Nitrate Problem

doylef4i · Dec 2, 2012

I can not seem to get any nitrates in my tank; or my last 2 tanks for that matter.I have tried not doing water changes,overfeeding, skimming real dry and can't seem to get any measurable nitrate.My concern is that my corals are bleaching and I have tried diff foods for them.Tank has been up and running for 3 months.
Tank specs
180 gallon shallow 48x48x18-sps only
sump 75 gall with skimmer/fuge w/ miracle mud/return is reeflo snapper
lighting is sunlight suppy 8 bulb t5 vho on 5 hours a day
2 little fishes gfo reactor with rowaphos
mag-1410
alk-9.3-9.5
calc-415
no3-0
po4-.04
fish-1 sargassum trigger,1 cryptic sixline,1 yellowbreasted twisty tamarin,1 hooded wrasse,2 red sea eightlines,1 yellow tang,1 ring tail tang,and 1 diamond goby.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

NanaReefer · Dec 2, 2012

Get a new test kit maybe? GFO's doing a REALLY good job maybe? 5hrs of light isn't enough IMO. Most are run for 8-10hrs.

scooterc268 · Dec 2, 2012

Increase your photo period time. I run a 4x T5 @ 10hrs a day two for the total 10hrs, granted its 10 total time, so 2 run 10hrz and the other two (4 total) run about 6 of hours during that time. Hopefully that makes since.

My 120 with LEDs run for 12hrs. Blues are @ 12hrs while the white run for 6hrs or so during that 12hr time frame.

No, I do not have an algae issue and the only thing I run in my tanks (which are plumbed to one sump) is a skimmer and bio pellets.

I just don't see a 5hr photo period (unless you're running MH) sustaining the zooxanthellae contained in the corals. But I do hear of super clean water making issues for coral since the zooxanthellae need some sort of nutrients.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

doylef4i · Dec 2, 2012

scooterc268 said:
Increase your photo period time. I run a 4x T5 @ 10hrs a day two for the total 10hrs and in-between that time the other two runand m

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

NanaReefer said:
Get a new test kit maybe? GFO's doing a REALLY good job maybe? 5hrs of light isn't enough IMO. Most are run for 8-10hrs.

I had lights at 8 hrs and corals looked worse so I cut it back to 5.

scooterc268 · Dec 2, 2012

What size fixture are you running and total watts? Include your bulb type (Ex. ATI aqua blue special, ATI Purple Plus, etc..) SPS can be a light demanding coral and you may not have light energy to sustain the zooxanthellae.

Bleaching is basically the coral expelling the zooxanthellae or dying. This could be cause from (not limited to) too much nitrates, ammonia, nitrites, low PH, not enough light or right spectrum, and too high or too low temperature.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

doylef4i · Dec 2, 2012

scooterc268 said:
What size fixture are you running and total watts? Include your bulb type (Ex. ATI aqua blue special, ATI Purple Plus, etc..) SPS can be a light demanding coral and you may not have light energy to sustain the zooxanthellae.

Bleaching is basically the coral expelling the zooxanthellae or dying. This could be cause from (not limited to) too much nitrates, ammonia, nitrites, low PH, not enough light or right spectrum, and too high or too low temperature.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It is 8 bulbs 95 watts per bulb 18 inches off the water.2-aqualux ocean actinic, and 6 ocean blue bulbs.

scooterc268 · Dec 3, 2012

How long have you had the bulbs?

I'm thinking the bulbs you got are more for aesthetics than photosynthesis. I looked at the bulbs and it doesn't give a spectrum. Even though you ha e 95w per bulb, I would be suspect if they produce an appropriate amount of PAR for the SPS.

Most bulbs list the color spectrum on the product information. Not knocking the brand or manufacturer, but the bulbs maybe the issue at hand.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2

doylef4i · Dec 3, 2012

I'll see what I can dig up.I might just end up doing what I wanted to from the beginning-t5ho,led,and mh.Thanks

mc-cro · Dec 4, 2012

F4i-- I am assuming Honda F4i? one of the greatest bikes of all time. Had a few of them.

