nitrates at 64ppm?!?!?!?!? What to do?

[Andreas' Reef]

I've been noticing some green hair algae in my tank lately. I did a nitrate test and it came out at 64 ppm? What do I do now? corals and fish are fine.

 

[Dani305]

Following because I too have some GHA, and m nitrates are pretty high.

 

[KStatefan]

water change

 

[Dbichler]

Need tank info to help size filtration skimmer etc.

 

[Cali Reef Life]

Water Change and find the root of the cause. Are you feeding a little more heavy then you should? Have you cleaned the detritus out of your sump monthly? Can you change the filter socks more regular. Have you used a turkey baster in the tank right before the water change to get the detritus out of the rocks and dead spots. Are you using fresh rodi filters. If you answered no to any of those start there and increase WC "Only you can prevent high nitrates" Smokey the fish

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Need tank info to help size filtration skimmer etc.

Biocube 32 running fluval carbon, fluval filter floss, plenty of live rock. Biomedia too. currently running skimmerless.

 

[Dbichler]

Your best option is do a large water change on a tank that size blow off all the rocks vacuum the sand and change as much water as possible leave fish room to swim match your current parameters as close as possible and your good. Make sure your source water is good also

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Your best option is do a large water change on a tank that size blow off all the rocks vacuum the sand and change as much water as possible leave fish room to swim match your current parameters as close as possible and your good. Make sure your source water is good also

I can't really get good source water because the cartridges on my Ro/DI thingy have gone bad and I'm waiting on new ones. Am I good If I wait until thursday?

 

[bruno3047]

Clean the sand bed and do a large water change. Nitrates can’t get that high without having a load of rotting crap in your sand bed.

 

[gbru316]

I can't really get good source water because the cartridges on my Ro/DI thingy have gone bad and I'm waiting on new ones. Am I good If I wait until thursday?

That shouldn't be a problem.

Keep in mind that a water change is only going to reduce nitrates by the same percentage of water that you're changing. Ie, if you do a 10% water change, nitrate is only going to drop by about 6 ppm. Hence the recommendation to do a large water change.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Water Change and find the root of the cause. Are you feeding a little more heavy then you should? Have you cleaned the detritus out of your sump monthly? Can you change the filter socks more regular. Have you used a turkey baster in the tank right before the water change to get the detritus out of the rocks and dead spots. Are you using fresh rodi filters. If you answered no to any of those start there and increase WC "Only you can prevent high nitrates" Smokey the fish

My RO/DI filters are bad and new ones are on the way for delivery on thursday. I have 5 gallons ready to be mixed today. I think I'm going to clean detritus from the filter today and clean the sandbed and do another water change tommorow.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

That shouldn't be a problem.

Keep in mind that a water change is only going to reduce nitrates by the same percentage of water that you're changing. Ie, if you do a 10% water change, nitrate is only going to drop by about 6 ppm. Hence the recommendation to do a large water change.

Would around 66% water change be good enough?

 

[gbru316]

Would around 66% water change be good enough?

That'll get you down to about 22 ppm. But without addressing what's driving it so high, it'll start heading right back up.

 

[mtraylor]

+1 to what everyone said. Also what is your phosphates? There are some additives that can help reduce as well while performing your water changes.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

That'll get you down to about 22 ppm. But without addressing what's driving it so high, it'll start heading right back up.

I think it’s either because of a dead I can’t find or the buildup of hair algae I’ve been scrubbing and it just lands in the bottom on the filter.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I think it’s either because of a dead I can’t find or the buildup of hair algae I’ve been scrubbing and it just lands in the bottom on the filter.

I meant to say a dead invert I can’t find

 

[Pntbll687]

Biocube 32 running fluval carbon, fluval filter floss, plenty of live rock. Biomedia too. currently running skimmerless.

Do you rinse the biomedia in the back chamber? It may be getting clogged and turning into a detritus trap.

You could probably go without the media if you have live rock in your tank.

What are your phosphates at?

 

[bruno3047]

I think it’s either because of a dead I can’t find or the buildup of hair algae I’ve been scrubbing and it just lands in the bottom on the filter.

My guess is that cleaning your sandbed is going to remove the primary cause of your high nitrates. Unfortunately, keeping the sandbed clean seems to be a neglected, but very important, part of tank maintenance for many aquarists. Don’t make that mistake if you want to have a long-term sustainable reef tank. Good luck.

 

[PatW]

It is high but not dangerous.

You can cut back on feeding.
You can do several massive water changes. A 50% water change will knock it back to 32 ppm and a 75% water change will take it down to 16 ppm. Of course, water changes of that size can be impractical.
You can set up a refugium with macro algae. But that is a project.

But there is no need to panic and you have time to figure out a course of action.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Do you rinse the biomedia in the back chamber? It may be getting clogged and turning into a detritus trap.

You could probably go without the media if you have live rock in your tank.

What are your phosphates at?

My phosphates are exactly where I want them to be at 0.02 ppm