Nitrate problem driving me up a wall...

[brownsalt92]

My parameters are in check besides for my nitrate and phosphate.
Temp 79
Salt 1.025
Mag 1350
Cal 440
Alk 8.1
Ph 8.2
P04 .08-.16
Nitrate is 20
I have a 100 gal total volume.
Tunze ato with kalwasser.
I make my own Rodi
I made a ats it's on week 3 getting some green algea.
I blow out rocks with turkey baster every few weeks. I just ordered a new gravel vac to do a 15 gal waterchange on wend cleaning sand bed really good.
I use reef crystals salt I try to do 1-2 5 gal waterchanges a week
I have a auto feeder feeding once at noon,I feed every other day mysis, lrs fish frenzy.
My tank has sps in it and aren't colored up super good anything I should be doing different?
Fish are fox face, blue hippo, yellow tang, royal gamma, lawn mower blenny, 2 engineer gobbies, couple starfish and plenty of snails

 

[brownsalt92]

Been fighting this problem since october

 

[Humblefish]

Not necessarily "problems" per se, but here are the probable contributors to your high nitrates:

• The foxface & tangs are "pooping machines"
• Feeding frozen is usually a factor (cut back on that if you can)
• A 5 gal WC isn't going to make much of an impact with a 100 gal tank. You will need to step it up to 20-25 gals per week, and then maybe every other week once you get the nitrates where you want them.

Vinegar/vodka dosing is always an option to reduce NO3. Also, look into a bio-pellet reactor.

[HASHTAG]#reefsquad[/HASHTAG] for more input

 

[Lionfish Lair]

What type of food are you feeding them?

I agree, 5 gallons isn't going to make much of a different. Humble, do you remember a table depicting the effects of frequent small water changes versus larger less frequent water changes and it's effect on nitrate?

 

[Lionfish Lair]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/

 

[morpheas]

I would cut down or eliminate at this stage the LRS. I would feed my mysis like you do but daily and eliminate the auto feeder for now. Pellets (which I assume you feed) are nutrient dense so they might be adding to the problem. I would also start NoPoX 12ml (per manual) (since I have experience with it but vodka/vinegar would do a similar job) and start looking into GFO since NoPoX will do an excellent job with nitrates but so and so with PO4.

That's what I would implement and then keep measuring every other day or so and looking at the reef daily for any signs of distress.

 

[twilliard]

Also to note I see metal fittings on your ats

 

[Saltwaterwill]

I had phosphate problems not to mention nitrates and I had brown hair algae growing everywhere, I was so frustrated . And then...it was such a simple problem to fix...my rodi unit!!!!i changed all the filters on it after a big water change with new water and new ato water, brown hair algae was gone in less than a week , maybe 3 to 4 days. Phosphates were gone and hair algae was gone, it was incredible. Hth

 

[Mele__Reef]

Im no expert but try seachem matrix. Lowers nitrates really well.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I would say water changes are one of the best ways to rid nitrates. 10% weekly. I would do at least 10-20gallons every week. You can also add some of the bio pure blocks or balls to your sump, it takes a few months but I've had great experiences with them.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

Also your PO4 is a little high. Everything I read says algae will grow over .04

 

[CodyRVA]

Agree with most of what others have said here, but here's my two cents. Regardless, start slow! Don't make a million changes to your system all at once. When you do that, you can easily create new issues and you'll have to back track to figure out what change resulted in the corresponding affect. Make a change, wait for the results, and proceed. Patience!

Start with killing that auto feeder, it's just not necessary and IMO that's probably what's causing your nitrate issue. As mentioned by @morpheas, pellets are nutrient dense which I would also assume is what's being fed in the feeder. I disagree with stopping feeding of frozen foods. Even if the frozen foods are chalked full of oils and nutrients, you can thaw and clean those foods with tap water (which is another option you should try). Things like LRS are extremely clean foods, just feed small amounts; you should have zero nutrient issues in that regard pending you aren't feeding a ridiculous amount.

I would not introduce any chemicals or additives to remove your nitrates. IMO this is like chemiclean, it might provide short term relief, but you're not getting to the root of the issue. Find out where the nutrients are coming from, attack the problem at the source. You might find that no matter how little you feed or what you feed you still have nitrate problems. In that case you're probably over stocked and your system isn't adequate to handle the load. At that point, you might want to introduce pellets, vodka, etc.; or maybe... maybe, GFO.

Possibly invest in some additional/better filter media, i'm a fan of sintered glass, but marine pure is great as well. Do you have a refugium? +1 on needing to increase volume of water changes if you want to go this route. I haven't done a water change in 6 months.

 

[Robink]

+1 on 10% water changes weekly. 10 gallons

 

[twilliard]

Also suggest a triton ICP to verify no heavy metals and that your po4 is accurate

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Besides the high numbers on the test. Is there an actual problem?

 

[brownsalt92]

Also to note I see metal fittings on your ats

It was the only fitting I could find at menards I will go to homedepot and buy a plastic barbed fitting

 

[brownsalt92]

Im no expert but try seachem matrix. Lowers nitrates really well.

I have that in my sump and didn't see a difference I think it's in a higher flow area.

 

[brownsalt92]

Agree with most of what others have said here, but here's my two cents. Regardless, start slow! Don't make a million changes to your system all at once. When you do that, you can easily create new issues and you'll have to back track to figure out what change resulted in the corresponding affect. Make a change, wait for the results, and proceed. Patience!

Start with killing that auto feeder, it's just not necessary and IMO that's probably what's causing your nitrate issue. As mentioned by @morpheas, pellets are nutrient dense which I would also assume is what's being fed in the feeder. I disagree with stopping feeding of frozen foods. Even if the frozen foods are chalked full of oils and nutrients, you can thaw and clean those foods with tap water (which is another option you should try). Things like LRS are extremely clean foods, just feed small amounts; you should have zero nutrient issues in that regard pending you aren't feeding a ridiculous amount.

I would not introduce any chemicals or additives to remove your nitrates. IMO this is like chemiclean, it might provide short term relief, but you're not getting to the root of the issue. Find out where the nutrients are coming from, attack the problem at the source. You might find that no matter how little you feed or what you feed you still have nitrate problems. In that case you're probably over stocked and your system isn't adequate to handle the load. At that point, you might want to introduce pellets, vodka, etc.; or maybe... maybe, GFO.

Possibly invest in some additional/better filter media, i'm a fan of sintered glass, but marine pure is great as well. Do you have a refugium? +1 on needing to increase volume of water changes if you want to go this route. I haven't done a water change in 6 months.

My plan of action will be to do a 25 gallon water change tommaro including cleaning sand bed really good. I will stop using my auto feeder. I've had it on my tank for a month now. I will change out the brass fitting If I can catch my fox face I would get him out of my tank.

Besides the high numbers on the test. Is there an actual problem?

Yes my corals over the last 2 weeks have been declining in health even with steady parameters.

Also suggest a triton ICP to verify no heavy metals and that your po4 is accurate

I will look into it.

 

[fenwick79]

+1 on the water changes

 

[Mike in CT]

I vote for carbon dosing. I have seen a lot of tanks where nitrates were entrenched, have very minimum results even with large water changes. Large water changes get old real quick.