High nitrates

[Ccccz]

Seeking all seniors and experts advices.

My tank is newly setup for 3 months.

My nitrates test is horrendous. Mine is a 2ft cube with sump and skimmer is bubble Magnus nac 5. Using salifert no3 test kit and its reading the max of 100ppm, ammonia and nitrite is 0.

Live stock currently only 1 fish some corals. 2 frags of zoas, 1 Clove and 1 bubble.

I feed a pinch of pellets every 3 days.

I don't have chaeto in my refugium as iwarna don't have. Anywhere else can buy chaeto?

So far I did multiple wc but the nitrates are still high. 10 packs of nsw for 1 wc and every week I change 50 L of nsw. Still doesn't work. I read nitrates may be tolerant to fishes so I added 1 clown so far but he didn't get past 4 days.

Thought of getting chemical assistance in the form of seachem de-nitrate but sent Seaview but they ran out.

Any valuable advices?

[xeneryx]

if i were you i would change more than 50% of water. dont know if that works

[fishyfishyfishy]

carbon dosing, biopellet, or use vodka

[Ccccz]

I'm thinking of vinegar since vodka promotes cyno. I getting some cyno on the sandbed recently. I've off my lights totally now since livestock and corals ain't that much.

Can anyone advice if iwarna or any one does home visits of doing at least 60% wc. Lugging 30 packets of nsw in my car doesn't sound very appealing. And yeah, I don't have a ro unit at home to churn that amount of water

[VelvetAirwaves]

Might want to check your phosphates as well. Fuel recently shared that for nitrates to go down, phosphates need to be present. Correct me if I'm wrong anyone. I personally have never experienced such a phenomena, however it could be a cause.

[diki88]

Get a new test kit. Its possible although highly unlikely u tio a bad box. Plus, if ur nitrates were to be that bad, ur corals most prob gone. But since u didn't mention it, I shall assume ur corals are doing fine.

If the new test kit also reflects 100ppm, search ur rocks for dying matter. Something is decomposing badly in ur tank.

Do one times large WC again. Ur phosphates are there if not there would not be any cyano. Which means ur phosphate is not the limiting factor to ur nitrates going down as per the Redfield ratio.

After all that, I still suggest getting a new test kit.

[kraken]

do check your NSW for nitrates also, just saying that could be a reason

[Ccccz]

My corals are doing ok. No casualties, just the fishes. I was previously using API and the no3 readings was high. Recently bought this new salifert no3 test kit. Will go buy another salifert just to be sure.

I never tried testing the nsw though. Will try later. Just got some chaeto and de-nitrate. See if these may help.

The phosphate theory sounds cool. Better test phosphate as well.

[woyeng**]

I use biosphere and rowasphos combo to maintain very low nitrates and phosphate readings. There are other methods like supplementing Chaeto, use zeolite, etc...

Most impt thing is to allow time for your tank to cycle first. Don't be hasty in putting livestocks in.... My tank is 6 months still not completely cycled

Also, use RO/DI water instead of tap water.

[blusafe]

If you are having cyanobact bloom all over everything with 3 month old tank, your live rock is probably having mass die-off. Surprising the corals are not responding. I'm guessing that's where all your pollution is coming from if your bio-load is light, little nutrient input, etc etc.

[boyot123]

Check using test .all that u dump in ur tank.

[Ccccz]

Did more then 50% water change. Nitrates going down.... Thanks for all the valuable advices.,,,,

[bluewind79]

Do water change regularly, if possible bi-weekly 10-20%

[Ccccz]

Guys, just an update. Didn't had time to post.

After 50% wc, nitrates was tested immediately and looks ok. So next day tested again. Went up to the dark pink salifert no3 result again.

Recently this week, can't take it, do a massive 90% change with nsw. Tested that very night and its still dark pink. Use 2 different sets of salifert same result. Ammonia and no2 is zero.... I'm lost.

I'm suspecting I previously poured hot water over 2 LR. It's been like 2 months back and the LR is in the tank... Could they be leaching no3? Coralline has already start to built up on these rocks.

[sherman]

What is your PO4 value and your SG?

[Ccccz]

I didn't buy the PO4 Test kit. SG is 1.023 with the refractor. I tested the NSW also. Same.... Also dark pink! Can't be leh. 2 kits also tio bad stock? Don't believe it, I will buy another kit.

[kraken]

as I said, could be your NSW thats the problem

[PordingPrime]

my nitrate is ~40 for 3mos until i increase biopellet dosage, that time my alveo rip, then now is zero, but some of my zoas is not fully opening now, and my octo tentacles shrink by half, i think zero nitrate also not good to some corals

[youdontnowm]

Dose sugar! 1.8Teaspn / 25gallon. Every 2 days. I dose 1 teaspn everyday for 2days , nitrate went from 40 to 20 in 2days. Initially it was 80 , it dropped to 40 with biopellets in 1 week. Water will be cloudy! No lifestock lost so far. All is ok. Take a look about it in RC. Its working for me. Its the same as dosing vodka or vinegar etc~

My tank is 140gallon btw lol xD

Sudden drop of parametwrs like nitrate is not good for corals. But i cant wait so no choice. Everything is happy

[VelvetAirwaves]

Dose sugar! 1.8Teaspn / 25gallon. Every 2 days. I dose 1 teaspn everyday for 2days , nitrate went from 40 to 20 in 2days. Initially it was 80 , it dropped to 40 with biopellets in 1 week. Water will be cloudy! No lifestock lost so far. All is ok. Take a look about it in RC. Its working for me. Its the same as dosing vodka or vinegar etc~

My tank is 140gallon btw lol xD

Sudden drop of parametwrs like nitrate is not good for corals. But i cant wait so no choice. Everything is happy

I think for bigger tank its okay to follow the teaspoon method, smaller tank abit difficult to measure 1.8 teaspoons. Imo, measuring spoon is the easiest.

[Underwater]

I find it very strange that your nitrate can be so high despite such huge water change and with super low livestock - 1 fish? I could only narrow down to:

1. Something big is dying (corals, esp anemone) and polluting your tank (unlikely to be the LR since it's already two months)

2. NSW that you bought is the source of problem (but i doubt so)

3. Faulty testkit (but Salifret is known for accuaracy unless it's expired)

I know it's frustrating but try to find out the source and get rid of the root problem first, then talk about other methods later like dosing sugar/volka and using all those biopellets now which will not solve the bigger problem if nitrate is continuously rising.

How about posting some tank and sump pics and see other reefers can help to locate the source.

[Robin Caapora]

What sort of media do you have in your sump to accommodate anaerobic bacteria which breaks down nitrates? Meanwhile, suggest you use this product called Chemipure to clean up your water.

[Allan Wy Looi]

I have this problem too, trying to solve hopefully nitrates will go down soon. Thanks for the info on this thread will try out the methods.

[Guest]

Natural method of N03 reduction, a large scrubber, deep sand bed, or growing algae in refugium.

Alternatively you can use bio pallets, bio sphere, or liquid bacteria like AZn03 ect..

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[Reefreef]

Bro, go for denitrator with sulphur beads. Never had problems with nitrate since i introduced it in my setup.