Nitrate Through the Roof

[Amit]

Hey guys,
I have a 30g reef tank and I did a water change last week and yesterday I check all the levels and the Nitrate some reason is high as it can get. I looked through out of the tank to see if anything was dieing but i didn't see anything. I also cleaned all the pumps, the overflow box, the koralia's and cleaned through out. Also did two water changes, one yesterday, one today after work. But no luck the Nitrate is still high. Any body have any suggestions? Any help and advices is greatly appreciated. I also have another water change mixing so I can do another change tomorrow. Thanks again.

 

[mnat]

You might want to find another test because if your nitrates are truly that high you would see it in your livestock.

 

[Amit]

I tested it on a reference vial, and the result was different. Also what would be the sign's of high nitrate stress? Thank you.

 

[mnat]

Your fish will look very stressed or would be dead depending on the species. Your corals (if you have them) would also suffer and your inverts would be dead. That is why I doubted you had that high of a level if everything was still alive.

 

[Amit]

Just did another water test before work and my tank water still has high nitrate. So just for the hell of it i took water from the tap and tested it, and that water has no nitrates but my tank where i use only ro/di water has high nitrates!! The only thing that looks stressed in the tank is the anemone. Any other suggestions? Thank for the advice so far.

 

[magic]

When you change the water are you disturbing the substrate?

Bob

 

[Whitebird1]

Water changes and perhaps Wet Skim and Cheato in the Sump. Nitrates will take time to lower. Keep looking for the source. Any body MIA in the tank? Overfeeding? Having the water tested by somebody else is a good idea, just to be sure.

 

[steamman]

Bring a water sample to your local pet shop you do business with and have them test the parameters. Get some use out of them. Watch out for what they try to sell you to fix the problem if one exists. You should get a second opinion on equipment or whatever they suggest.

 

[George]

whats your system specifics? also how much liverock in the tank?

 

[Amit]

I just did another check and it's still high. As for system it's a 30g Oceanic cube, with 150 sunpod metal halides. I have a 5g sump with cheato and the light for cheato come's on when the halides are off. Also Have koralia 1 & 2. Also have Aqua Remora with Preskimmer. Also when I do the water change I usually take the return from CPR and dump that into a bucket and as the water level go down I put water in the the sump. I thinking about waiting maybe two to three more days more I do another water change, good idea or bad? Thanx guys keep em coming.

 

[Rbu1]

Get a sulfur denitrator....

Don't worry to much about the fish. Nitrates really don't bother them. Its only the corals that might have an issue and even then as long as you are trying to reduce them I would not worry to much at all....

 

[blange3]

How long has the tank been setup?

Have you tried testing the nitrates on the water you mix for water changes? Do you mix that water a few days in advance?

Have you added rock recently? How long did you cycle the rock?

And do make sure you get another test kit for comparison or have somone else test soon.

 

[steamman]

Do you have a sponge or prefilter of any kind any where in the system? Sponge filter, filter fiber, sock or something that may need cleaning or changing? They are known to be nitrate factories when not attended to.

 

[Amit]

The tank been for about a year now. I didn't add any rocks recently. When I first started the set up the rock for in the tank for about two months before I started adding live stock. I changes all the little carbon bags and the 100micron filter pads I changed those too. I am going do a test on the water before I do a water change. I mix the water for 2-3days prior to doing a water change. Also as for live stock I have a pair of clows, a fire fish, six line wrasse (he's little guy), shark nose, midas,greenbanded goby, cleaner shrimp, and a peppermint shrimp.