Nitrates at 50ppm

[keven r]

My nitrates are at 50ppm but my phos is at 0.03, so then I realized I was dosing my Red Sea ab wrong. I just wanted to know if the only way to drink them back down is with a water change or is there other ways.

 

[Dburr1014]

My nitrates are at 50ppm but my phos is at 0.03, so then I realized I was dosing my Red Sea ab wrong. I just wanted to know if the only way to drink them back down is with a water change or is there other ways.

WC is the easiest.
Carbon dosing, refuge/algae reactor are other ways.

 

[keven r]

Carbon dosing, refuge/algae reactor are other ways.

Ok thanks for the help I’ll run some carbon as well

 

[Snowxcross]

Ok thanks for the help I’ll run some carbon as well

I dont think he meant "carbon" like activated carbon... that wont do anything. You could carbon dose, like mentioned above. Some people do it DIY style with vinegar and vodka, NoPox by redsea is the same thing if that's what you prefer. Start small with dosage and monitor. You can use bio pellets in a reactor, and sure you can do water changes, but you need to do large water changes for the nitrates to drop, however if you dont solve the root cause of high nitrates (possibly over feeding), they'll climb back up. So keep in mind if you carbon dose or use bio pellets, once you get your nitrates to your likable number, you still need to dose to maintain that number - again unless you find the root cause of high nitrates. Also just to say, people run high nitrates with no problems, do you have any obvious signs of issues?

 

[stovenut]

Just a heads up...Carbon dosing does not mean running carbon. Carbon dosing means dosing a carbon source like vodka or vinegar to feed beneficial bacteria that also consume nitrates.

 

[Typhon]

If you are new to carbon dosing, I would recommend you research before implementing.

For now, WC is your best bet.

 

[caritchie08]

Echoing snowxcross and the other peoples comments. I dealt with this for a few months. Mine were 40 ppm for 4 months after adding 3
Tangs and losing sps to a g5 blue to g6 upgrade. I already had a refug so started with brightwells version and maxed it out, then used bio pellets from two little fishies.

No change, then switched to Sea Seas NoPox was told to start it slow. I did that, 1/2 the bottle instructions and reduced feedings slightly. Regardless start slower with it than the bottle because it was very effective. Within two weeks it came down…to 5ppm. You have to have a protein skimmer to remove the associated biofilm byproducts or you will get a bacterial bloom. I did not turn off my UV light if you have one. I now have a consistent cycle on 6-7 ppm to start and then to 20 ppm 3 days after spot feeding corals. I also added substrate and weekly bacterial doses of brightwell flora, which is another way to address it without carbon but takes time.

 

[Dburr1014]

Thanks all for clarifying my statement.
Sometimes I think everyone knows what everything is. I guess everyone can't be in my head, only me. lol.

20% water change will bring you down 20% nitrate. IE, 50PPM - 20% =40PPM. Bigger you go bigger the drop.

 

[keven r]

Thanks everyone for the great tips I’ll look more into carbon dosing but for right now I’ll just do water change