Nitrate never budges yet high while phosphate is low and volatile (I need help with them)

[Katze]

Hello everyone !

I have an issue with those nitrates since I set up my aquarium here's everything you have to know, feel free to ask questions !

System volume: 180l (not considering the amount that the rock replaces)
Parameters:
Salinity: 1025-1026
PO4: (at the moment, Hanna ULR) 0,01-0,00 it is very volatile though the last 1-2 weeks it just rapidly decreased
NO3: 50-100 (always between those two but never decreases, salifert)
-> having a cyano outbreak
Routine:
-Daily: feeding half a cube of mysis + flakes for the phosphates started it 1-2 days ago when I got a reading of 0,03 for PO4, cleaning the skimmer (It has more impact on po4 than on no3)
-weekly: 10% waterchange
Livestock:
(1x from each)
scopas
fire goby
damselfish
ocellaris clown
dragonet
anthias

CUC: copepods, turbo snails, limpets, and bristtle worms

Filtration:
bubblemagus NAC5 skimmer
filter sock
sponge (placed in about 2 months ago from the start of the tank
ceramic filter media (about 9 months old)
-no I don't run PO4 adsorbants
Tank's cycle:
1 year and 2 months old

about 12kgs of rock: 70% dry, 15% live 15% live from ocean
a year ago to start the cycle I dosed: prodibio biodigest for about a month 1 ampulle/week, prodibio bioptim 2x in the 1 month period

 

[Saltyreef]

If you want to reduce nitrates, you need to do larger and more frequent water changes but I would start dosing phosphate slowly while observing your nitrate first.

Btw if your corals look good, i wouldnt stress on the nitrate level but forsure keep the phosphate from bottoming out.

 

[Katze]

I'm more concerned of the cyano it causes, looks awful-ish and is suffocating a gorgonian. As I'm planning I'll try to get PO4 to readable levels without dosing but with feeding if that won't help then dosing.

 

[Saltyreef]

I'm more concerned of the cyano it causes, looks awful-ish and is suffocating a gorgonian. As I'm planning I'll try to get PO4 to readable levels without dosing but with feeding if that won't help

The overfeeding will likely only continue to raise your nitrates unless you are feeding something with known high phosphates like reef roids.

Work on reducing nitrates by large water changes.

This will also help with cyano.
You should suck out as much of the cyano as possible with the water changes as well.

 

[Katze]

I may have forgotten to mention that when I first got a reading of high nitrates I tried like 30% and 40% waterchanges those did not help that was now about 6 months ago. Cleaning the skimmer cup daily did help with phosphates at the end but not NO3.

So far I tried:
carbon dosing (mainly NOPOX and vinegar)
increased waterchanges
adding more bacteria
-> none of them worked so far with nitrate, interestingly phosphate always changed

 

[Saltyreef]

Most times the nitrates are harboring in the sand and deadspots.

Ive seen plenty of nitrate issues cured by a simple rinsing of the sand.

 

[Saltyreef]

Btw are you using RODI?

 

[Katze]

Btw are you using RODI?

yeah, had a problem with that too, now it's solved with resin. Hmm... what about vacuuming the sandbed during every waterchange, it's 1cm deep. Could that help ?

 

[Katze]

or literally taking out the sand for a rinse in saltwater is what you mean?

 

[Saltyreef]

Yeah tap water rinse. Do you have a photo of the tank?

1cm depth sandbed is rather shallow. Your flow in the tank may be the issue too.

 

[EricR]

When I first started dosing phosphate to maintain detectable levels, my nitrate level started declining. (That was actually undesirable/unexpected for me since my levels weren't too high)
*not saying that will be the case here but just what I experienced, personally

 

[aaron7]

Hello everyone !

I have an issue with those nitrates since I set up my aquarium here's everything you have to know, feel free to ask questions !

