Nitrate won't go down

[Donaldf973]

Every test kit I've used and the local pet store's kits keep saying nitrate over 150-160ppm. I did two 50% water changes this week with distilled and spring water both testing zero for everything. I took my water to the pet store after my kit said 160ppm and 3 different brands of kits including a hanna meter all said the same thing.

what the heck am I doing wrong there's no fish to feed so no food source is contributing to this. I'm about to shut this tank down cause this is ridiculous. 10 years and NEVER had this problem fresh or salt. All parameters are within range of Tropic Marin Pro Reef salt except nitrate and salinity around 1.028 lowered from 1.033 which I'm slowly fixing.

20 tall
Wavepoint 4x39 t5
Wavepoint t5 bulbs
Eshopp psk100h
Aquaclear 50 filter
Aquaclear 50 pump (Tunze 6015 later on)
Eheim 75w heater
20-30lbs Gulf view rock acid washed (9 years old)
Seaflor special grade sand

Sand was rinsed until the water ran clear and live rock is acid washed. Is there a possibility the rock is leaching stored nitrate...if that's even possible?

 

[Big G]

Well one way to find out if it is your rock leaching would be to pull the rock. Test it. Do a 50% water change. Test.

 

[Donaldf973]

Just tested a bucket with rock from this tank in that exact scenario and testing zero nitrate so rock leaching is a no go.

 

[Donaldf973]

I just did another test with 5ml tank water mixed with 5ml distilled and still got a reading of 160ppm...idk what the deal is now or why this tanks water is reading so high.

 

[Livinlocal]

Well if you already tested the rock, my guess would be that the nitrate is are leaching from the sand. You may have been able to wash all the detritus out but there may still be nitrates stuck inside

 

[rock_lobster]

patience and some macro algae will solve it.

 

[Donaldf973]

Gotta wait a bit for the macro low on funds at the moment.

The new sand as a nitrate release sounds plausible. I'll ad some to some water and test initial soak, tomorrow and Monday to see if theres an issue. If the sands leaching nitrate I'm going to be ticked there's 20lbs brand new Seaflor Special grade in the tank and all the years I've used it it's never given me a single problem.

 

[rock_lobster]

Gotta wait a bit for the macro low on funds at the moment.

The new sand as a nitrate release sounds plausible. I'll ad some to some water and test initial soak, tomorrow and Monday to see if theres an issue. If the sands leaching nitrate I'm going to be ****** there's 20lbs brand new Seaflor Special grade in the tank and all the years I've used it it's never given me a single problem.

Chaeto should be free just ask locally for someone. Many reefers toss about a quart size bag a week in the trash.

 

[rock_lobster]

Chaeto should be free just ask locally for someone. Many reefers toss about a quart size bag a week in the trash.

even if it were leaching nitrates it wont last too long and its not really a bad thing.

 

[Zack K]

What is your reason to solve your problem? Just to chase some imaginary “perfect number”? I understand your frustration, I have nitrates well above 160ppm but my phosphates match that at well over 2ppm. As long as your tank finds an equilibrium, their isn’t a reason to chase crazy numbers. Their are many successful guys with high nutrients. @PaulB is a great example. In the words of Paul, “My fish laugh at 160 nitrates”. He has a beautiful tank full of SPS Colonies, gorgonians and multiple pairs of mating fish. So if your just trying to chase the numbers everyone else has, I wouldn’t worry about it so much.

-Zack, who has been through what your going through.

 

[Donaldf973]

Its not an issue of chasing numbers its that the store bought frags which were open and healthy instantly went to hell the moment I added them to my tank. A beautiful hammer died within 24 hours of going in and zoas swelled up like hot air balloons and are now dying. The only thing out of whack was the nitrates so I figure bring it down to around 40-50ppm at least and work from there. My MAIN issue is that two 50% water changes with first spring water and then distilled and still no nitrate reduction at all. So, ruling out rock and water source sand is last step. Rinsed sand showed 5ppm in initial rinse water so I'm going soak it 24-48-72 hours and test each day to see if theres any major elevation-minor one I don't mind.

