Nitrates in new system question

[nater]

hey everyone. just thought i would get some ideas on my nitrates in my new system. tank was cycled for a little over a month. has been two weeks since end of the cycle. i did a nice 60 gallon water change at the end of the cycle and my nitrates really didn't budge or go down. now i have some fish in the tank and they still are staying at 5-10ppm . i feel the water changes have not done anything for the nitrate levels. i am aiming at close to 0ppm nitrates as this is going to be an sps dominated system. any input welcomed.

params

ammonia = 0ppm
nitrite = 0 ppm
nitrate = 5-10 ppm
phos = .046 ppm

questions

i have barely had an algae bloom yet since i am running gfo like i have always done with my systems and left lights off mostly. do you think that i need the algae to bloom to consume the nitrates to be removed by clean up crew?

should i dial back on the gfo and let the bloom take hold a little?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Im guessing no Fuge with this system. All depending on the total volume of your system, but, doing a 50% on the total system will move those numbers down by half. If they are not moving, get your test kit tested, or get a new one.
You should be able to get them to 0 with no probelms, but there are ways of doing this if your having trouble with it.
Carbon Dosing
Add a Fuge
Add a HOB Fuge
Add more LR
Get a Bigger Skimmer

 

[nater]

ok , my total water volume is probably around 160 gallons after you consider live rock. i may try the 50% water change on next water change. my test kit has to be pretty accurate since i have two tanks running side by side and i am getting 0ppm on my other tank. i will try using my elos test kit now though. see how that goes. as for a fuge, i am not really considering that now , maybe down the line. skimmer is deffintely on the list.

 

[glb]

IMO, nitrates at 5-10ppm is pretty good.

 

[Reefing Madness]

ok , my total water volume is probably around 160 gallons after you consider live rock. i may try the 50% water change on next water change. my test kit has to be pretty accurate since i have two tanks running side by side and i am getting 0ppm on my other tank. i will try using my elos test kit now though. see how that goes. as for a fuge, i am not really considering that now , maybe down the line. skimmer is deffintely on the list.

Keep us posted, sounds like your on the ball with this.

 

[beaslbob]

Actually during the initial cycle it is not all the unexpected to have a small nitrate "bloom" as the algae is consuming ammonia directly and forgoing nitrates.

then as the bacteria builds up, the algae starts consuming more and more nitrates so nitrates finally jump down.



My .02

 

[Zero Nitrates]

I think your nitrates will come down with time. They are low anyway.
Have fun reefing!

 

[glb]

I think your nitrates will come down with time. They are low anyway.
Have fun reefing!

I agree. The live rock is going to help with that.

 

[nater]

update. my nitrates had jumped up to 20+ ppm on an api test. did a 60 gal water change yesterday and they dropped back down to 10ppm. going to do one more 60 gal mid week and add a nice piece of seeded live rock.

Actually during the initial cycle it is not all the unexpected to have a small nitrate "bloom" as the algae is consuming ammonia directly and forgoing nitrates.

then as the bacteria builds up, the algae starts consuming more and more nitrates so nitrates finally jump down.



My .02

thanks for the input here. very incitful, and now the tank has some bloom going on. will have more updates soon.

I think your nitrates will come down with time. They are low anyway.
Have fun reefing!

Thanks ! i will! lol

I agree. The live rock is going to help with that.

going to put some more established live rock in. let that fortify the prior bacteria