nitrate problem

[angry]

Hi all reefers,

i realised that the nitrate level in my tank reaches the 50 mark when using the salifert test kit. I did a massive water change of approx. 80l of water and then came back again to measure after long hours only to find out that the nitrate level stays unchanged! Can someone pls enlighten me?

[djarth]

sell the tank, buy a 5ft one

[tigershark]

Hi all reefers,

i realised that the nitrate level in my tank reaches the 50 mark when using the salifert test kit. I did a massive water change of approx. 80l of water and then came back again to measure after long hours only to find out that the nitrate level stays unchanged! Can someone pls enlighten me?

how much is your tank capacity? my 2' cube tank + 1.5' cube sump having ard 250L of water, change 60 litre also does'nt have much effect. only reduce the nitrate from 40ppm to 30ppm

[neutronics]

A massive water change (although not recommended) should be able to reduce the nitratre somehow. Maybe the test kit is faulty or overdue. Try testing for nitrate on the brand new saltwater before adding into display. Does it show the same nitrate readings? Maybe get another test kit to be sure?

[angry]

how much is your tank capacity? my 2' cube tank + 1.5' cube sump having ard 250L of water, change 60 litre also does'nt have much effect. only reduce the nitrate from 40ppm to 30ppm

My main tank is 3.5ft x 20" x 2.5ft. Water in gallon is around 100. My sump is 3ftx 18" x 1.5ft. I was thinking it might be the coral chip in the first compartment. But i dont want to put the blame on this first. I already removed much after hearing Sharkbait's comments. Hmmmmmm

[angry]

A massive water change (although not recommended) should be able to reduce the nitratre somehow. Maybe the test kit is faulty or overdue. Try testing for nitrate on the brand new saltwater before adding into display. Does it show the same nitrate readings? Maybe get another test kit to be sure?

I'm using a salifert test kit that i acquired not too long ago. Now i'm really puzzled.

[angry]

sell the tank, buy a 5ft one

Will consider this option in a year's time

[espresso]

sorry to borrow ur thread angry.

Removing the coral chips help to reduce nitrate?

can some1 confirm? if so i am going to remove mine in my sump.

[sugi]

Angry,

I bought a nitrate reducer solution from S..L.. about $40.

You suppose to drop a few drop in the first day and increasingly the next few days till nitrate is 0.

You need to follow the instruction very closely in order for it to work well.

I cannot remember the name of the brand.

This works for me.

Are youinterested ?

Can you sell you half price.

Kept in the fridge and content still plenty about 3/4 - 4/5 i think.

Rgds

[chrislwp]

AZ-No3

[arcanehacker]

Angry,

I bought a nitrate reducer solution from S..L.. about $40.

You suppose to drop a few drop in the first day and increasingly the next few days till nitrate is 0.

You need to follow the instruction very closely in order for it to work well.

I cannot remember the name of the brand.

This works for me.

Are youinterested ?

Can you sell you half price.

Kept in the fridge and content still plenty about 3/4 - 4/5 i think.

Rgds

is it really effective? Can tell us the brand? ..

[RockyBoy]

My 2.5ft tank has nitrate problems for months (50ppm). Then i started using DSB and skimmer, and do 15-20% water change every week, now after 3 months, nitrate ard 5ppm.

[sugi]

AZ-No3

I think it is AZ-NO3

[angry]

Angry,

I bought a nitrate reducer solution from S..L.. about $40.

You suppose to drop a few drop in the first day and increasingly the next few days till nitrate is 0.

You need to follow the instruction very closely in order for it to work well.

I cannot remember the name of the brand.

This works for me.

Are youinterested ?

Can you sell you half price.

Kept in the fridge and content still plenty about 3/4 - 4/5 i think.

Rgds

Thanks for the offer but i'm sceptical about dosing chemicals into the main tank:)

[arcanehacker]

Thanks for the offer but i'm sceptical about dosing chemicals into the main tank:)

quite true.. it may work but the stuff is gonna stay in there.. imagine the buildup of chemicals accumulated over the months..

Unless it can guarantee that after it worked its 'wonders', it turns to gas and dissipitates into thin air..

[Weapon_Master]

So scary. With so many addictives in use already and dosing more chemicals into the tank. Not sure what results it will yield?

Wait end up all

[nicholasloh]

Is it possible to have ammonia at safe , NO3 at 150 mg/l and NO2 at 1 mg/l?

[arcanehacker]

Why is there a 1mg/l of NO2? .. there shouldn't be any..

150mg for NO3 is too high..

[nicholasloh]

I know. But does it have to do with the gas bubbles in the sand?

[arcanehacker]

I know. But does it have to do with the gas bubbles in the sand?

huh? .. what gas bubbles? .. tot those bubbles are caused by algae on the sandbed? .. and algae would produce either oxygen or carbon dioxide (maybe I'm wrong here.. anyone can confirm?). Whats it gotta do with NO2 or NO3?

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

should check phosphastes in your system....too much feeding , detritus in sandbed and at the corners of your tank , sump not cleaned properly , filter material not changed....etc...etc....these will cause a phosphate build up and cynobacteria bloom .... red ,brown and hair algae. In turn there is a build up of car bon dioxide which the algae uses to multiply eg. rotting food , detritus or a dead livestock....hence the bubbles you find in the sandbed. This increases the levels of NO3 go to www.saltwater.about.com more info there about cyno and algae blooms. If you're using bio balls is another factor for nitrate problem.

[Acanthurus pyroferus]

DOC...dissolved organic compounds , N03 could be anything that will result in cyno bloom. Double check the kind of water you're using to top up , some salt mixes have PO4 in them and even improper lighting might have a affect. Skimmers not working properly resulting in excess nutirents exported. Didn't know that long term use of Kalkwasser will percipitates out of water and dissolves and settles in your LR's and sandbed......

[arcanehacker]

DOC...dissolved organic compounds , N03 could be anything that will result in cyno bloom. Double check the kind of water you're using to top up , some salt mixes have PO4 in them and even improper lighting might have a affect. Skimmers not working properly resulting in excess nutirents exported.

Oh.. so NO3 would cause bloom in algae..

I believe most saltmix have 0 P04.. at least thats what I read from the packing.

How to define improper lightings?

[hippo]

Hi all reefers,

i realised that the nitrate level in my tank reaches the 50 mark when using the salifert test kit. I did a massive water change of approx. 80l of water and then came back again to measure after long hours only to find out that the nitrate level stays unchanged! Can someone pls enlighten me?

make sure yr test kit had not expired.

[Infinitereef]

Would like to understand more of your system? Are you using any power filter with those filter cartridge? How long is the tank? What is your fish load? How many times are you feeding?

Adding chemical will only fix the problem temporary and not fixing the root cause. And most of the time adding something create another problem and then you will have 2 problems instead of one.