Help! Whats the problem!!

[dragonladylea]

I am having a problem with nitrates, so I got rid of the crushed coral for a sandbed, and did a 10% water change during the change over. I did another 10 gallon water change today and still have sky high nitrates. I have a 30 gallon hex with a Maroon Clown, asst snails, crabs, stars and a pistol shrimp. Also asst corals. Yes I use RO water and tested it before adding the salt, then tested it again after adding the salt - no nitrates!! But the nitrates in my tank are still sky high. Have approx 25 to 30 lbs of live rock - its healthy!! and has great purple crystaline. Why cant I get the nitrate level to drop even with the water changes???? :help: :help: :help: What am I missing??

 

[escape2thewater]

Sounds like your doing everything right. Do you use a wet dry filter with bio balls? If so it might be time to clean them or any other type of filter media that has been around a long time. Otherwise keep doing water changes to get it where you want it. You could also add a fuge to help.
Escape

 

[dragonladylea]

No filter, only skimmer (its working fine from the output I get) and the tank isnt drilled so I have no idea how to do a fuge. I know it sounds stupid but the tank has been doing fine for six years other than high nitrates and those just recently went thru the roof. Even my corals have done good until recently and the Nepthea is the only thing that seems to really be affected. Chili, green stars, palys, mushrooms, leather, kenya all seem to be doing fine. Even with the nitrates, but I bet they would be great without them.

 

[dragonladylea]

bump

 

[escape2thewater]

Wow thats weird. To have a tank that long then all of a sudden have NO3 probs. Well to add a fuge you would just have to get an overflow box & return pump and some type of sump. It would help your tank but it may not be the answer to the problem. Dont know what to tell ya....
Escape
:happyfish

 

[dragonladylea]

Thanks for your reply!! Hoping the water changes will get me back to normal.

 

[scotts]

Have you checked the expiration date on your test kit? Or if it is a new kit it might be a bad test kit. Might not hurt to take a sample to the lfs to have them double check it. Probaly not if but just a thought.
Scott