coral keeper
Active Member
Throw away the test kit you have right now and get a very good quality test kit. If your nitrates were 250 EVERYTHING in your tank would be dead.
Cant get my Nitrates down. Help!
- Thread starter regina filange
- Start date
whisk
Active Member
you can try using a submersible light so it can go in the water. I'm using a Marina LED light in mine. It's placed above the water and has a little suction cup so it stays. If it did fall into the water it would be ok, because it is also submersible. It's probably not the best light for chaeto, my chaeto has only grown a little bit since ive had it for the last month. The good news is, the chaeto isnt dead. That might be an option for you.
regina filange
Member
I was using a API test kit, but read on here that it was a very inaccurate test kit.
So now I'm using the RedSea Reef Lab.
I now have the SeaChem Nitrate/Nitrite Kit coming.
As far as lighting the Chaeto, thanks for the idea Whisk, but I would need something much smaller to fit under the lid of my 12 gallon Aquapod.
Perhaps I'll just keep it where it is. It's currently behind my powerhead and in front of where the water is pulled into the first filter chamber. As least its getting light from the aquapod and plenty of current.
But I am always open to suggestions.
So now I'm using the RedSea Reef Lab.
I now have the SeaChem Nitrate/Nitrite Kit coming.
As far as lighting the Chaeto, thanks for the idea Whisk, but I would need something much smaller to fit under the lid of my 12 gallon Aquapod.
Perhaps I'll just keep it where it is. It's currently behind my powerhead and in front of where the water is pulled into the first filter chamber. As least its getting light from the aquapod and plenty of current.
But I am always open to suggestions.
subielover
Active Member
I use a 10 watt submersible light in my fuge, that way I can just tuck it down into the ball of chaeto.
regina filange
Member
It doesn't heat your water up? I have issues with that as it is.
I asked one of the "major" online fish supply sites and they said they have nothing suitable or submersible.
Where are you guys finding these submersible lights at? Can someone PM me a link or two?
I asked one of the "major" online fish supply sites and they said they have nothing suitable or submersible.
Where are you guys finding these submersible lights at? Can someone PM me a link or two?
subielover
Active Member
I only run my fuge at night. When my lights go off in the display, the fuge light comes on and stays on for about 13 hours until my display lights come on again. My temp stays very stable.
regina filange
Member
Thanks for the info! I'll give that a try.
So...you place the Chaeto and light in the first chamber, the Chemi-pure and other bags into the second chamber and have your pump and heater in the third???
I noticed that I have a couple bristle worms that have made a home in the big blue sponge that comes with the setup. I'll be removing that sponge in a day or two.
Do you guys put any snails, worms or crabs in your back chambers to help with clean up??? I noticed that many of you do use them in your refugiums, but wondered if I should, considering the chambers are so small?
So...you place the Chaeto and light in the first chamber, the Chemi-pure and other bags into the second chamber and have your pump and heater in the third???
I noticed that I have a couple bristle worms that have made a home in the big blue sponge that comes with the setup. I'll be removing that sponge in a day or two.
Do you guys put any snails, worms or crabs in your back chambers to help with clean up??? I noticed that many of you do use them in your refugiums, but wondered if I should, considering the chambers are so small?
subielover
Active Member
My chambers are set-up as follows:
Chamber 1
Temperature probe
Chemi-pure
Purigen
Chamber 2
Drip tray with filter floss on top of it.
Submersible light
Chaetomorpha
Chamber 3
Rowaphos
50 watt heater
Return pump(I changed this to a maxijet 900)
That's it. I don't know if this is the best way, but it is working for me.
Chamber 1
Temperature probe
Chemi-pure
Purigen
Chamber 2
Drip tray with filter floss on top of it.
Submersible light
Chaetomorpha
Chamber 3
Rowaphos
50 watt heater
Return pump(I changed this to a maxijet 900)
That's it. I don't know if this is the best way, but it is working for me.
regina filange
Member
A Drip Tray?
subielover
Active Member
It comes in the 2nd chamber of the Biocube. Some people remove it, I chose to utilize it.
regina filange
Member
Thought I would update those that have been helping me with this problem.
Ok... I have now removed all the filter media. I currently have a bag of Chemi Pure Elite, and bag of Perigen and some floss in my first chamber. I have Chaeto (and another macro algae I can't of the name right now. it's fern like) with a light in the second chamber and pump and heater in the third.
When I emptied out the chambers I did a water change by pumping out the bottom of the chambers to get any large debris out (there was some, but not much).
A few days after this was done I did another Nitrate test.
API showed 0 nitrates
RedSea showed nitrates thru the roof! and my newest test kit
SeaChem shows nitrates at about 20 ish.
All my corals and fish are doing well and all other water perimeters are great!
Altho.... my zoo's don't do so great. Always thought they would be the easiest to care for, but I guess I'm wrong. My newest and largest group I bought, literally shriveled up and died in 2 days!
Not sure what my problem is???
How long does it take for the Purigen and Chemi pure to start working????
I'm still doing about a 2 gallon water change, 2 times per week and still can't get my nitrates down to zero.
It's driving me nuts, as I don't plan to add anything to my tank until I get my Nitrates to ZERO!
I've followed nearly every suggestion here, but still.....
Any ideas that can help or things I'm doing wrong?
Ok... I have now removed all the filter media. I currently have a bag of Chemi Pure Elite, and bag of Perigen and some floss in my first chamber. I have Chaeto (and another macro algae I can't of the name right now. it's fern like) with a light in the second chamber and pump and heater in the third.
When I emptied out the chambers I did a water change by pumping out the bottom of the chambers to get any large debris out (there was some, but not much).
A few days after this was done I did another Nitrate test.
API showed 0 nitrates
RedSea showed nitrates thru the roof! and my newest test kit
SeaChem shows nitrates at about 20 ish.
All my corals and fish are doing well and all other water perimeters are great!
Altho.... my zoo's don't do so great. Always thought they would be the easiest to care for, but I guess I'm wrong. My newest and largest group I bought, literally shriveled up and died in 2 days!
Not sure what my problem is???
How long does it take for the Purigen and Chemi pure to start working????
I'm still doing about a 2 gallon water change, 2 times per week and still can't get my nitrates down to zero.
It's driving me nuts, as I don't plan to add anything to my tank until I get my Nitrates to ZERO!
I've followed nearly every suggestion here, but still.....
Any ideas that can help or things I'm doing wrong?
subielover
Active Member
They start working very quickly. I also use the seachem test and like it. Best advice at this point is bigger water changes. Do 4 gallons at a time twice a week for a week or two.
regina filange
Member
ok... I'll keep trying with the water changes.
regina filange
Member
Ok.... after all this I'm just now discovering that the distilled water I purchase is crap and FULL OF NITRATES!!!! I can't believe it.
I could have sworn I tested this water ages ago! Apparently not. I feel so dumb! I've been adding my own Nitrates! Sheesh!
So.. my next question is.... does anyone know of a brand of distilled water that is safe to use and free of nitrates or anything else, and where do you get it?
Thanks for your patience in advance!
I could have sworn I tested this water ages ago! Apparently not. I feel so dumb! I've been adding my own Nitrates! Sheesh!
So.. my next question is.... does anyone know of a brand of distilled water that is safe to use and free of nitrates or anything else, and where do you get it?
Thanks for your patience in advance!
subielover
Active Member
I always test any new water source. Congrats though as I know how frustrating this must have been.
subielover
Active Member
That's what I use. For 35 cents a gallon, I can't beat it.