NO3 high levels..

[ramasezz]

Hi Randy and the other experts...

Off late, my 220 gal mixed reef has seen a jump in the NO3 level alone... Params as below:
Ph 8.00 - 8.2
Dkh 10
CA 520
Mg 1100
PO4 0.5 mg/l
NO3 160 ppm
Strangely, no corals seem to be affected so far, fishes and inverts seem fine..
I have no algae outburst except at a few random places of very small patches of film algae on the glass.
This may not be good long term, I am doing weekly water changes of around 40 gallons and have stopped feeding pellets and flakes. Only well rinsed frozen mixed with a vitamin C supplement from Waterlife.
What can I be doing better, a few pointers would help nudge me on the path to take..
As always, many thanks in advance.
Ram.

 

[Scott.h]

Sounds like a bad test kit. I didn't realize there was a no3 test kit that read that high.

 

[ramasezz]

Sounds like a bad test kit. I didn't realize there was a no3 test kit that read that high.

Just double checked.. it's the API saltwater master rest kit.. it has reagents for testing NH3/NH4, PH and NO2. And the NO3 does max out at 160 ppm.

 

[Scott.h]

API isn't a very good test. I'd get a Salifert or Red Sea kit and double check. If it was really that high you'd have some noticeable problems

 

[ramasezz]

API isn't a very good test. I'd get a Salifert or Red Sea kit and double check. If it was really that high you'd have some noticeable problems

I agree, something's wrong.. the dots don't add up to a line... I'll try an alternate test Kit.. either red sea (not sure if I have one) or I have a jbl handy for sure..

 

[jsker]

I agree with @Scott.h before you start making change retest with different test kits

Red Sea is good for Mg, Ca
Hanna for alk and phosphates
Red Sea for nitrates

I have Aquaforest test kits arriving today and from whit I have seen these kit are very reliable and price wise inline

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, some nice reef tanks have very high nitrate and phosphate.

 

[Scott.h]

FWIW, some nice reef tanks have very high nitrate and phosphate.

High as in 60, or 160?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

As in 100 ppm or so.

Is it optimal? no. Is it sometimes OK? Apparently..

 

[ramasezz]

I'm very perplexed.. let me put some pics up.. maybe you can see if there's anything that catches your attention as wrong..

 

[ramasezz]

Some pics..

 

[ramasezz]

A few more..

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

My first thought is also an erroneous test...

However, if you confirm the value to be correct, I highly recommend a sulfur denitrator. Takes a few weeks to break in but it will drop those nitrates to acceptable levels and keep them there with very little effort/maintenance.

 

[ramasezz]

Frontal view.

 

[ramasezz]

My first thought is also an erroneous test...

However, if you confirm the value to be correct, I highly recommend a sulfur denitrator. Takes a few weeks to break in but it will drop those nitrates to acceptable levels and keep them there with very little effort/maintenance.

I'm borrowing a test Kit tomo to check again. In the meantime I have to. Anyways perform my weekly water change of about 40 gal, am thinking of doing about 80 then this week. Quite honestly the sulfur denitrator is a new word to my vocabulary so I'm gonna read up on that. Thank you for the option of providing me with a plan B. I'm still wondering is a preemptive action needed if all looks well or is it the calm before the storm.. that's the catch I'm in...

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Not to be critical, but that rockwork isn't doing you any favors in the nitrate department either. Open it up some if you can, it looks way too dense. You should be able to achieve a structure about that same size with about half as much rock from the looks of it. Wether or not you actually have a nitrate issue now or not, that's the rockwork of a tank that will eventually have nitrate issues...

 

[Scott.h]

I was going to suggest opening up the rockwork as well. I'm not sure how long the tank has been set up but I highly doubt your nitrates are that high. There doesn't appear to be anything wrong. Maybe your nitrates aren't that high, but still relatively high to most standards. I don't know that I would mess with a reactor unless something calls for it. Such as coral/fish health or out of control algae. When you start throwing things off balance you'll find your corals may start having problems they didn't have before.

Why are you changing so much water? Have you tried changing out less to see what happens? If so what was the result?

 

[ramasezz]

@Scott.h & @LobsterOfJustce
I had someone visit home and he did mention that.... so that's 3 in a row.. lol... so I'm going to do something about it. The tank itself is about an year old but I moved house in April so technically I would have had a mini cycle I guess.. in fact I know I've got a load of rock but I did that on purpose so that the more the surface area of the rock, the more the bacteria.... I've not really tested for any of the basics the last 2 months.. I normally only test ph, dKh, CA, mg and po4. This is a lesson now.. thankfully it's Sunday and gives me the time to do the rock scape a re do.. I'm also making a DSB in my sump that I'll add chaeto to for further nutrient reduction..

 

[ramasezz]

And the WC, I normally do about 40 gallons every 2 weeks... since the last 2 weeks am doing it weekly to try get the no3 down.