nitrates 40ppm

[gji]

Here is my question, should I do something about it? My tank seems to be doing good. I have absolutely no nuisance algae in my tank. I don't even have to clean any film algae off the glass. The tank has been up for approximately 1 year. Its a 93 gallon cube with 1 high fin goby with paired pistol shrimp, 1 randall goby with paired pistol shrimp, starry blenny and 2 percula clowns, 2 banghai cardinals, yellow tang,baby hippo tang,cleaner shrimp, rock flower anonome and cuc. Corals consist of 3 leathers, frogspawn, wall hammers, acan frags, zoa frags and mushrooms,. I have 100 pounds of pukani live rock, 2 inch sand bed,chaeto in sump with skimmer, GFO/charcoal reactor. I dose 2 part everyday, fuel 2 times a week. My nitrates use to run at about 10 ppm, which I was happy with, I tried Lagoon juice which is live phytoplankton. I feed 1 frozen cube a day of mysis shrimp. What would of made my nitrates jump. I do a 20 % water change every 3 weeks, change my filter socks every 3 days, and empty my skimmer cup every other day. I don't know if I should worry about my nitrates being so high, I feel if it isn't broken why mess with it. I have been reading about carbon dosing (red sea no pox, vodka, vinegar and sugar), bio pellet reactor or nitrate reactor. i keep reading about people using these things and getting a cyano outbreak or diatoms, bubble or bryopsis or some other problems while trying to lower nitrates. I use salifert for most of my tests, hanna for phosphate and Alk and red sea for nitrate. I do not have any SPS in my tank, I'm afraid to mess with my tank, the old saying, if it isn't broke why fix it.....
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 40
phosphate .01
magnesium 1400
calcium 420
Alkalinity 8.5
ph 8.2
salinity 1.024
RODI used for top off and water changes

 

[scriptmonkey]

I'm very new to this but have been reading and researching a bunch. A lot of people do a bunch of stuff for a percieved problem when in reality it might just be their tanks equilibrium and it seems to knocks levels out of wack and creates the treadmill of suck. I am with you though, if nothing seems to be suffering I would leave it be for now. I would have a plan ready if it keeps creeping and it hits a point that you start seeing stress in the livestock. There are some very successful tanks that have nitrates above 100 but I am just a novice at this, I am sure the pros will be along shortly to give you their take on it.

Good luck and I will be watching to learn something.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Here is my question, should I do something about it? My tank seems to be doing good. I have absolutely no nuisance algae in my tank. I don't even have to clean any film algae off the glass. The tank has been up for approximately 1 year. Its a 93 gallon cube with 1 high fin goby with paired pistol shrimp, 1 randall goby with paired pistol shrimp, starry blenny and 2 percula clowns, 2 banghai cardinals, yellow tang,baby hippo tang,cleaner shrimp, rock flower anonome and cuc. Corals consist of 3 leathers, frogspawn, wall hammers, acan frags, zoa frags and mushrooms,. I have 100 pounds of pukani live rock, 2 inch sand bed,chaeto in sump with skimmer, GFO/charcoal reactor. I dose 2 part everyday, fuel 2 times a week. My nitrates use to run at about 10 ppm, which I was happy with, I tried Lagoon juice which is live phytoplankton. I feed 1 frozen cube a day of mysis shrimp. What would of made my nitrates jump. I do a 20 % water change every 3 weeks, change my filter socks every 3 days, and empty my skimmer cup every other day. I don't know if I should worry about my nitrates being so high, I feel if it isn't broken why mess with it. I have been reading about carbon dosing (red sea no pox, vodka, vinegar and sugar), bio pellet reactor or nitrate reactor. i keep reading about people using these things and getting a cyano outbreak or diatoms, bubble or bryopsis or some other problems while trying to lower nitrates. I use salifert for most of my tests, hanna for phosphate and Alk and red sea for nitrate. I do not have any SPS in my tank, I'm afraid to mess with my tank, the old saying, if it isn't broke why fix it.....
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 40
phosphate .01
magnesium 1400
calcium 420
Alkalinity 8.5
ph 8.2
salinity 1.024
RODI used for top off and water changes

There are lots of good ways to reduce nitrate, and picking one of them is a reasonable plan. I personally like organic carbon dosing because the bacteria provide food for other organisms (as well as the organic itself), but if the tank looks fine its certainly not an emergency.

 

[gji]

There are lots of good ways to reduce nitrate, and picking one of them is a reasonable plan. I personally like organic carbon dosing because the bacteria provide food for other organisms (as well as the organic itself), but if the tank looks fine its certainly not an emergency.

I will be going on a trip for 8 days in about a month, when I get back I will try vinegar dosing. I read your article and it makes sense to me.

 

[BlueCursor]

If you have no algae growing on the glass, you are limited in something and growth is sparse. On the other hand, if you are happy then what does it matter.

Maybe you can shoot for nitrates at 20 ppm or even 10 ppm maybe. But again, if things are good and you are happy with the tank then don't sweat it and make any changes super super slowly so you don't ruin your great tank.

FYI, I read an article recently about a guy who asked some of the top reef keepers where their nitrates and phosphates were at. I think only 1 kept ULNS, and a few were over 20 ppm. If I remember correctly, one had high nitrates like your tank. You are in good company.