NITRATES OVER 0.5---1.0 PLEASE HELP

[Dom]

I once tested the water from a bag with a fish that came from a thriving tank at the LFS. The nitrates were 180! This isn't to suggest that 180 is okay. While a nitrate level of 50 should be addressed, I doubt it is the cause of your problem.

 

[reefer2000]

I don't know if your corals will be ok or not just yet, only way to know is time. High nitrates alone won't kill corals, jumping from plan to plan and rushing water changes and parameter changes will do more damage.

Start calmly, with the bare basics - what is the source water? Tap? RODI? Salinity is 'normal' - ok, but what is the number, how is it measured, and is the tool calibrated?

It's also completely possible there's nothing wrong with your testing, and it's just mistakes when typing the results in your posts, but that makes it really hard for anyone to suggest a plan.

Post a new set of test results including salinity, nitrate, phosphate, alk, cal and mag so we all know where things are.

ok by normal I mean 1.025

here goes

Calcium 460

Magnesium 1750

Alkalinity 14

Nitrates 25

Phosphates 0.25-0.50

salinity 1.025

 

[reefer2000]

ok by normal I mean 1.025

here goes

Calcium 460

Magnesium 1750

Alkalinity 14

Nitrates 25

Phosphates 0.25-0.50

salinity 1.025

just tested a moment ago

 

[Gribbliest]

As with the other good advice in this post, I would strongly suggest slowing down.

I've seen an incredible reef with NO3 @100ppm+. Rapid changes do far more harm than high nutrient levels. Stability is the most important thing to aim for, then work to get the levels where you feel they should be SLOWLY.

 

[W1ngz]

Awesome. We have a clear starting point.
Test again in 12 hours.

Mag and alk are disproportionately high, even if the salinity test isn't calibrated. I wonder if the higher levels might also be caused by the coral food.
Assuming salinity was done by refractometer, is it calibrated?
What salt are you using?
Are you or have you been dosing?

 

[madweazl]

For the Salifert nitrate test, 50ppm only equals 5ppm when you look through the side of the test vial for low range results. If you're looking top down through the test vial, you'd read the levels indicated on the card (50 being 50).

 

[hyla84]

So basically this is 5 ppm nitrates?

 

[reefer2000]

For the Salifert nitrate test, 50ppm only equals .5ppm when you look through the side of the test vial for low range results. If you're looking top down through the test vial, you'd read the levels indicated on the card (50 being 50).

Yes i did top down and and it read 25. Also thanks for the tip

 

[reefer2000]

Awesome. We have a clear starting point.
Test again in 12 hours.

Mag and alk are disproportionately high, even if the salinity test isn't calibrated. I wonder if the higher levels might also be caused by the coral food.
Assuming salinity was done by refractometer, is it calibrated?
What salt are you using?
Are you or have you been dosing?

Ok ill do that
I buy my salt from the local LFS but dont know the brand they also use thia salt and they have amazing tank I live in Armenia where reefkeeping is not that popular and only few people know about reefing. About salinity i used a hydrometer. Ill keep you updated in 12 hours just please dont forget to check in by in 12 hours. Thanks for all the good suggestions.

 

[ScottR]

Ok ill do that
I buy my salt from the local LFS but dont know the brand they also use thia salt and they have amazing tank I live in Armenia where reefkeeping is not that popular and only few people know about reefing. About salinity i used a hydrometer. Ill keep you updated in 12 hours just please dont forget to check in by in 12 hours. Thanks for all the good suggestions.

Take 5 readings with your hydrometer. All in a row. I bet you’ll get different readings. And I bet that is what threw you off in the first place and made you overfeed your tank, throwing parameters all over the place. I’d look for a good refractometer. Then slow things down. Shocking your tank is going to kill them faster than high nitrates or phosphates.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

For the Salifert nitrate test, 50ppm only equals .5ppm when you look through the side of the test vial for low range results. If you're looking top down through the test vial, you'd read the levels indicated on the card (50 being 50).

If I recall correctly you only look through the side if you are 10 or less when looking from above...

So basically this is 5 ppm nitrates?

I'd read that as roughly 25 (at least to my eyes)

 

[W1ngz]

If you can get a refractometer and bottle of calibration liquid I would strongly suggest it. Hydrometers are not always the most accurate, and a 10% difference in salinity can mean a big difference in major elements of the water.
At 1.025 (33.2ppt) your parameters were as above. If the actual salinity is 10% higher or lower than that, then those numbers would increase or decrease accordingly. With the numbers you posted, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that your salinity is really 1.027.

Test a fresh bucket of mixed water when you can for comparison with the tank. You can put it aside and then use it in a few days when things are stable and you want to do a small water change.

 

[ScottR]

If you can get a refractometer and bottle of calibration liquid I would strongly suggest it. Hydrometers are not always the most accurate, and a 10% difference in salinity can mean a big difference in major elements of the water.
At 1.025 (33.2ppt) your parameters were as above. If the actual salinity is 10% higher or lower than that, then those numbers would increase or decrease accordingly. With the numbers you posted, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that your salinity is really 1.027.

Test a fresh bucket of mixed water when you can for comparison with the tank. You can put it aside and then use it in a few days when things are stable and you want to do a small water change.

I’ve done tests on a calibrated refractometer and a hydrometer and the results were off by 2ppt every time. Not saying every hydrometer is inaccurate but I wouldn’t trust them in a reef tank.

 

[reefer2000]

Take 5 readings with your hydrometer. All in a row. I bet you’ll get different readings. And I bet that is what threw you off in the first place and made you overfeed your tank, throwing parameters all over the place. I’d look for a good refractometer. Then slow things down. Shocking your tank is going to kill them faster than high nitrates or phosphates.

Ok ill make sure to do that

 

[hyla84]

Ok great thanks!!!

 

[reefer2000]

Ok sure thing im gonna order a refractometer right away and throw the opd thing away. And yes ill make a new saltwater.

 

[Bayareareefer18]

Ok sure thing im gonna order a refractometer right away and throw the opd thing away. And yes ill make a new saltwater.

If you order a refracto strongly suggest ordering a bottle of calibration solution as well. Worth every penny. Bottle would last you probably forever.

 

[W1ngz]

......... Bottle would last you probably forever.

It expires after a while. Small amounts of crystallization and evaporation will make the readings drift over time. I use mine liberally, because I know in a year or so I'll have to replace it even if it's still 1/2 full.

 

[madweazl]

I’ve done tests on a calibrated refractometer and a hydrometer and the results were off by 2ppt every time. Not saying every hydrometer is inaccurate but I wouldn’t trust them in a reef tank.

They may not be accurate but they're usually consistent; a difference of 2ppt isn't going to harm things unless you're already at the far ends of acceptable levels.

If I recall correctly you only look through the side if you are 10 or less when looking from above...

Yes, for low range results, you look through the side and divide the results by 10 (e.g. 50ppm color would be 5ppm nitrates on the low range).

 

[Bayareareefer18]

It expires after a while. Small amounts of crystallization and evaporation will make the readings drift over time. I use mine liberally, because I know in a year or so I'll have to replace it even if it's still 1/2 full.

Not literally but yes I see your point