Nitrates staying low.

[Homestead_Dad]

Ok, I cured my dry rock in a tub using stability and ghost feeding tropical flakes. I got a cycle ammonia nitrites and nitrates spikes nitrates were over 20 when I moved them to my display tank. I then used stability again and ghost feeding again. I got an ammonia spike then nitrates spike ammonia went to 0 nitrites went to 0 and nitrates went slightly above 0 but not to 5 which is the next color on my scale.
Ghost fed a significant amount rechecked everything at 0 nitrates maybe slightly above 0 still.

I added a fish and some cleaner crew. Over fed the fish by a bit. Tested and still no rise in nitrates. How is it possible that I am cycling ammonia and nitrite and not adding Nitrate?

 

[fishkeeper2]

Nitrates build up slowly over time. Certain things can also remove nitrates.

1 - a thick (3") live sand bed reduces nitrates, see advancedaquarist.com for details.
2 - bacteria can also remove nitrates if you add the right ones to your system. Red Sea NO3PO4-X does the job nicely. A large bacteria colony from such additives goes to town pretty quickly on nitrates.
3 - chemical filtration can also remove ammonia and nitrites by binding to them, preventing them from breaking down to nitrates. Chemi Pure Elite is quite nice.
4 - surface skimmers collect the film that collects at the surface before it dissolves and becomes ammonia while protein skimmers use bubbles to further remove organics from the system before they dissolve.
5 - if you are running a reactor it can also remove nitrates.
6 - a refugium with macro-algae can also be effective at eliminating nitrates. Cheto algae works wonders.

I for one have not done a water change in 6 months with no changes to water quality. I do it eventually just for the heck of it, but with today's technology you really do not have to.

If I had to guess it sounds like the the ammonia and nitrite is in low quantities and is removed from the system fast enough so as to not allow enough time for nitrates to build up. Just a guess.

 

[Homestead_Dad]

I don't know I fed it pretty heavy to make sure the nitrifying bacteria was well established before adding any livestock. I'm not running a protein skimmer and my refugium is empty right now. The only thing I can think of is the bubbles in my return section is removing nitrates somehow. Is that possible?

 

[Salty1962]

Try some KPno3, or Stump Killer. There's a thread about it on the forum.

 

[fishkeeper2]

I don't know I fed it pretty heavy to make sure the nitrifying bacteria was well established before adding any livestock. I'm not running a protein skimmer and my refugium is empty right now. The only thing I can think of is the bubbles in my return section is removing nitrates somehow. Is that possible?

No. The bubbles are definitely not removing your nitrate.

 

[Homestead_Dad]

I don't have any corals right now so not trying to boost nitrates. Was just curious as to why I had high nitrates in my curing tub and none in my display. Thought it may have something to do with flow and bubbles maybe off gassing them and if not I was worried they may jump up real high unexpectedly.

 

[fishkeeper2]

I don't have any corals right now so not trying to boost nitrates. Was just curious as to why I had high nitrates in my curing tub and none in my display. Thought it may have something to do with flow and bubbles maybe off gassing them and if not I was worried they may jump up real high unexpectedly.

Definitely understandable. No filtration in the curing tub, most likely, so nitrates climb fast.

Sounds like you have an established/ cycled tank. I would still add livestock gradually just to be certain. Keep some Prime on hand in the event of a spike. Keep water testing regularly, I would also add a bacteria additive to remove nitrate like Red Sea NO3PO4-X.

 

[Homestead_Dad]

Cool thanks.

 

[Griff]

Underwater creations makes a nitrate additive if you don't want to mix up the stump remover.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don't have any corals right now so not trying to boost nitrates. Was just curious as to why I had high nitrates in my curing tub and none in my display. Thought it may have something to do with flow and bubbles maybe off gassing them and if not I was worried they may jump up real high unexpectedly.

Curing of live rock causes tremendous production of ammonia that converts into nitrate. It slows as the curing is completed.