Nitrates...Tearing my hair out.

[recoiljpr]

I am using the American Pharmaceuticals Master test kit for testing my water. ALL of my tests come out fine except for Nitrate which is running in the 10-15 PPM range. I can't figure out what in the heck is keeping it up in that range. All my fish, inverts (crabs, snails) and my Zoanthids are doing just fine. I use RO water and I do bi-weekly 20% water changes. My lights are on for 9-10 hours a day. I even tried a 50% water change on Monday and this morning I was STILL at the 10-15 PPM range!! The only thing I can think of that would cause this reading is I have the Bio-Bale in my CPR protein skimmer, could that be causing it? Or, what other things could be keeping my nitrates "high"? I tested the Nitrate kit against my RO water only and it came out 0 PPM, so it seems like the test kit is working.

 

[Anonymous]

I am using the American Pharmaceuticals Master test kit for testing my water. ALL of my tests come out fine except for Nitrate which is running in the 10-15 PPM range. I can't figure out what in the heck is keeping it up in that range. All my fish, inverts (crabs, snails) and my Zoanthids are doing just fine. I use RO water and I do bi-weekly 20% water changes. My lights are on for 9-10 hours a day. I even tried a 50% water change on Monday and this morning I was STILL at the 10-15 PPM range!! The only thing I can think of that would cause this reading is I have the Bio-Bale in my CPR protein skimmer, could that be causing it? Or, what other things could be keeping my nitrates "high"? I tested the Nitrate kit against my RO water only and it came out 0 PPM, so it seems like the test kit is working.

10-15 isnt horrible, and if everything is fine, dont worry. There are many newer thought on trates that seem to make them less evil than first thought.

In any event, causes of trates:

Overfeeding
overstocking
substrate trapping uneaten food (crushed coral)
areas of the tank with little or no flow (detrius collecting)
Not enough scavengers in the tank (hermits, snails)

I am not sure what the bio-bale is, i dont know much about that skimmer, but anything floss-related does need to be cleaned once a week or so.

I clean my protein skimmer bubble diffuser foam once a week.

 

[Anonymous]

I am using the American Pharmaceuticals Master test kit for testing my water. ALL of my tests come out fine except for Nitrate which is running in the 10-15 PPM range. I can't figure out what in the heck is keeping it up in that range. All my fish, inverts (crabs, snails) and my Zoanthids are doing just fine. I use RO water and I do bi-weekly 20% water changes. My lights are on for 9-10 hours a day. I even tried a 50% water change on Monday and this morning I was STILL at the 10-15 PPM range!! The only thing I can think of that would cause this reading is I have the Bio-Bale in my CPR protein skimmer, could that be causing it? Or, what other things could be keeping my nitrates "high"? I tested the Nitrate kit against my RO water only and it came out 0 PPM, so it seems like the test kit is working.

PS...that test kit isnt the most reliable either...I would have it tested with another kit to get comparative readings.

 

[bjoiner]

PS...that test kit isnt the most reliable either...I would have it tested with another kit to get comparative readings.

Any recommendations?

 

[Anonymous]

PS...that test kit isnt the most reliable either...I would have it tested with another kit to get comparative readings.

Any recommendations?

Salifert. Also if you are concerned with the readings do slightly larger and/or more frequent water changes

 

[WRASSER]

sub strates store not only food , but also nitrates. when you do a water change the nitrates leak back into the water and keep the ppm up. keep up the water changes it will come down. :wink:
also if you are over feeding, it dose not help

 

[recoiljpr]

I don't think it's overstocking as I only have 2 false percs, 7 hermit crabs & 7 (5 nasarius & 2 turbo) snails. I don't know about overfeeding though... I feed the fish twice a day with a small pinch of omega flakes (about 1/3 the size of your pinky) and alternate 1 of the omega feedings with 1/2 a cube of frozen marine cuizine every other day (I defrost the frozen in a cup of aquarium water and strain it). I also "blow" the tank after every feeding with a turkey baster. Do I need to start feeding only once per day? Or do I need more hermits & snails? As for flow, I have an 800 lph & a 1200 lph powerhead (on a 29 gallon aquarium).

 

[WRASSER]

I think you are over feeding. A small pinch a day or even every other day will be fine. You really dont have to worry about the hermit crabs, they will eat the algea, snails too. Your marine cuizine could go three times a week, or even twice a week.
At least til you get the nitrates down were you want it :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

I would remove the bio-bale if you have LR in the tank.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's overstocking as I only have 2 false percs, 7 hermit crabs & 7 (5 nasarius & 2 turbo) snails. I don't know about overfeeding though... I feed the fish twice a day with a small pinch of omega flakes (about 1/3 the size of your pinky) and alternate 1 of the omega feedings with 1/2 a cube of frozen marine cuizine every other day (I defrost the frozen in a cup of aquarium water and strain it). I also "blow" the tank after every feeding with a turkey baster. Do I need to start feeding only once per day? Or do I need more hermits & snails? As for flow, I have an 800 lph & a 1200 lph powerhead (on a 29 gallon aquarium).

hmmm...could be a bit of overfeeding. If it is just a small pinch and they are consuming it all, it isnt that bad. Sounds like you have that under control.

