why is nitrate level keep increasing?

[sunnymau]

my tank is 2months old. no fish, onli corals and 2x cleaner shrimp.

using DSB and refugium for my filtration.

tank condition:

ammonia=0

nitrite=<0.3

nitrate=80-100

i change water every week for abt 30-40%.

it is a 2ft x2ft x2.5ft tank.

now got one coral dying, elegance.

but others seems doing well as the open up nicely.

pls help

[bubble_gum]

is ur elegence in the sand? if im nt wrong elegence needs some nitrates

read thiselegence article from wtwebmedia

[JuzzMarine]

Did you make your own salt water or buy sea water to change?

[sunnymau]

the elegance is not on the sand but it is at a upright fashion.

they seems to be not easy to keep

anyone can advised on the nitrate level?

[sunnymau]

Did you make your own salt water or buy sea water to change?

i do the salt mix myself using tropic marine salt.

[sunnymau]

anymore advised pls

[bubble_gum]

anymore advised pls

testkit got problem??? bro elegence have to be in the sand

[sunnymau]

testkit got problem??? bro elegence have to be in the sand

i don think the testkit got problem, but my water got problem. but i will use other testkit tml to confrim. so the elegance have be in the sand ah i should read up more b4 i buy.

[hammy]

my elegance is in the sand and it is doing very fine in my tank ...

but like u have been battling nitrate , always hover around 40 to 50 ppm now , using canister as filteration , probably why my nitrate is high ...using DSB and FUGE too , but still like that , but 1 thing that amaze mi is that all my LS and coral are doing fine and opening big big...

suspect that my tetra is spoil so buy sera , still the same , so is my water prob too , i mix water using red sea salt ...

there is even one time i desprate that i change 50% then one dae later , the stupid test kit give mi same result....

so i have a conclusion that i will faithfully do my 20 -30% water change weekly and stop playing the number game... spoil the fun in marine but of course the testkit do tell something about the water. never let it go beyond 100ppm

maybe u can tell us more on ur feeding habit and filtration system u are using ??

[FuEl]

Why not just buy a reliable salifert test kit and stop wasting money on the inaccurate but cheaper ones?

[bubble_gum]

if onli got such thisng as nitrate point meter like the ph one

[sunnymau]

maybe u can tell us more on ur feeding habit and filtration system u are using ??

currently no fish so not much feeding. one feed my sun coral once a week with market prawn. cut into to small piece and target feed.

there was once my coral don open up, but now everything open big big, only elegance dying i throw it away just now to prevent it from polluting my water

Why not just buy a reliable salifert test kit and stop wasting money on the inaccurate but cheaper ones?

i think this is a good idea

[weileong]

if onli got such thisng as nitrate point meter like the ph one

those are not accurate and due to the nature of the sensor will give poor reading in pH higher than 7

[JustinK]

Why not just buy a reliable salifert test kit and stop wasting money on the inaccurate but cheaper ones? 

Alternatively, get Glare/Mini Labor test kits. Was previously using sera, then changed to glare under advise of henry. Wat normally read 80 suddenly read 25 on the new kit, no kidding man... its a cheaper alternative to salifert too.

[Vinoth]

Anyone using tetra for nitrate measurement, divide the total by 4.4. Its mentioned in the box but not in the instruction sheet. I wonder why?

[huskiesg]

I had the same problem as yours initially. I was using Sera nitrate test kit which gave me readings of >40 ppm. I then brought a sample of my water over to my friend's place and using his salifert kit, the reading was 25 ppm. I immediately threw away my sera kit. Try getting a second reading with another kit. Subsequent water changes then brought my nitrate levels. BTW, what skimmer are you using?

[hammy]

Glare/Mini Labor test kits..... heh , where to get this ....

[sunnymau]

Anyone using tetra for nitrate measurement, divide the total by 4.4. Its mentioned in the box but not in the instruction sheet. I wonder why?

i m using tetra also. by don think it should devide by 4.4 as we r looking for total nitrate that is present in the water. devide by 4.4 give u a better no. but not the true result.

[sunnymau]

I had the same problem as yours initially. I was using Sera nitrate test kit which gave me readings of >40 ppm. I then brought a sample of my water over to my friend's place and using his salifert kit, the reading was 25 ppm. I immediately threw away my sera kit. Try getting a second reading with another kit. Subsequent water changes then brought my nitrate levels. BTW, what skimmer are you using?

wah so much diff ah. is the test kit measuring total nitrate?

btw i m using red sea prizm for my tank.

[JustinK]

Glare/Mini Labor test kits..... heh , where to get this ....

Reborn, ML, T95 all carry the brand.

[sunnymau]

Reborn, ML, T95 all carry the brand.

is this as good as salifert? abt how much.

i think getting a better test kit is crucial fro newbie like me

[JustinK]

wah so much diff ah. is the test kit measuring total nitrate?

btw i m using red sea prizm for my tank.

Problem with the cheap test kits is they more often than not give you skyhigh readings. cause undue stress and worry when in the end, ur parameters are fine. Bite the bullet and get a better brand bro.

[JustinK]

is this as good as salifert? abt how much.

i think getting a better test kit is crucial fro newbie like me

Never used salifert before cos i have always been put off by the price, but reviews of this product have so far been good, think you can do a search on it, posted somewhere before. even henry says he is using it for himself now, i dun think its better than salifert, but i think it is close. PMed you the price.

[sunnymau]

PMed you the price.

thx so very much, JustinK.

[huskiesg]

Sera kits allow you to use diluted samples to get higher readings, up to 400mg/L. But I did not do that.

It is wise to invest in good test kits and equiments, so as not to waste money upgrading time and again. I paid alot of school fees then.

wah  so much diff ah. is the test kit measuring total nitrate? 

btw i m using red sea prizm for my tank.