Nitrate problem???

jboone82590 · Jan 25, 2016

Ok so I have a 29 gallon salt water tank I have had it since August and haven't had a single problem with it until recently.
A few weeks ago I had a spike in nitrates. Like really bad it was at 160 ppm and I had no idea why. So I did water changes every week for a few weeks and cleaned everything up and got it under control. A shrimp was dead and I'm not sure if he died because of the nitrates or he was the cause of them.
I finally got it under control and everything was great except for a mushroom and a few other soft coral that didint make it.
I am now having the same thing but nothing has died yet but I did have to take out a mushroom but he never really was the same after the first time.
I noticed a few day or 2 ago that my leathers where not looking so good and did a water test. And sure enough the nitrates where crazy again.
So yesterday I did a 50% water change and a few weeks ago I got the CPR HOB refug so I decided to put it on last night while I did my water change and got that all worked out.
But I am still wondering what could be the problem with nitrates. I have a pawer head in there but I'm wondering if I don't have ebough movement under the live rock and stuff is getting stuck under there.
What dose everyone think I'll try to get photos tonight and post them in the comments

rayn · Jan 26, 2016

How often are you doing water changes? What type water? Are you running a skimmer? How many fish? How often are you doing water changes?

Doug water changes only when you see an issue is running after the problem, if that is how you are doing it. Be on top of it and do water changes weekly with ro water or distilled minimum. Or you can try to do smaller water changes of 1 gal or so daily to help control the issue

Sgt Jonny · Jan 26, 2016

Nitrates are the end result of the nitrogen cycle. How often are you feeding your fish? Are you using RODI water? Try testing your water before water changes. What are your phosphate levels? I am going to guess that they are high also. When you do your water changes, are you vacuuming your sand bed? Also...what test kit are you using? I know certain kits are not real reliable. I use the red sea kits personally.

There are additives you can dose your tank with such as Red Sea No3-Po4-X to eliminate your nutrients. Heres a video I found that explains how it works...

jboone82590 · Feb 1, 2016

rayn said:
How often are you doing water changes? What type water? Are you running a skimmer? How many fish? How often are you doing water changes?

Doug water changes only when you see an issue is running after the problem, if that is how you are doing it. Be on top of it and do water changes weekly with ro water or distilled minimum. Or you can try to do smaller water changes of 1 gal or so daily to help control the issue

I am feeding just a pinch of flakes and a pinch of pellets and some frozen every few days.
I have 2 clown 2 clown gobys a lawnmower a diomond goby a sea cucumber and 3 peppermint shrimp

No skimmer yet and I do water changes every week 50%

jboone82590 · Feb 1, 2016

Sgt Jonny said:
Nitrates are the end result of the nitrogen cycle. How often are you feeding your fish? Are you using RODI water? Try testing your water before water changes. What are your phosphate levels? I am going to guess that they are high also. When you do your water changes, are you vacuuming your sand bed? Also...what test kit are you using? I know certain kits are not real reliable. I use the red sea kits personally.

There are additives you can dose your tank with such as Red Sea No3-Po4-X to eliminate your nutrients. Heres a video I found that explains how it works...

I am using a API for most everything then I'm using a red sea for calcium alk and phosphate I think

Celbrise · Feb 1, 2016

I am also having a high nitrate issue for the past maybe month now it's mainly nitrate only and I have everything else pretty much square or dropping. I know why and have dosed with for nitrate problems and I am highly thinking it is my apI test kit. It's at 160 for 3 weels now. Doing all I can do and it never drops. Kit expires 2020. Haven't tried anything else but I'm guessing it's the test kit.

tankstudy · Feb 1, 2016

Celbrise said:
I am also having a high nitrate issue for the past maybe month now it's mainly nitrate only and I have everything else pretty much square or dropping. I know why and have dosed with for nitrate problems and I am highly thinking it is my apI test kit. It's at 160 for 3 weels now. Doing all I can do and it never drops. Kit expires 2020. Haven't tried anything else but I'm guessing it's the test kit.

You can check your API test kit against fresh clean saltwater. It should read 0.

If your sitting at 160 ppm consistently then its most likely that your producing more nitrates then you can remove. When you say all you can, what exactly are you doing?

Celbrise · Feb 1, 2016

I have it read 0

tankstudy · Feb 1, 2016

Now do this dilution.

Add 1 mL of tank water with 4 mL of fresh saltwater and run the test again.

It should read significantly lower then 160 ppm. It should be closer to 32 ppm.

Celbrise · Feb 1, 2016

The only thing I can think of otherwise was my substrate and maybe not cleaning sand bed. Only thing I didn't really do is set up a sump refugium. Tank slightly overstock too but fish still small and will eventually upgrade

ShaneTweedz · Feb 1, 2016

You may not want to clean the sand bed as it could release detritus and lead to higher nitrates unless you thoroughly suctioned up the detritus.

jboone82590 · Feb 1, 2016

I haven't cleaned the sand but I have moved the live rock and that moved a lot of sand and my diomond goby moves alot and the nitrates are going down now it was at 160 now it's down to about 40 and everything is doing a lot better this is after a few big water changes

Celbrise · Feb 4, 2016

Using the apI test kit? I can't seem to get mine down but I have a few ideas of what is causing it to remain high. Will test out my theory tomorrow

brownsalt92 · Feb 4, 2016

Api test kit always gives false reading for no3. Go to your lfs have them test water post results and also do yourself a huge favor buy a red sea no3 and po4 test kit and use correct light you will be amazed and with not have a worry about your results then. Also I would recommend a protein skimmer I purchased a CPR bac pak with the bio mesh in it works great no complaints on my 29

jboone82590 · Feb 5, 2016

brownsalt92 said:
Api test kit always gives false reading for no3. Go to your lfs have them test water post results and also do yourself a huge favor buy a red sea no3 and po4 test kit and use correct light you will be amazed and with not have a worry about your results then. Also I would recommend a protein skimmer I purchased a CPR bac pak with the bio mesh in it works great no complaints on my 29

I plan on setting up a new tank this week hopefully it's a 54 corner and I will have everything I need on it skimmer refuge/sump good light and everything else I need and I will get better test kits

Celbrise · Feb 10, 2016

just don't buy a seaclone skimmer. had mine set up for about a month now and rarely skims. think the pump is too junk for it to function properly but few people have gotten it to work