System volume: 180l (not considering the amount that the rock replaces)
Parameters:
Salinity: 1025-1026
PO4: (at the moment, Hanna ULR) 0,01-0,00 it is very volatile though the last 1-2 weeks it just rapidly decreased
NO3: 50-100 (always between those two but never decreases, salifert)
-> having a cyano outbreak
Routine:
-Daily: feeding half a cube of mysis + flakes for the phosphates started it 1-2 days ago when I got a reading of 0,03 for PO4, cleaning the skimmer (It has more impact on po4 than on no3)
-weekly: 10% waterchange
Livestock:
(1x from each)
scopas
fire goby
damselfish
ocellaris clown
dragonet
anthias

CUC: copepods, turbo snails, limpets, and bristtle worms

Filtration:
bubblemagus NAC5 skimmer
filter sock
sponge (placed in about 2 months ago from the start of the tank
ceramic filter media (about 9 months old)
-no I don't run PO4 adsorbants
Tank's cycle:
1 year and 2 months old

about 12kgs of rock: 70% dry, 15% live 15% live from ocean
a year ago to start the cycle I dosed: prodibio biodigest for about a month 1 ampulle/week, prodibio bioptim 2x in the 1 month period

Hi,

I’m relatively new to reefing but the research I’ve done so far has stated that changing out things such as sponges or filter socks every 3-4 days can help prevent the nitrates from continuing to rise while you handle this issue. The detritus built up in your sponge over the last couple months may be contributing to your nitrate issue. Not sure how often you’re changing filter sock.

BRS did an investigate episode on it comparing different timelines for changing out filter socks.

I also believe doing a good vacuuming on the gravel at water changes can help reduce the nitrates by helping to rid the tank of detritus.

Not sure how much it helps but I also occasionally use a baster to blow the detritus off my rocks. The idea I have on it is to suspend it in the water Column again to give it another chance to get caught by the filter.

 

[Katze]

Yeah tap water rinse. Do you have a photo of the tank?

1cm depth sandbed is rather shallow. Your flow in the tank may be the issue too.

I currently have this tunze attached in terms of wavemakers and the right side usually has some deadspots mostly the back.

 

[aaron7]

Yeah tap water rinse. Do you have a photo of the tank?

1cm depth sandbed is rather shallow. Your flow in the tank may be the issue too.

Is rinsing substrate with tap water a common practice? Would that possibly kill the beneficial bacteria hosted within the gravel and cause ammonia/nitrite issues?

I’m asking for my education, not trying to sharpshoot.

 

[Katze]

Hi,

I’m relatively new to reefing but the research I’ve done so far has stated that changing out things such as sponges or filter socks every 3-4 days can help prevent the nitrates from continuing to rise while you handle this issue. The detritus built up in your sponge over the last couple months may be contributing to your nitrate issue. Not sure how often you’re changing filter sock.

BRS did an investigate episode on it comparing different timelines for changing out filter socks.

I also believe doing a good vacuuming on the gravel at water changes can help reduce the nitrates by helping to rid the tank of detritus.

Not sure how much it helps but I also occasionally use a baster to blow the detritus off my rocks. The idea I have on it is to suspend it in the water Column again to give it another chance to get caught by the filter.

The nitrate did not move, not even after the sponge was added. I clean the sock daily.

 

[aaron7]

I currently have this tunze attached in terms of wavemakers and the right side usually has some deadspots mostly the back.

Looks like the wave maker is pointed up, changing the position may help to suspend detritus so it can get caught by the filter

 

[aaron7]

The nitrate did not move, not even after the sponge was added. I clean the sock daily.

Ah ok, what I do is change out with a fresh one every 3-4 days. I’m sure cleaning it out daily is more than enough to prevent that from causing issues

 

[Katze]

Looks like the wave maker is pointed up, changing the position may help to suspend detritus so it can get caught by the filter

Yes it is pointed up. There was too much flow in the front. I guess It's time to add a 2nd.
Note that this is an AC wavemaker.

 

[Saltyreef]

Is rinsing substrate with tap water a common practice? Would that possibly kill the beneficial bacteria hosted within the gravel and cause ammonia/nitrite issues?

I’m asking for my education, not trying to sharpshoot.

Nope. Bacteria encysts onto the sand grains and will not be washed away with a quick tap water rinse.
Its best to do another bath in RODI if you want to negate any tap water contamination into your tank.

 

[aaron7]

Yes it is pointed up. There was too much flow in the front. I guess It's time to add a 2nd.
Note that this is an AC wavemaker.

I point mine towards the back wall and it helps slow my power head down a little bit while maintaining enough flow