PLEASE Help

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 2, 2019

So I set up my 200 gallon tank about 4 weeks ago. Live rock and a few shrimp for just a little time and lots of surface area for the bacteria.
Current: NITRITE 0. Ammonia: 0.50ppm
NITRATES: 160 plus ppm. How can I fix this? Is the tank still cycling? My nitrates Are through the roof and I cannot figure out any methods of solving this problem and I don’t see myself doing a major water change since this water is practically new PLEASE HELP

King Turkey · Nov 2, 2019

Nitrates have to come out somehow. Water change is usualy a good start. You need 0 amonia o nitrite in 24 hour after a ammonia dose to be cycled fully gfo takes out nitrates.

Samina · Nov 2, 2019

Sounds like you are still cycling since ammonia is .50ppm. If it were me, I’d check levels after 24hrs to see if ammonia has gone down. It’s not necessary that you will see nitrite register on your kit. After that, I’d opt for a decent water change around 50% to bring nitrates down.
Have you taken the decomposing shrimp out? If not, I’d take those out as well.
The good news is that you do have nitrates which is indicative that you are moving along in your cycle.

LAReefer4Life · Nov 2, 2019

Yes, your tank in still in the cycling process, be patient. If you want to help speed up the process you can buy a couple bottles of BIOSPIRA or Dr. Tims nitrifying bacteria and add it to the tank. Keep up with your 15-20% water changes weekly and over the next couple weeks all the perimeters will fall in line.

DMG Reef · Nov 2, 2019

You can't get an accurate nitrate reading until your tank is fully cycled and ammonia and nitrites are reading zero. Nitrate tests convert your water sample to nitrites to calculate your nitrates. So as long as you have nitrites in your water, the nitrate test will read extremely high.

So you do not have 160 ppm of nitrates. Just wait until your cycle is complete.

ScottB · Nov 2, 2019

Unless water is on the floor, you don't have to panic at 4 weeks. I swear to it. Plenty of folks here happy to contribute advice.

I am always full of questions and (IMO) opinions. Here we go:

1) How did you cycle (just for context)? That was raw dead shrimp right? And no added bacteria? Not judging; I've done it with/without bacteria. Without takes longer. End result the same.
2) You did have nitrites during the cycle at some point, yes?
3) What is your test kit for nitrates and ammonia? Check not near expiration.
4) As @Samina said, a .5 reading means to let it ride a bit more. Just bacteria catching up with nutrient source. Nominal at this stage.
5) Depending on your test kit, NO2 can sometimes distort NO3 results. Or vice versa. Or both. At least I have heard this many times but welcome @Randy Holmes-Farley to correct this assertion. Now that I type this @Kattkrazie feels something similar.
6) IMO, letting it all ride another week is the best action you can take. All systems nominal (good).
7) Welcome to R2R. Enjoy the Ups and Downs.

Billdogg · Nov 3, 2019

crabcore said:
Nitrates have to come out somehow. Water change is usually a good start. You need 0 ammonia o nitrite in 24 hour after a ammonia dose to be cycled fully gfo takes out nitrates.

Although I agree 100% with the first part of this post, the last is just plain false. GFO takes out phosphates, it will do nothing at all for your nitrates. Water changes will always be the best solution to high nitrates.

Your tank is still very new and still in the process of cycling. I would just wait it out a couple more weeks and then test with quality test kits. If Ammonia and Nitrite are testing at 0 then, a large water change will bring things back to where they belong.

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 4, 2019

ok thank you everyone I appreciate it a lot.

BeejReef · Nov 6, 2019

You set your tank up with live rock... like rock you bought wet and brought home and put in water?

A lot of tanks started with dry rock and bacteria booster will fully cycle within a month.
I'm not saying this is the case - but it's possible your tank has been cycled for some time and your continued dosing of ammonia (or ghostfeeding) is simply driving your nitrates through the roof.

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 6, 2019

BeejReef said:
You set your tank up with live rock... like rock you bought wet and brought home and put in water?