Just trying to figure out the source so I know what's going on. I've always ran tanks with 2/3 display worth of macro this is my first non algae tank bew and driving me nuts lol

 

[Zack K]

What exactly are all of your parameters?
Salinity
Temperature
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate 160
Phosphates
Magnesium
Calcium
Alkalinity

Also what is your flow and lights?

**Edit** I just read through a few of your other threads and you salinity is WAY to high. 1.025 is Natural Sea water. Corals like .023-.027. If you have 1.033-1.035 that’s your problem.

 

[Donaldf973]

Yeah salinity is hi right now its 1.028 after recalibrating and doing the 2 water changes to bring it down from 1.033-35 and trying to drop the nitrates.
Salt. Tropic Marin Pro Reef
Salinity 1.028
Temperature 78
Ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrate. 160
Phosphates. 0.03-0.05
Magnesium. 1300-1350
Calcium. 430
Alkalinity. 8.5-9

20 tall
Wavepoint 4x39 t5
Wavepoint/ati t5 bulbs
Eshopp psk100h
Aquaclear 50 filter empty
Aquaclear 50 pump 270gph (Tunze 6015 later on)
Eheim 75w heater
20-30lbs Gulf view rock acid washed (9 years old)
Seaflor special grade sand

Par around 100 sand 250-300 rock

 

[Zack K]

Yeah salinity is hi right now its 1.028 after recalibrating and doing the 2 water changes to bring it down from 1.033-35 and trying to drop the nitrates.
Salt. Tropic Marin Pro Reef
Salinity 1.028
Temperature 78
Ammonia. 0
Nitrite. 0
Nitrate. 160
Phosphates. 0.03-0.05
Magnesium. 1300-1350
Calcium. 430
Alkalinity. 8.5-9

20 tall
Wavepoint 4x39 t5
Wavepoint/ati t5 bulbs
Eshopp psk100h
Aquaclear 50 filter empty
Aquaclear 50 pump 270gph (Tunze 6015 later on)
Eheim 75w heater
20-30lbs Gulf view rock acid washed (9 years old)
Seaflor special grade sand

Par around 100 sand 250-300 rock

Perfect, now, those parameters looks okay. Bring the salinity down another few points and corals should be happier. I personally think your biggest problem was the Salinity. I have seen corals thrive in higher nitrates and have a deeper color then those who don’t have any nutrients. I would give corals a shot after another WC to being the salinity under 1.027 and go from their.

Also keep us updated on the sand test.

Zack,

 

[flagg37]

I agree with zack, that the issue probably has more to do with your salinity than your nitrates. 160 is quite high but it is fixable. I’d watch out for some algae growth if you haven’t seen some already.

 

[Fudsey]

If you put in corals from LFS and his salinity was more along the lines of 1.024-1.025. The increase to your 1.028 would definitely would cause corals to react poorly. Increase in salinity is harder for them than a decrease.

I've been where you are with nitrates and it was my sand that was causing the issue.

 

[Donaldf973]

Hair algae kicked in around this past Tuesday so I'm in that tank phase. My refractometer was off when i did the first water change. Calibrated it at the pet store and was able to drop it to 1.028 next water change it'll be in line with what it's supposed to be.

 

[Fudsey]

I should also mention that my nitrate issue was in an old tank with old sand too. ~10 yo sand in a FOWLER tank.

 

[Zack K]

I should also mention that my nitrate issue was in an old tank with old sand too. ~10 yo sand in a FOWLER tank.

This is why I purposely have sandsifters in the tank at all times. I have a handful of nacariuss snails, a Star, and a diamond goby. Helps keep that sand bed turned over top to bottom.

 

[Livinlocal]

Gotta wait a bit for the macro low on funds at the moment.

The new sand as a nitrate release sounds plausible. I'll ad some to some water and test initial soak, tomorrow and Monday to see if theres an issue. If the sands leaching nitrate I'm going to be ****** there's 20lbs brand new Seaflor Special grade in the tank and all the years I've used it it's never given me a single problem.

If you PM me your address I’ll send you some macro for free. I’ve had someone send me some before so I will PIF.