Nitrates Mysteriously Dropped

[IE Reefer]

Hi everyone,

Within last week, I checked my nitrates after almost a month w/o checking (I completely forgot to) due to my coralline algae disappearing/dying off, and it got down to 0.01 ppm. I added 27ml of NeoNitro to my 37 total gallon aquarium (dt plus sump), and I did a water change afterward (wasn't a good time to do it, and I realize that), then tested it again after a full 24 hrs, and it read 0.07pmm; I added another 27ml. After a couple of days, I tested the water, and it's reading the same; I did nothing to the aquarium except for cleaning the glass walls from algae and feeding corals/fish. What do you guys think that might have caused my Nitrates to plummet? What do you guys think that I should do?

 

[brmc1985]

Hi everyone,

Within last week, I checked my nitrates after almost a month w/o checking (I completely forgot to) due to my coralline algae disappearing/dying off, and it got down to 0.01 ppm. I added 27ml of NeoNitro to my 37 total gallon aquarium (dt plus sump), and I did a water change afterward (wasn't a good time to do it, and I realize that), then tested it again after a full 24 hrs, and it read 0.07pmm; I added another 27ml. After a couple of days, I tested the water, and it's reading the same; I did nothing to the aquarium except for cleaning the glass walls from algae and feeding corals/fish. What do you guys think that might have caused my Nitrates to plummet? What do you guys think that I should do?

What all do you have in the tank? Algae, corals and other things will use the nitrates for growth.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Hi everyone,

Within last week, I checked my nitrates after almost a month w/o checking (I completely forgot to) due to my coralline algae disappearing/dying off, and it got down to 0.01 ppm. I added 27ml of NeoNitro to my 37 total gallon aquarium (dt plus sump), and I did a water change afterward (wasn't a good time to do it, and I realize that), then tested it again after a full 24 hrs, and it read 0.07pmm; I added another 27ml. After a couple of days, I tested the water, and it's reading the same; I did nothing to the aquarium except for cleaning the glass walls from algae and feeding corals/fish. What do you guys think that might have caused my Nitrates to plummet? What do you guys think that I should do?

Without enough info I will guess you do not feed enough or you over filter.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Hi everyone,

Within last week, I checked my nitrates after almost a month w/o checking (I completely forgot to) due to my coralline algae disappearing/dying off, and it got down to 0.01 ppm. I added 27ml of NeoNitro to my 37 total gallon aquarium (dt plus sump), and I did a water change afterward (wasn't a good time to do it, and I realize that), then tested it again after a full 24 hrs, and it read 0.07pmm; I added another 27ml. After a couple of days, I tested the water, and it's reading the same; I did nothing to the aquarium except for cleaning the glass walls from algae and feeding corals/fish. What do you guys think that might have caused my Nitrates to plummet? What do you guys think that I should do?

What is your phosphates ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi everyone,

Within last week, I checked my nitrates after almost a month w/o checking (I completely forgot to) due to my coralline algae disappearing/dying off, and it got down to 0.01 ppm. I added 27ml of NeoNitro to my 37 total gallon aquarium (dt plus sump), and I did a water change afterward (wasn't a good time to do it, and I realize that), then tested it again after a full 24 hrs, and it read 0.07pmm; I added another 27ml. After a couple of days, I tested the water, and it's reading the same; I did nothing to the aquarium except for cleaning the glass walls from algae and feeding corals/fish. What do you guys think that might have caused my Nitrates to plummet? What do you guys think that I should do?

What test are you using that can detect 0.01 ppm nitrate?

 

[IE Reefer]

What test are you using that can detect 0.01 ppm nitrate?

Hanna nitrate checker

 

[IE Reefer]

What is your phosphates ?

I currently don't have a phosphate test kit, but I am looking into getting one.

 

[IE Reefer]

Without enough info I will guess you do not feed enough or you over filter.

Sorry, the last time I checked (which I will check again today) is pH is 8.0ppm, Nitrite is 0ppm, Ammonia is 0ppm, and salinity is 1.025ppm. I normally feed half a cube of mysis to my 6 fish, but I'm in the process of making food (shrimp, scallops, fish eggs, vita chem).

 

[IE Reefer]

What all do you have in the tank? Algae, corals and other things will use the nitrates for growth.

Coral: Green/blue palythoas, green palythoas, orange Florida richordia, GSP, red/white acan, kenya tree, toadstool, blue/green hammer, green hammer/torch.

Algae: Normal wall algae, a slowly decaying coralline, and cheato.

 

[brmc1985]

Coral: Green/blue palythoas, green palythoas, orange Florida richordia, GSP, red/white acan, kenya tree, toadstool, blue/green hammer, green hammer/torch.

Algae: Normal wall algae, a slowly decaying coralline, and cheato.

Well there’s your answer. Your corals and algae are consuming the nitrates

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hanna nitrate checker

In that case, the best you can claim is that it is less than 0.25 ppm, not 0.01 ppm.

Marine Nitrate Low Range Checker® HC

Accurate. Repeatable. Marine nitrate testing made easy. No more subjectivity! Ideal for aquariums and marine biology applications.

www.hannainst.com

Accuracy @ 25°C/77°F

±0.25 ppm ±2% of reading @ 25 °C (77 °F) ±2.5 ppm ± 5% of calculated reading using dilution

 

[IE Reefer]

Well there’s your answer. Your corals and algae are consuming the nitrates

I’ve been having the same coral/algae since my 9 month mark and I haven’t had any problems with them since until now. I know that I have a oversized skimmer (SCA-302), do you think that it might be decreasing the nitrates? The skimmer was one of my most recent upgrades and I’ve only been running it for about 2-3 months.

 

[brmc1985]

I’ve been having the same coral/algae since my 9 month mark and I haven’t had any problems with them since until now. I know that I have a oversized skimmer (SCA-302), do you think that it might be decreasing the nitrates? The skimmer was one of my most recent upgrades and I’ve only been running it for about 2-3 months.

I don’t think the skimmer would be pulling out dissolved/dosed nitrates. It’s used for pulling organic out of the water before they breakdown to nitrates. It’s more of a preventative. Manual removal of algae like you are doing and increasing the clean up crew will help with the algae problem. Do you have tangs or anything like that to help? Edit:never mind on the tangs. Too small of tank. More clean up crew and maybe a small sea hare.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Sorry, the last time I checked (which I will check again today) is pH is 8.0ppm, Nitrite is 0ppm, Ammonia is 0ppm, and salinity is 1.025ppm. I normally feed half a cube of mysis to my 6 fish, but I'm in the process of making food (shrimp, scallops, fish eggs, vita chem).

I feed 6 cubes a day and 3x auto feeder pellets a day to my 6 fish. Nitrates 15 phosphates .15 I think you need to feed more