100+ PPM Nitrate .. are these the problem?

[xsfspd]

I have been battling my Nitrates for about 6 weeks now and I cannot get them below 100ppm. I consistantly change 5gal of water each week (45gal tank) and have been using Algone for 3 weeks or so. My test kit indicates 100+PPM still!!! All other water parameters are in line. I really want to add a flame angel but last time I killed one due to poor water quality.
Anyway here are two pictures I just took. I am curious if these plants, or whatever they are are normal or are they contributing to my Nitrate problem. (I will attempt to attach them but may need to find a free hosting service for the pics)

 

[alti]

the aptasia are definately not causing your nitrate problem. how many fish do you have and how much do you feed them?

 

[xsfspd]

Opps I forgot to include that information.
I have a Clown paired with a bubble tip. 1 Yellow tail damsel, and 1 spotted mandarin. Also in the tank I have frog spawn and green button pollops. On the feeding I feed them daily but try to add the food slowly so that there is not much extra.
The only thing I can think of is that I am not very good at vacuming out the substrate when I do water changes. I always hate to move the 30+ lbs of live rock around and rearrange it after cleaning. Maybe that would help
Also the tank has been up and running for about 11 months.

 

[alti]

you dont have to rearrange the rock. how old is the tank? if it is fairly new the live rock could still have a lot of things still dying off. 5 gallons a week is not going to make much of a dent in that high a level of nitrates. it would be ok for maintaining your levels when they are normal, but you need to reduce the levels. IMO you should start doing 10 to 15 gal changes twice a week. are the corals doing ok? i see from the pic that the button polyps are open. you might have a faulty test kit. have your LFS do a test and see if the results match.

 

[alti]

oops, i didnt see that the tank has been up for 11 months. how long have the levels been this high?

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by alti
oops, i didnt see that the tank has been up for 11 months. how long have the levels been this high?
Well honestly I only started testing Nitrates about 2 months ago, they have been 100+ since then. The corels are doing well, both the frog spawn and polps are growing. I am actually starting to get extra polps on other rocks in the tank. Not sure how though.
Okay I'll start doing the 10 gallon changes twice a week to get the Nitrates down.
Also now that I know thos are aptasia what is the best way to get rid of them. They multiply like the plague!
THANKS!

 

[ntvflgirl]

The aptaisia is not the problem...but it will be...in fact is on it's way to being one. Get a syringe, and inject them all with freshwater. Kill all of them that you can. They will take over your tank. I agree about the faulty test kit idea. If your trates are 100, and all that stuff is still living, then something is definately wrong...somewhere. One other thing...what kind of substrate is it?

 

[alti]

those corals should be dead with that level of nitrate. what kind of test kit do you have?
there are many ways to kill aptasia. the one thats worked best for me is peppermint shrimp. they will eat all but the really big ones. for those i fill a syringe with a mix of ro water and kalk that has a toothpaste like consistency. just squirt some on the mouth and they should shrivel up.

 

[ntvflgirl]

Nasty little suckers....I agree about the corals and nitrates...fish would be dead too, I think...Especially after 6 weeks. Have the lfs test your water. If things are looking good, it can't be trates. BTW, the flame angel will probably eat your corals, and probably some of that great coralline algae you've got going there. Angels aren't reef safe.

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by ntvflgirl
One other thing...what kind of substrate is it?
Not too sure what "kind" but I have a plenum with larger live sand on it, then a layer of mesh screen and finer live sand on top.

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by ntvflgirl
BTW, the flame angel will probably eat your corals, and probably some of that great coralline algae you've got going there. Angels aren't reef safe.
I have had two LFS tell me that some Flames are reef safe and some are not. It's a gamble that I might get one that will be fine. The one I had (which lasted 3 days ) never messed with my corels. Is this at all cosistant with anyone else?
Thanks guys and gals!!!
Oh the test kit I have is an Aquarium Systems FastTest ..

 

[alti]

hold off on the water changes until you confirm the nitrate levels with another test. you might stress out the corals for no reason.
my flame died after 3 days too. i never tried another one. the info they gave you is correct. some are good and some aren't.

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by alti
hold off on the water changes until you confirm the nitrate levels with another test. you might stress out the corals for no reason.
I'll get it tested first thing tomorrow. Thanks!
Where can I get a syringe? and you do mean one with a needle right?

 

[ntvflgirl]

Drugstore will sell you a pack of ten for about 2 dollars. About the flame...why take the chance?

 

[alti]

i use the one from the salifert test kits. it has a plastic tip. the kalk paste is like toothpaste. it would probably be hard to squeeze through the needle. i just squirt some in the mouth and they actually swallowed it. i only did this on two aptasia, so do some searches and see what other of people are doing.

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by ntvflgirl
Drugstore will sell you a pack of ten for about 2 dollars. About the flame...why take the chance?
Thanks, and on the flame ... well it's just about my favorite fish is all
Thanks for all your help!

 

[ntvflgirl]

You can't really squirt anything out of the needle kind except water. If you are going to try the Kalk and water in a toothpaste consistency, then maybe use a child's medicine syringe.

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by ntvflgirl
You can't really squirt anything out of the needle kind except water. If you are going to try the Kalk and water in a toothpaste consistency, then maybe use a child's medicine syringe.
Okay you two keep saying kalk, what is kalk and where can i get it? The only kalk I know is calk for window seals and I am sure that is not it ..

 

[alti]

kalk is kalkwasser. the stuff they sell for raising your calcium levels.

 

[xsfspd]

Originally posted by alti
kalk is kalkwasser. the stuff they sell for raising your calcium levels.
Gotcha. Thanks.