High Nitrates

jeskremer · 12-11-2006, 05:49 PM

OK,

Here is the problem. Nitrates are at 80 ppm!

I have had this tank set up for over two years now. It has never been this high.

49 gallon
Penn-Plax 700 Cascade Filter (185 gph) (I currently only use carbon)
76 degrees
Skimmer
Two Compact All-Glass fluorescent tube
Change 3-4 gallons of water every two weeks

ph 8.2
ammonia 0.0
nitrites 0.0
salinity 1.023

1 Valentini/Saddle Puffer
1 Clown
2 Yellow Tail Damsels
Several Snails-not very happy right now

I would like to get a serpent star and hermit again, but inverts obviously are not too pleased with the high nitrates. Green hair algae has also been hard to control and needs picking frequently. I have been shortening the light time from around 12 to 7-8 hours per day over the last week also.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I use tap water and it is starting out at 10 ppm nitrates.

Thanks,
jeskremer

CollegeReefer · 12-11-2006, 08:41 PM

I would try a 20 percent water changed. I would also check to make sure there is nothing causing ammonia. I know your ammonia is low but is most likely because your hair algae is sucking it all up and producing nitrates or is it nitrites(one of those). I do weekly water changes of 20 percent and all seems to keep will with my tank. What have you been feeding your tank. Is it possible you are over feeding. Are you sucking up all the left over food? Hopefully we can figure out what is going on with your tank.

Bear · 12-11-2006, 09:38 PM

^^^those are really frequent water changes, (once a week), but I agree that something may be causing the ammonia to rise. I would empty a lot of water into a big plastic tub then empty the rocks into it to make sure that there is nothing rotting in there. If you find nothing, I would start to do weekly 20% changes until the nitrate is down again

**Fishfirst** · 12-11-2006, 10:51 PM

I think the biggest problem they are having is not enough water being changed when doing water changes. 3-4 gallons is hardly much when you have a 50 gallon tank. Try upping that to 10-15 gallons every two weeks. Also having high nitrates in the tap gives you a disadvantage. A RO unit may be in order.

CollegeReefer · 12-12-2006, 01:07 AM

fishfirst made a great point...Are you using tap water? If you are you might want to switch to RO/DI water. That is all i use.

jeskremer · 12-12-2006, 06:57 AM

I feed every other day and that only as much as they need...no extra left over.

I am aware that the tap is a little high already, but with the tank being another 70ppm in addition to the tap, something is obviously not right.

I will pull all of the live rock out and check though.

atnixon · 12-12-2006, 07:26 AM

i personally would be tempted to go down the route of removeing the live rock..from looking over the info on thread, it does point towards something has died and starting or is rotting away...Plus, i think you should switch to using RO or RO/DI water..i did and i have never looked back..

Niko

Damon · 12-12-2006, 07:31 AM

I cant see something giving off that much nitrAte that you would have missed. It would have to be a creature of a fiar size (fish, anenome). A snail or 2 wouldn't give off that much. I would lean toward a change in your water source No3. Water companies change water additives throughout the year, mostly from fall to winter and spring to summer. Retest your tap. And the algae will not release No3. It will use ammonia (first as its easiest), then No2 and finally No3. While unsightly and a nusiance, plants (and algae are plants) will help reduce No3, not increase it.

**Fishfirst** · 12-12-2006, 11:08 AM

I wouldn't desturb your rock... I think its just the lack of volume on your water changes that have made these high nitrates. Are you using crushed coral or sand?

Fishnewb1 · 12-12-2006, 07:33 PM

I used to have the same problem! So annoying! I think it is your filter... Mine was allways like that untill i got a fuge. I dont know if thats your problem but it would help nitrates and phosphates. What kind of skimmer do you have?

jeskremer · 12-13-2006, 08:30 PM

I use a mix of crushed coral and sand...about 4-5 inches worth. I use a WonBrothers CU-125 Venturi Protein Skimmer.

**Fishfirst** · 12-14-2006, 02:29 PM

I found that crushed coral can create a lot of dead spots and places for that detritus to build up and rot.