Are you running a DSB? most with a DSB will never see nitrates.

Are your SPS getting pale or bleaching.

If they are getting pale, then I think you need to up your feeding, and possibly get some more fish. That is not a lot of fish for a 180g. I have over 20 small fish in my 160g

gmoney243 · Dec 4, 2012

Its not your lights or photo period. If it was your corals would brown out then die not bleach. Well it could be to much light that would bleach them. Your phos is in good range so its not likely to be a nutrient issue. This again would cause browning not bleaching. What test are you using for nitrate? Unless your using a low range very good nitrate kit that would read down to .1 you most likely have enough nitrates. That is plenty of nice sized fish that create enough waste to have nutrients for your corals. Bleaching is going to be most likely alk spikes or temp swings or to much light.

How do you dose alk/calc? If its a once daily high dose of 2 part then I'm betting alk swings.

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

doylef4i · Dec 4, 2012

mc-cro said:
F4i-- I am assuming Honda F4i? one of the greatest bikes of all time. Had a few of them.

Are you running a DSB? most with a DSB will never see nitrates.

Are your SPS getting pale or bleaching.

If they are getting pale, then I think you need to up your feeding, and possibly get some more fish. That is not a lot of fish for a 180g. I have over 20 small fish in my 160g

Yes it is cbrf4i and you are right it was a great bike.There are a few that are bleaching and mostly just on the top side-thinking maybe to much light now.Sand bed is only about 1 inch deep.I just added the trigger about 2 weeks ago so the feeding has been increased for the fish.I was also daily dosing red sea reef energy a+b for about 1 month and saw no improvment so I stopped about 2 weeks ago.I have picked up some microvore and following feeding instructions.I have also set my skimmer to skim way less.Also dosing bw microbacter 7 for low nutrient system.

gmoney243 said:
Its not your lights or photo period. If it was your corals would brown out then die not bleach. Well it could be to much light that would bleach them. Your phos is in good range so its not likely to be a nutrient issue. This again would cause browning not bleaching. What test are you using for nitrate? Unless your using a low range very good nitrate kit that would read down to .1 you most likely have enough nitrates. That is plenty of nice sized fish that create enough waste to have nutrients for your corals. Bleaching is going to be most likely alk spikes or temp swings or to much light.

How do you dose alk/calc? If its a once daily high dose of 2 part then I'm betting alk swings.

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

Calc and Alk dosed daily(oceans blend) via dosing pumps at 2 ml/hr and have been rock solid for over a month.Nitrate tested with red sea kit and salifert kit-same result.I think you might be onto something with the lights but my only conern with that would be how come some seem ok but others are just looking horrible.I had a 150 before with metal halide and was overstocked,under skimmed, and I never paid much attention to params and everything looked great.I hate to go back to mh but I will if I have to.I want to use t5 because I know it works just so far not for me.
Thanks for the suggestions.

gmoney243 · Dec 5, 2012

rofl isnt that how life goes sometimes maybe you should go back to not caring so much haha. seriously though how far above tank are your lights i wouldnt imagine that only 8 bulbs would be to much for a 180. but could be T5 are very high in par easily underestimated just like leds. an easy way to tell is move some corals down or in shade and if they start comming back you just need to acclimate them to higher light slowly. i was just saying that those are usually culprits for bleaching. are you sure temp stays fairly regular? most other problems usually cause browning then RTN not bleaching.

gmoney243 · Dec 5, 2012

or did u possibly just change new bulbs? if u did and changed all of them at once this could cause bleaching as well.

doylef4i · Dec 5, 2012

gmoney243 said:
rofl isnt that how life goes sometimes maybe you should go back to not caring so much haha. seriously though how far above tank are your lights i wouldnt imagine that only 8 bulbs would be to much for a 180. but could be T5 are very high in par easily underestimated just like leds. an easy way to tell is move some corals down or in shade and if they start comming back you just need to acclimate them to higher light slowly. i was just saying that those are usually culprits for bleaching. are you sure temp stays fairly regular? most other problems usually cause browning then RTN not bleaching.