Nitrates High

[Carl C]

Nitrates 19
Phosphate.33
Alc/calc/salt in range

I’ve had super high nitrates for 3 months
I’ve been doing 65g auto water changes weekly for well over a month burning Thru tons of salt and rodi

I had 0 nitrates for 2.5 years then a sudden spike …! I’ve scoured for dead animals… I’ve got a 150g with a fuge. Skimmer I’ve got 5 four inch fish 1 five inch fish 8 small fish hammer coral mushrooms leather huge anemone… any ideas ?

 

[Carl C]

Nitrates 19
Phosphate.33
Alc/calc/salt in range

I’ve had super high nitrates for 3 months
I’ve been doing 65g auto water changes weekly for well over a month burning Thru tons of salt and rodi

I had 0 nitrates for 2.5 years then a sudden spike …! I’ve scoured for dead animals… I’ve got a 150g with a fuge. Skimmer I’ve got 5 four inch fish 1 five inch fish 8 small fish hammer coral mushrooms leather huge anemone… any ideas ?

Ps I don’t over feed at all 3 tsps of dry granular a day 2 in morning 1 at night if anything I’m under feeding

 

[RC Reefer 5184]

Have you tried another test kit. Could be a bad test kit. Seems strange it hasn’t moved with those kind of water changes.

 

[Lavey29]

Your nitrates aren't high. Maybe elevated slightly along with your phosphate. Is there anything negative occurring with the tank? Water changes should help. Sounds like you already monitor feeding. Cut back on coral food also.

 

[Garf]

Ps I don’t over feed at all 3 tsps of dry granular a day 2 in morning 1 at night if anything I’m under feeding

So, about 1/2 teaspoon of pellets per fish per day then (ish). Wowee. No algae eaters?

 

[Carl C]

So, about 1/2 teaspoon of pellets per fish per day then (ish). Wowee. No algae eaters?

Just tangs and a urchin algae not too bad RN definitely been worse LOL

 

[Carl C]

Have you tried another test kit. Could be a bad test kit. Seems strange it hasn’t moved with those kind of water changes.

Yes I’ve got a hanna high range and I sent to ICP a few times

 

[Carl C]

Your nitrates aren't high. Maybe elevated slightly along with your phosphate. Is there anything negative occurring with the tank? Water changes should help. Sounds like you already monitor feeding. Cut back on coral food also.

Don’t feed the coral ; I’m shooting for 3-5 on nitrates

 

[Garf]

Just tangs and a urchin algae not too bad RN definitely been worse LOL

It’s a similar load to what I had in my old tank but your feeding loads more than I did, pellets are super rich. Do you just use pellets? No frozen? No Nori?

 

[Carl C]

It’s a similar load to what I had in my old tank but your feeding loads more than I did, pellets are super rich. Do you just use pellets? No frozen? No Nori?

I have frozen and used in the past but have laid off ; they seem to get it all pretty fast … I use a feeding ring thank you

 

[Garf]

I have frozen and used in the past but have laid off ; they seem to get it all pretty fast … I use a feeding ring thank you

Ok bud, it’s up to you. Your fish must be very fat and happy, like me. Fish tend to be healthier if slightly hungry, ripped, like I used to be, lol.

 

[MaxTremors]

Three teaspoons of dry pellets or flake food is A LOT. I feed my tank around a quarter of a cube of frozen food a day (that would be around an 1/8 of a teaspoon) for six fish, and they’re all fat. I don’t think 19ppm is all that high, but if you’ve got a productive refugium and a skimmer, the only reason your nitrates are that high is the amount of food. I would try cutting it down to a teaspoon or a teaspoon and a half, I promise your fish will be just as healthy and your nitrates will be much lower. If you notice your fish get skinnier (and I promise you they won’t), you can always start feeding more, but I think you’ll find that 1/3 or 1/2 as much is plenty.

Fish in the wild don’t eat nearly as much nutrient rich food as we give them, and obesity is a common issue in captive fish, they also go through feast/famine cycles where they might go days or weeks without eating much.

 

[X-37B]

I had a similar issue in my 120 with 15 fish. No3 was 3ish then went to 20. I upgraded my skimmer and it brought no3 to <5 and maintained it.
If you are running a lower gph pump on your lifereef skimmer an upgrade would be to simply get a larger gph pump.
I feed heavy at 8+ cubes and some pellets a day.
My no3 is <5 and po4 <.1.
I use po4 reducing media to keep it their.
I do not feed the corals.

I would get another no3 test kit to verify. I always have more than 1 way to test anything I test for.

 

[Garf]

You got tangs, you also got algae visible, your feeding too much. That’s why build threads are invaluable.