Nitrate stable at 20

cheacock3 · Jul 21, 2013

I don't seem to be able to get my nitrates below 20. It has been at that level for 3 months. The tank has been up for 8 months. Softies seem to be growing. Monti, blasto and LPS seem to be OK. Fish seem Ok. Should I care?

200 mixed reef with 50 in the sump. 2000 GPH turnover and 3 hydors pushing 5000 GPH on a rotating 30 sec pulse. There is a mesh sock as water enters the sump. I have two skimmers. A coral life and reef octopus each rated for about 150 gal systems. I have two reactors that are designed to hold anaerobic bacteria to convert nitrates. One of the reactors has a product NO3 and the other was built by my LFS to help reduce nitrates. There is a 5 gal tank loaded with macro algae that water runs through. I have reduced my feeding over the last 6 weeks. Done 3 40% water changes in the last 2 months. This all started in April when one of the skimmers died at the same time my RO membrane failed an was not noticed. I was dumping water with a 220 ppm reading into the tank. All measured parameters other than nitrates are now normal. Is patience a virtue and I need to relax?

Reefing Madness · Jul 21, 2013

20 is not high for a tank, I wouldn't let it go higher than that though.
If you've got reactors running, they must be to small for you system.
You can always Carbon Dose, and then get rid of those reactors.
Or run a DSB in your sump, which will only help, won't cure.
Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
Melevsreef.com - Dosing Vodka to Lower Nitrate & Phosphate

mallorieGgator · Jul 21, 2013

How often do you clean your filter sock? Are the pellets in the reactors all moving around? They should all tumble. Is the outlet of your reactors plumbed into or right next to you skimmer intake? It should be and you should have an extra large skimmer to accomodate the extra bacterial load from your reactors.

cheacock3 · Jul 21, 2013

I am up to 3ml on the vodka dosing and increasing weekly. I forgot to mention originally. The reactor with the NO3 material has been running for about 6 weeks. Should I consider another media in the reactor?

cheacock3 · Jul 21, 2013

I change the sock every week. I clean the skimmers twice per week. The outlets of the reactors are near the skimmer intakes. The media in the two-little-fishes 550 ( their larger reactor) has the NO3 media. The media are porous cubes and do not tumble. I was considering trying another media type. What have you had success with?

Reefing Madness · Jul 22, 2013

Ok, if your dosing, and your at 3mls,you've got a long time before you see those numbers start to drop. If your going this route you should bump the dose up to 5mls a week until you see them come down, and being as your at 3 already, them next jump I'd to would be up to 10mls, 5mls in the morning and 5 in the evening.