Nitrates

[Jen1234]

Hi there,
Just tested all the parameters in my reef tank 250litre total volume. All within acceptable levels with red sea tests but nitrates off the scale.
Running protein skimmer and just added miracle mud with 2 handfuls of cheato yesterday. Also added Bioptim and Biodigest yesterday.
What else can i do? Water change 25 litres last weekend.
Any help appreciated.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Water changes are the fastest method.
Your system will catch up soon.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

Larger water changes would also help. If you change 25L in a 250L system, you're only changing about 10% of the total water volume. As a result, the nitrate reduction will only be about 10%. This means if you have 50ppm nitrates, your end nitrate concentration after a 25L change is still 45ppm.

 

[Jen1234]

Water changes are the fastest method.
Your system will catch up soon.

Thank you, I will do another water change tomorrow.

 

[Jen1234]

Larger water changes would also help. If you change 25L in a 250L system, you're only changing about 10% of the total water volume. As a result, the nitrate reduction will only be about 10%. This means if you have 50ppm nitrates, your end nitrate concentration after a 25L change is still 45ppm.

Okay, I will do a larger water change tomorrow. My sg is a bit high too 1.026 so I will try and lower that a bit in the process. Many thanks

 

[Skep18]

Are you cycling? Do you have nitrites?

I find when I have nitrites, at least my Red Sea test kits show excessively high nitrates. When nitrites go away my nitrates go way down. I think I saw some smart person say the nitrate test converts them to something that interferes with the test... or something like that.

 

[Jen1234]

No, nitrites were negligible 0.05 or lower.

 

[Jen1234]

No, nitrites were negligible 0.05 or lower.

 

[Jen1234]

No, nitrites were negligible 0.05 or lower.

 

[Jen1234]

No, nitrites are between 0 and 0.05. When we set the tank up my end we did have to add 100 litres of new salt water and replaced the sand bed. Just thinking too much in a small space of time!

 

[Jen1234]

No, nitrites are between 0 and 0.05. When we set the tank up my end we did have to add 100 litres of new salt water and replaced the sand bed. Just thinking too much in a small space of time!

Sorry for the repeated message I'm just having trouble navigating the site. [emoji53]

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Sorry for the repeated message I'm just having trouble navigating the site. [emoji53]

Internet happens.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Okay, I will do a larger water change tomorrow. My sg is a bit high too 1.026 so I will try and lower that a bit in the process. Many thanks

That's not high (it's just right).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi there,
Just tested all the parameters in my reef tank 250litre total volume. All within acceptable levels with red sea tests but nitrates off the scale.
Running protein skimmer and just added miracle mud with 2 handfuls of cheato yesterday. Also added Bioptim and Biodigest yesterday.
What else can i do? Water change 25 litres last weekend.
Any help appreciated.

Off scale means higher than what?

 

[Jen1234]

Off scale means higher than what?

I must admit to finding the colour cards hard to read on the red sea test but tonight after a 20 percent water change earlier my nitrate, in my best attempt at guaging an in between 2 colours number between 150 and 175.
Ph has dropped to 7.6!
Kh 7.5
Phosphate 0.5
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0

Shall I do another water change tomorrow? Will that further reduce the ph? I've left a wave maker pointing up to the surface to help with the co2 thingy. I read that could help ph to rise.

Many thanks for your advice.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

You are always welcome to post a pic of hard to read numbers.

My tip, don’t try to match colors to eye persay, squint your eye (popeye) and look for the contrast between the colors.

 

[Jen1234]

You are always welcome to post a pic of hard to read numbers.

My tip, don’t try to match colors to eye persay, squint your eye (popeye) and look for the contrast between the colors.

Thanks, I'll try that!