A lot of tanks started with dry rock and bacteria booster will fully cycle within a month.
I'm not saying this is the case - but it's possible your tank has been cycled for some time and your continued dosing of ammonia (or ghostfeeding) is simply driving your nitrates through the roof.

I have just been letting it cycle normally. The only thing I did was add two small table shrimp for a few days and I am now adding booster. I had the live rock from my last tank so I just rinsed it off in tank water and switched it.

BeejReef · Nov 6, 2019

I guess it's best to err on the side of caution then. I just don't envy you having to do so many water changes on a tank that size! Best order another DI resin or two now.. lol. If you're planning on running a fuge, I might be tempted to get that bad boy up and running.

Did the rock dry out from one tank to another, or you transplanted a functioning biofilter from the old tank to the new?
What do you test ammonia with?

Billldg · Nov 6, 2019

I am wondering if the live rock from the previous tank is just releasing nitrates into the new tank, thus elevating your nitrate level. Tank just may take a little longer to cycle, but like others have said, it sounds like the tank is still cycling.

jjstecchino · Nov 6, 2019

Sounds like a good time to add some cheto in your sump. Otherwise all is good.

living_tribunal · Nov 6, 2019

SaltwaterWorld1780 said:
So I set up my 200 gallon tank about 4 weeks ago. Live rock and a few shrimp for just a little time and lots of surface area for the bacteria.
Current: NITRITE 0. Ammonia: 0.50ppm
NITRATES: 160 plus ppm. How can I fix this? Is the tank still cycling? My nitrates Are through the roof and I cannot figure out any methods of solving this problem and I don’t see myself doing a major water change since this water is practically new PLEASE HELP

Your nitrates may have killed the bacteria.

Did you remove the piece of shrimp and replace with a new one every 3 days?

You should do yourself a favor, do a 75% wc, pick up some pure ammonia chloride, fritz turbo start, and dose 1ppm ammonia daily until it clears.

living_tribunal · Nov 6, 2019

Also, how are you testing params?

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 8, 2019

living_tribunal said:
Also, how are you testing params?

Update- nitrates still showing 160ppm ammonia at .50ppm and nitrite at 0. I’m using saltwater master kit along with the api test strips for reassurance. I only left the shrimp for a day, then I took them out. I added macro algae but, it just tested off in my sump into the gravel.

Do I need to put a silverside/shrimp to cycle again?

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 8, 2019

living_tribunal said:
Your nitrates may have killed the bacteria.

Did you remove the piece of shrimp and replace with a new one every 3 days?

You should do yourself a favor, do a 75% wc, pick up some pure ammonia chloride, fritz turbo start, and dose 1ppm ammonia daily until it clears.

I’ve also been adding bio booster for short periods.

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 8, 2019

BeejReef said:
I guess it's best to err on the side of caution then. I just don't envy you having to do so many water changes on a tank that size! Best order another DI resin or two now.. lol. If you're planning on running a fuge, I might be tempted to get that bad boy up and running.

Did the rock dry out from one tank to another, or you transplanted a functioning biofilter from the old tank to the new?
What do you test ammonia with?

Sorry for the late response but my set up is a 200 gallon with a 29ish gallon wet trickle filter that is gravity fed into a 20 gallon tall sump tank with a small refugee in the middle. In there is torn up Macroalgae.

SaltwaterWorld1780 · Nov 8, 2019

SaltwaterWorld1780 said:
Sorry for the late response but my set up is a 200 gallon with a 29ish gallon wet trickle filter that is gravity fed into a 20 gallon tall sump tank with a small refugee in the middle. In there is torn up Macroalgae.

Connections are just my 2 holes on each tank with inch cpvc.

brandon429 · Nov 8, 2019

live rock-did that come from another running aquarium or from a bin in the pet shop marked live rock? did it have any pods or attached living items, algae etc?

the shrimp and all additions since then are designed for dry rock cycling, but then again sometimes live rock doesnt mean the same to everyone

moving rocks among homes never, ever undoes a cycle. only being dry undoes a cycle. trying to figure out if these rocks were wet when you brought them home