Need Help With Nitrates PLEEZ

[fishermin]

Folks
My system is 3 months old, I went through the cycling steps.
Or so I believe I say this because I went through the spikes(off the chart colors) according to my test kit.In the last 6 weeks I added my fish slowly. Everything going great, Then last week Nitrates measuring over 80 ppm...
I did a 35 gal W.C
Then four days later Another .I am now at about 15PPM But the inverts don't look so happy
I do not understand what made it spike.
The other params, Are just Great! really!
I know when things were going good I added about a cup of H.A.Carbon in a bag on top of the bio balls
Do I have to many fish????????
123 Gal U shaped
125 Pro clear sump
36" Sattelite H.O Lights 12hrs on 12 hrs off
80 lbs LS
90 lbs LR
1 Ph at bottom to help water circ.
2 small clown
1 diam. gobie
1 cinn clown
1 yellow tang
2 pajama cards
1 Purple Pseudo
2 coral banded shrimp
4 emeralds.
20 snails
20 blue leg crabs
Thanks for any help offered.

 

[happyhourh]

I would remove your bio balls. They are notorious nitrate factories. You could get some chaeto which is a type of macro algae and it will absorb nitrates over time. It will need to be pruned and the excess growth discarded. I feel the bio ball are your main problem though.

 

[fishermin]

Thanks Happyhourh for the responce and the tip!
I was wondering if I maybe didn't have enough bio load..and the bacteria was producing too much Nitrates
I have also in the tank a small amount of Caulerpa that I was hoping might help when it grows.But I heard this stuff can get out of control..so I'm keeping an eye on that

 

[kdfrosty]

Simmer! I would say that 15ppm nitrates is not something to be that worried about. Please post all your water parameters. I'd say that you need more circulation in that tank.
I would also consider doing weekly 13 -15 gallon water changes.
It doesn't look like your terribly overstocked, however I'm not exactly familiar with U shaped tanks. Got pics?

 

[jktenpro]

I have a Pro Clear 150 on a 90 gal tank w/ 90lbs of live rock. My nitatrtes go from 0 to 3ppm depending on how often I clean my prefilters above the bio-balls(3 to 5 days). I use 2 prefilters and the tank has been up for over 5 months. The problem should definitely not be the bio-balls at your stage of the game maybe down the road. It sounds like more of a stocking issue. If ammonia and nitrites are 0, I would just slow down and let the system catch up since water changes have brought nitrates down to 15ppm's.

 

[fishermin]

I Seem to have planty of circulation.I have a RIO 1100 in Sump
I have my returns split so it goes from both sides at the top. then the one I mentioned before at the bottom.
I think when Nitrates were higher the Anenomes got damaged.I have a protien skimmer in the sump as well

 

[fishermin]

If Nitrates start to swing back up it would be pretty sad. I was actually hoping to see them go down but it seemed like after the first W.C they stayed the same.Then after second one is when it looked a lot better.Need to find a cheap supplier of salt. Man I never knew I could charge over $4,000 so darn fast.
The other params are great
Amon=0
Nitrites =0
Ph 8.4
sal 1.023-24
I tried to attach a pic but not sure if it made it.

 

[celacanthr]

nope the pic didn't make it.
Also, that is less then 3 GPH, on my 37, I have 20 GPH! I agree, you need more water circulation, especially since it is a reef tank.
Yeah, the money DOES go fast!

 

[unleashed]

as for you bioballs yes they can be nitrate traps if not maintained to many people that have had bad issues when using bioballs dont maintain them .every couple of months half of the balls should be removed and rinsed well in discarded tank water .just to removes trapped debres from them.the balls do get rotated with this process periodicly do this with all the balls at once be sure to use discard tank water this will not kill any benaficial bacteria .all medias should be changed on a weekly basis along with normal water changes.this will help keep your nitrates and amonias down

 

[kdfrosty]

Personally I dont think that you are getting nitrates from the bioballs just yet. IMO they haven't been in use long enough to become a nitrate trap just yet. How much food are you feeding your tank and how often? I usually feed what my fish eat in 3 minutes every other day. You might also consider beefing up your cleanup crew.
In a 123g tank you should have a minimum of 1845gph (15x turnover) flowing through your tank for a reef environment.
I'd still like to see of pic of this tank though.? :notsure:

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by KDFrosty
Personally I dont think that you are getting nitrates from the bioballs just yet. IMO they haven't been in use long enough to become a nitrate trap just yet. How much food are you feeding your tank and how often? I usually feed what my fish eat in 3 minutes every other day. You might also consider beefing up your cleanup crew.
In a 123g tank you should have a minimum of 1845gph (15x turnover) flowing through your tank for a reef environment.
I'd still like to see of pic of this tank though.? :notsure:
I agree with all of this. But another thing I want to mention is that you only have the tank running for 3 months and you already have all this stuffs in there? Even Anemones? They need well established tank to survive. Are you sure you're not stocking it up a bit quick? Was it well cured live rock when you first get it? What kind of substrate? For my tank, I don't have any nitrate problem, last time I tested it, it was at zero! They all turn into nitrogen bubbles, out they go. Another thing, what type of light kit do you have and what kind of anemone is it? Plus the questions above of course, about the over feeding part.... :happyfish

 

[fishermin]

Thanks to all for the advise. I will Defin. beef up the circulation.
I tested the water again the Nitates are between 5ppm and 10ppm now.I would think they'll get better.
I do feed (I think too much) I feed like two time a day. They gobble it up like pigs!.
I feed emerald cuisine and some cut up frozen krill. I usually let a couple drops of Zoe soak in there too.I also use some flakes and pellets
The biggest eater by far is the cinn clown.
The others are also doing greta. I can tell that things are better already since my CurlyQ anen. is back out and look'n good.
the others are coming back too.
I would like more advise on this subject. When I bought my Green Carpet anen. The guy at the lfs asked what lights I have and I told him the Satelite system. He didn't say anything to stop my purchase.
Do you folks think I have enough light?He does not look as good as the picture anymore
Lots a Snow today. Five hours to drive 45 miles....

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by fishermin
Thanks to all for the advise. I will Defin. beef up the circulation.
I tested the water again the Nitates are between 5ppm and 10ppm now.I would think they'll get better.
I do feed (I think too much) I feed like two time a day. They gobble it up like pigs!.
I feed emerald cuisine and some cut up frozen krill. I usually let a couple drops of Zoe soak in there too.I also use some flakes and pellets
The biggest eater by far is the cinn clown.
The others are also doing greta. I can tell that things are better already since my CurlyQ anen. is back out and look'n good.
the others are coming back too.
I would like more advise on this subject. When I bought my Green Carpet anen. The guy at the lfs asked what lights I have and I told him the Satelite system. He didn't say anything to stop my purchase.
Do you folks think I have enough light?He does not look as good as the picture anymore
Lots a Snow today. Five hours to drive 45 miles....
To tell you the truth, you really should take that carpet anemone back. It's very difficult to take care of, especially for a newbie. It is venomous now so watch your hands. It needs to be fed a diet of meaty foods like fish, shrimp, etc. I do not know if your lights would be enough, but MH lights are better if you really want to keep such an item. :happyfish

 

[kdfrosty]

Try feeding once every other day as well. Twice a day is too much, IMO.

 

[fishermin]

The LR was cured. (No Bad smells)
I have about 3" LS bed.
I only have the Carpet,CurlyQ, and some small polyps,
I have stopped feeding so much. Just some pellets today(which never made it to the bottom)
They sucked them up.
My PH is rated at 650 GPH does this sound correct, 50w 6550 GPH But I tell you the water sure moves in there. I was wondering on how to get the sand turned over more. Gobie does a decsent job but I was thinking of some cucumbers to really stir it up. Once I put the clam in there he must have went right under the sand. I don't see him any more.

 

[three boys]

I agree w/Mikeyjer ---alot to add to a tank 3 mos old???? IMO I would go a little slower.

 

[fishmamma]

Fishermin- That tank is GORGEOUS!!!!! Good luck solving your nitrate problem it sounds as though you are heading in the right direction.

 

[fishermin]

Thanks Fishmama!
I am doing 35 gl. WC tomorrow and with using the other advise I have gotten I should be fine.
I was reading just a very little today about Mangros and there abilities to keep Nitrates down. Does anyone use these? they say you can even get rid of the protien skimmer once established...hmmm

 

[celacanthr]

well, I am not sure about the PS part, but mangroves are really slow growers. Yes they do get rid of Nitrates, but you would be better off, if you went with cheatomorphia. Just stick some in your sump, with just a bit of lighting, and it will TAKE OFF!

 

[fishermin]

Originally Posted by CELACANTHr
well, I am not sure about the PS part, but mangroves are really slow growers. Yes they do get rid of Nitrates, but you would be better off, if you went with cheatomorphia. Just stick some in your sump, with just a bit of lighting, and it will TAKE OFF!

Thank you for the advise.
When the Nitrates were higher I started to get the brownish/purple Algae on the LR/somefake plants.
Would you folks recommend I take the LR out and scrub with old SW When I do the WC?