12-11-2006, 05:49 PM	#1
jeskremer jeskremer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: SE Wisconsin Age: 31 Posts: 3	High Nitrates OK, Here is the problem. Nitrates are at 80 ppm! I have had this tank set up for over two years now. It has never been this high. 49 gallon Penn-Plax 700 Cascade Filter (185 gph) (I currently only use carbon) 76 degrees Skimmer Two Compact All-Glass fluorescent tube Change 3-4 gallons of water every two weeks ph 8.2 ammonia 0.0 nitrites 0.0 salinity 1.023 1 Valentini/Saddle Puffer 1 Clown 2 Yellow Tail Damsels Several Snails-not very happy right now I would like to get a serpent star and hermit again, but inverts obviously are not too pleased with the high nitrates. Green hair algae has also been hard to control and needs picking frequently. I have been shortening the light time from around 12 to 7-8 hours per day over the last week also. Any ideas would be appreciated. I use tap water and it is starting out at 10 ppm nitrates. Thanks, jeskremer

12-11-2006, 08:41 PM	#2
CollegeReefer Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Stevens Pont, Wisconsin Age: 23 Posts: 391	I would try a 20 percent water changed. I would also check to make sure there is nothing causing ammonia. I know your ammonia is low but is most likely because your hair algae is sucking it all up and producing nitrates or is it nitrites(one of those). I do weekly water changes of 20 percent and all seems to keep will with my tank. What have you been feeding your tank. Is it possible you are over feeding. Are you sucking up all the left over food? Hopefully we can figure out what is going on with your tank. __________________ CollegeReefer

12-11-2006, 09:38 PM	#3
Bear Salty Pants Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: In a Big Yellow House Age: 20 Posts: 902	^^^those are really frequent water changes, (once a week), but I agree that something may be causing the ammonia to rise. I would empty a lot of water into a big plastic tub then empty the rocks into it to make sure that there is nothing rotting in there. If you find nothing, I would start to do weekly 20% changes until the nitrate is down again __________________ My Reef My Puffer Tank My Photos

12-11-2006, 10:51 PM	#4
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,614	I think the biggest problem they are having is not enough water being changed when doing water changes. 3-4 gallons is hardly much when you have a 50 gallon tank. Try upping that to 10-15 gallons every two weeks. Also having high nitrates in the tap gives you a disadvantage. A RO unit may be in order. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

12-12-2006, 01:07 AM	#5
CollegeReefer Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Stevens Pont, Wisconsin Age: 23 Posts: 391	fishfirst made a great point...Are you using tap water? If you are you might want to switch to RO/DI water. That is all i use. __________________ CollegeReefer

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12-12-2006, 06:57 AM	#6
jeskremer jeskremer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: SE Wisconsin Age: 31 Posts: 3	I feed every other day and that only as much as they need...no extra left over. I am aware that the tap is a little high already, but with the tank being another 70ppm in addition to the tap, something is obviously not right. I will pull all of the live rock out and check though.

12-12-2006, 07:26 AM	#7
atnixon Fishy Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Staffordshire UK Age: 35 Posts: 24	i personally would be tempted to go down the route of removeing the live rock..from looking over the info on thread, it does point towards something has died and starting or is rotting away...Plus, i think you should switch to using RO or RO/DI water..i did and i have never looked back.. Niko

12-12-2006, 07:31 AM	#8
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,976	I cant see something giving off that much nitrAte that you would have missed. It would have to be a creature of a fiar size (fish, anenome). A snail or 2 wouldn't give off that much. I would lean toward a change in your water source No3. Water companies change water additives throughout the year, mostly from fall to winter and spring to summer. Retest your tap. And the algae will not release No3. It will use ammonia (first as its easiest), then No2 and finally No3. While unsightly and a nusiance, plants (and algae are plants) will help reduce No3, not increase it. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

12-12-2006, 11:08 AM	#9
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,614	I wouldn't desturb your rock... I think its just the lack of volume on your water changes that have made these high nitrates. Are you using crushed coral or sand? __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

12-12-2006, 07:33 PM	#10
Fishnewb1 Future Marine Biologist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Illinois Posts: 394	I used to have the same problem! So annoying! I think it is your filter... Mine was allways like that untill i got a fuge. I dont know if thats your problem but it would help nitrates and phosphates. What kind of skimmer do you have? __________________ 55g Reef 16g of water.

12-13-2006, 08:30 PM	#11
jeskremer jeskremer Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: SE Wisconsin Age: 31 Posts: 3	I use a mix of crushed coral and sand...about 4-5 inches worth. I use a WonBrothers CU-125 Venturi Protein Skimmer.

12-14-2006, 02:29 PM	#12
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,614	I found that crushed coral can create a lot of dead spots and places for that detritus to build up and rot. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

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