Remember, however, most marine fish only need feeding once a day. I have actually skipped days sometimes.

My suggestion to lower trates at this point:

1. Feed once a day for a while
2. Get rid of the bio-bale
3. Do more frequent water changes. 20% every 2 weeks isnt enough it seems. I would suggest increasing this to weekly, but, if time allows you, do (2) 10% changes per week so you can allow things in the tank to adjust.

Again, keep in mind...since you dont have any sensitive coral right now, 10-15 ppm of nitrates is fine! It is very minor. A rule of thumb is if things look fine, dont worry so much chasing numbers if the numbers seem close to "accepted" parameters.

 

[ChrisRD]

From another post it appears that your substrate is a 3" layer of crushed aragonite - true? If so (and you're not already doing it), I would try vacuuming this when you do water changes. If any detritus is accumulating in the substrate it can contribute to the problem.

 

[recoiljpr]

You are correct in that my substrate is about 3", but my rock covers most of it. I would say approximately 70% of my substrate is covered with live rock. Wouldn't my nasarius be stirring up the seabed & eating off of it enough that I wouldn't need to vacuum? I look at my tank quite often and I don't really see any food on the substrate.

And if I did need to vacuum, would my shopvac do a good job?? (j/k) :twisted:

What kind of vacuum do yall reccomend?

 

[Anonymous]

You are correct in that my substrate is about 3", but my rock covers most of it. I would say approximately 70% of my substrate is covered with live rock. Wouldn't my nasarius be stirring up the seabed & eating off of it enough that I wouldn't need to vacuum? I look at my tank quite often and I don't really see any food on the substrate.

And if I did need to vacuum, would my shopvac do a good job?? (j/k) :twisted:

What kind of vacuum do yall reccomend?

Hmmmm....I used to vacuum...I have crushed coral. I would suck out stuff every 2 weeks.

I now have not vacuumed in about a year, and there has been no nitrate increase.

I do, however, have a LOT of assorted hermits and snails, some are very big too. They must be doing a good job cleaning up anything. I have a 60 hex, and hermit-wise about 30 creatures, and snails about 20.

 

[recoiljpr]

ctgretzky99 wrote:

I do, however, have a LOT of assorted hermits and snails, some are very big too. They must be doing a good job cleaning up anything. I have a 60 hex, and hermit-wise about 30 creatures, and snails about 20.

So using your math I would need at least 15 hermits & 10 snails? Is that an acceptable # for a 29 gallon aquarium?

 

[Anonymous]

ctgretzky99 wrote:

I do, however, have a LOT of assorted hermits and snails, some are very big too. They must be doing a good job cleaning up anything. I have a 60 hex, and hermit-wise about 30 creatures, and snails about 20.

So using your math I would need at least 15 hermits & 10 snails? Is that an acceptable # for a 29 gallon aquarium?

Well, I always feel that you can't overdo hermits and snails for an established tank. If yours is younger, I would start with a little less than that. I am being conservative with my estimate too...I am sure I have more than what I wrote, but can never count them all at the same time...I have a LOT of LR stacked and piled.

 

[Anonymous]

I have alot of the same and my nitrates don't rise.


100ga tank
4" DSB
approx. 60 hermits
approx. 30 snails

They do their job getting all the leftover food.

 

[recoiljpr]

Well, I didn't go out and buy a new testing kit, but I did go out and take the bio-bale out of my CPR skimmer, performing a 50% water change and change the feedings of my fish to once a day. As of 36 hours later my Nitrates at least from the colors I saw to be next to nothing. Here is to hoping by the end of the weekend they stay there!

I am really wanting to put in the beautiful bubble tip anenome at my LFS next week. Or, do yall think I should wait a few more weeks? While I want the anenome, I want a LIVE one, and if that means waiting then i'll wait.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I didn't go out and buy a new testing kit, but I did go out and take the bio-bale out of my CPR skimmer, performing a 50% water change and change the feedings of my fish to once a day. As of 36 hours later my Nitrates at least from the colors I saw to be next to nothing. Here is to hoping by the end of the weekend they stay there!

I am really wanting to put in the beautiful bubble tip anenome at my LFS next week. Or, do yall think I should wait a few more weeks? While I want the anenome, I want a LIVE one, and if that means waiting then i'll wait.

Congrats! Keep on top of proper water changes (you ARE letting it circulate for 24 hrs+ before changing it out, right? Other wise you will throw alk out of whack...) and continue what you are doing now

Keep in mind, still, if trates come up a bit to 10 ppm or so, dont sweat it!

I would wait just a couple of weeks before getting the anemone...are you testing for alkalinity, calcium, phossphates yet? I suggest you get a real handle on parameters-all of them, before getting it.

 

[recoiljpr]

ctgretzky99 Wrote:

I would wait just a couple of weeks before getting the anemone...are you testing for alkalinity, calcium, phossphates yet? I suggest you get a real handle on parameters-all of them, before getting it.

I am not testing for alk, but I am testing for all of the others. I am actually going to have to wait longer then that for my anenome, as doing research around here and talking to my LFS I won't be getting the anenome for a while at least. Everyone has told me I need MH to keep anenomes, I only have PC lighting on my tank right now. So, i'm going to have to wait untill I get my Metal Halides.[/quote]