nitrates! help!

[ChrisV]

ok, i have a huge nitrate problem. nitrates tested out to 90+ PPM and i havent been able to lower them, i did a 30% water change 2 days ago in hopes to lower them some, but with no luck, if you look at my last post i converted this to a reef from fish only and still had the wet/dry filter on after i added all the live rock, i have about 100lbs in there, and about a 2" thick sand bed i suspect maybe it was the liverock i added to the tank, that would be my only guess, i never had a problem with tank params before. my nitrites and ammonia are next to zero, so i cannot understand why the nitrates are so high, i have a nice lifereef skimmer, and am running a Bio-Wheel 330 for mech filteration. i have 2 or 3 brains, and some softies, with a 4 inch grouper, and a few turbos and bumblebees and some scarlets. friend is going to the good LFS store today, so if i need anything tell me and il get him to get it for me, anything that might help my nitrate problem. any help would be great

 

[Anonymous]

Well, first, a 30% change won't make much of a difference. Ammonia and nitrite readings being zero only mean that those bacteria are doing their job. If you have the sandbed there to denitrify, I would strongly suggest going deeper, 3" minimum. I would think that, if the live rock is quality, it would help with your nitrate issue, UNLESS you've placed it directly into your system without performing your own cure. I will offer that if this is the case, the die-off is what is causing this rise in nitrate readings.

I suggest making a couple of 50% water changes, and possibly adding more sand slowly to achieve an anoxic layer for denitrification (if this is your goal).

 

[danmhippo]

What kind of sand? CC or sugar fine? Wetdry is notorious as nitrate factory. Try removing biomedia in the wetdry slowly and see if your tank can adapt to decrease in surface area to harbor bacteria.

Other than the wet dry, you may want to look at the source of nitrate. Food, additive, and water. Feeding less will help. Feed only enough for them to finish all in 2 minutes. Make sure you pick up the uneaten portion.

Are you using RO water? Even if you are using RO, have you ever tested for nitrate in the water?

Detritus in the rock is also another deposit for nitrates, Try using a strong powerhead to "blast" detritus off the back of LR and within the rockworks.

If you want to keep your wetdry, then you will have to rinse your biomedia every other day to vigorously rinse off detritus trapped within, and you will have to make the nitrate conversioni less efficient by submerging biomedia entirely in the water. Make sure they make free contact with air(Oxygen) as little as possible.

 

[ChrisV]

ok i put together a refuge out of my old wet/dry box. looking good, i put 3" about, of caribsea sand and put plants and stuff, with a grow-lux light until i can get a better one, the thing is running fine, and i turned the flow off a bit on the iwaki so the sump will stay full. is this good, i will be getting pictures soon, and should i leave the light on 24/7?

 

[Anonymous]

Get RID of the Gro-lux, WAY too high in the red end wavelengths. Use, instead, a cool white shop light.

 

[danmhippo]

24hr for the refug is just fine.

 

[greenman]

If you can set up a preg to grow out macro algee!!! Stuff feeds off of nitates ...... You can aslo try xeina! Loves a dirty tank!