Nitrates booming

[nkxyy]

I am currently running a red sea reefer 200 xl and it has all been doing well until now. hammer corals aren't extending as much as they used to before and I have tested everything and seem like my nitrate is the problem. I tried the easy way of just water changes. I have changed out 100 liters of water in a course of 2 days. 50l, 50l. My nitrate levels are still too high at 25ppm? if I'm not wrong which is surprising to me since I have 2 fish 3 shrimps and a tuxedo urchin. I am also running a refugium in my sump splitting it in half with egg crates from the skimmer. Tank isn't fully packed with corals either with a total of 15 corals. please help. tia

 

[Cunning_plan]

When you tested everything else, what were the paramaters actually at?

The sump on the reefer 200 is farily small if it's anything like the 250 - how much macro algae do you actually have in there and how is it list? How much are you feeding?

 

[RGoltz]

25 ppm of NO3 is certainly not too high for your hammers. Can you provide other parameters (PO4, ALK, CA, MG) and some other information about the tank (age, lighting)?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree that 25 ppm is not generally an issue.

 

[nkxyy]

25 ppm of NO3 is certainly not too high for your hammers. Can you provide other parameters (PO4, ALK, CA, MG) and some other information about the tank (age, lighting)?

Thank you for the fast replies my calcium is 500 alk is 8 and I feed very little even the skimmer isn't pulling much

 

[nkxyy]

25 ppm of NO3 is certainly not too high for your hammers. Can you provide other parameters (PO4, ALK, CA, MG) and some other information about the tank (age, lighting)?

lights are xr15s white and tank has been running since 1st may. My goniopora also has been irritated by whatever the problem is.

 

[RGoltz]

Since you have exchanged more than 50% of the actual volume, I would allow a few days for things to settle in. Have you made any other changes such as changing lighting or flow? Either of those will have an impact (although I personally find Frogspawn more likely to be impacted by changes to flow than hammers).

 

[nkxyy]

Since you have exchanged more than 50% of the actual volume, I would allow a few days for things to settle in. Have you made any other changes such as changing lighting or flow? Either of those will have an impact (although I personally find Frogspawn more likely to be impacted by changes to flow than hammers).

frogspawn doing amazing and no however i think i did change the light mode from ab+ to lps

 

[RGoltz]

Personally, I have me never changed anything on the tank and not had some negative impact. Some things will look better and some things will look worse. Then I’m left to solve problems..

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

If you are worried about higher nitrates, get cheato. Water changes are a lot less necessary when you have your tank working for you. Just be careful, chaeto can work too welll and suck out all nitrates. I have to add them back in via dosing. Obviously this just addresses you nitrate concern. Without a better understanding of your situation, this is just unqualified opinions

 

[nkxyy]

Personally, I have me never changed anything on the tank and not had some negative impact. Some things will look better and some things will look worse. Then I’m left to solve problems..

yeah.. funny enough my big hammer mu duncans and both my gonio looks horrible but my hammer frag torches frammer and even bubble coral looks fine

 

[jmichaelh7]

I was wanting nitrates on my previous tank

 

[RGoltz]

yeah.. funny enough my big hammer mu duncans and both my gonio looks horrible but my hammer frag torches frammer and even bubble coral looks fine

Another thing to consider is that some Euphylia really do not like being target fed OR that when target feeding dry food it is very easy to over-feed and irritate a coral. That said, a goniopora needs to be fed. Are you feeding the goniopora and if so how? This will have an impact on your NO3 and PO4.

If you didn’t change flow, then I would be looking at the lighting change. If you like the look of the LPS setting more than AB+ you might stick with it and see how things go. If you are on the fence you might just go back.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Did something die ? And nitrate spike ?
Like others mentioned 25 isn’t high man.

Let the tank play itself out. I think we have a tendency to correct things right away. Nothing fast in the hobby is good .

Blow detritus with baster, and run filter socks, continue water changes

 

[RGoltz]

Did something die ? And nitrate spike ?
Like others mentioned 25 isn’t high man.

Let the tank play itself out. I think we have a tendency to correct things right away. Nothing fast in the hobby is good .

Blow detritus with baster, and run filter socks, continue water changes

All good advise. You may also throw some carbon in if you want to get crazy!

 

[nkxyy]

Another thing to consider is that some Euphylia really do not like being target fed OR that when target feeding dry food it is very easy to over-feed and irritate a coral. That said, a goniopora needs to be fed. Are you feeding the goniopora and if so how? This will have an impact on your NO3 and PO4.

If you didn’t change flow, then I would be looking at the lighting change. If you like the look of the LPS setting more than AB+ you might stick with it and see how things go. If you are on the fence you might just go back.

Just check my magnesium and it is at 1.620!!! what do I do oh no

 

[N.Sreefer]

Just check my magnesium and it is at 1.620!!! what do I do oh no

First thing is triple check that your refractometer/probe is calibrated properly and that your salinity isn't through the roof.

 

[nkxyy]

First thing is triple check that your refractometer/probe is calibrated properly and that your salinity isn't through the roof.

salinity is at 32 ppt trying to increase it atm

 

[RGoltz]

salinity is at 32 ppt trying to increase it atm

If possible have your LFS double-check all basic parameters [SG, NO3, PO4, ALK, MG, CA] and post them here before changing anything.

Let’s get all those numbers verified and available here so that we can help.