What are your other params?

 

[basement reefer]

Do you skim? Try a different kit although I probably trust it.

I'm a fan of big water changes and cleaning before resorting to dosing vinegar etc.

 

[SPR1968]

The first thing I would ask is do you make your own water with a RODI system and produce 0 TDS water, or do you get the water from the LFS. If you get it from the Lfs have you tested the TDS reading ?

If your doing a 30% water change, and it’s fresh clean water, the nitrates will reduce by roughly 30% and it’s the easiest way to keep nitrates under control by regular water changes.

There are other methods you can use like carbon dosing (Nopox for example) and increased biological filtration methods but you need to check the basics first.

And welcome to R2R it’s great to have you with us!

 

[DFR]

To better assist, please post more details of the system and current water parameters. But my first guess would be an undersized filtration setup.
How long has your tank been running? What are you running in terms of filtration? How many fish do you have? What’s your nitrite and phosphate readings? Are you dosing anything?

 

[jigenovana]

Do you skim? Try a different kit although I probably trust it.

I'm a fan of big water changes and cleaning before resorting to dosing vinegar etc.

Yes, I skim. But I will try different test kits to confirm this.

 

[jigenovana]

The first thing I would ask is do you make your own water with a RODI system and produce 0 TDS water, or do you get the water from the LFS. If you get it from the Lfs have you tested the TDS reading ?

If your doing a 30% water change, and it’s fresh clean water, the nitrates will reduce by roughly 30% and it’s the easiest way to keep nitrates under control by regular water changes.

There are other methods you can use like carbon dosing (Nopox for example) and increased biological filtration methods but you need to check the basics first.

And welcome to R2R it’s great to have you with us!

I've been using NSW ever since I established the tank and kept using NSW for partial water changes. I do test it prior to adding it into the tank and usually the parameters are all normal. They do reduce, but like nitrates go high the day after.

 

[basement reefer]

Perhaps there is some sort of die-off happening in the NSW during transportation causing the nitrate?

 

[mattzang]

I just got through a high nitrate spell

-I did very large water changes probably 35-40% or so at least a couple times a week
-started dosing nopox
-changed out all of my filter media for new stuff
-upgraded my refugium light to get better chaeto growth
-cut my feeding in half. cut way back on coral feeding. completely stopped dosing amino acids

 

[SPR1968]

I've been using NSW ever since I established the tank and kept using NSW for partial water changes. I do test it prior to adding it into the tank and usually the parameters are all normal. They do reduce, but like nitrates go high the day after.

If your using NSW who knows what it may contain and that’s probably the root cause of your problem

I’m not saying there is anything necessary wrong with using that, but with clean new saltwater 30% water change means approximately 30% Nitrate reduction. 30% water change using NSW means, who know what reduction in Nitrate and clearly not much from what you’ve said.

If you have an issue, then I would look at what your putting back into the tank

 

[dansreef]

First off, we don't know a lot about your tank in size, what type of filtration you are using, livestock and how you are feeding.

One place to start is to significantly cut the amount you are feeding. Fish will eat as much as you can put in front of them. Cut back by 1/2 and they will be just fine. Also, if you are feeding pellets and flake, those can be the source of a lot of nitrates and phosphates. Also, what are you feeding your corals? A lot of coral foods can increase your nutrients.

The suggestions above are all very good. Try to get to the source of the nitrates. If you can do that, bringing them down is a lot easier. Not sure what kits you are using to test, but find a different one to confirm your testing skills and the results you are getting. Perhaps your LFS can help there.

The good news, your corals and other tank inhabitants are doing well. You want to lower your nitrates slowly and consistently over time.

Good Luck!

 

[BestMomEver]

NoPox.... NO3-PO4 by Red Sea. Change (or get rid of) filter socks and other mechanical filtration.... at least for a bit. Do water changes .... maybe 2 or 3 20% changes every other day for a week or so. Feed very little.

 

[BeejReef]

Totally guessing, but testing NSW may well show acceptable nitrate and phosphate because all of the organic compounds are tied up in live plankton, or other small creatures that may well by dying shortly after introducing them to your tank. What temperature is the water where you're getting your NSW? Could be that a number of colder water species are just dying as soon as they hit that 80d water??

 

[laverda]

A lot of good advice already provided. High nitrates are not that big a deal in many cases. A lot depends on what your trying to keep coral wise. I would definatly check you source salt and RO/DI water.
Do you have any type of mechanical filtration like fikter socks, floss or a canister filter. If so start cleaning it every 3 days. They work great at catching excess food and waste, but it quickly breaks down to nitrates in not removed from the system every few days.