Nitrate Problem

tlubinski3

tlubinski3

New Member
The nitrates in my tank are rediculously high and I can never get them down. I do the water changes and it changes just a little bit but then goes up right away. I have tried chemicals also but those have failed also. Does anyone have any suggestions? If it matters, I am running a fluval. I was looking into Nitrate Reductors but those are $$$$$. Thanks
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
Well, we need more info. First, what size is your tank, what is the substrate, how much LR, do you have good coraline growth, what type of water do you use, what do you have in there, what test kit do you you use?
 
X

xnikki118x

Guest
Originally Posted by Farslayer
Well, we need more info. First, what size is your tank, what is the substrate, how much LR, do you have good coraline growth, what type of water do you use, what do you have in there, what test kit do you you use?
Seconded. My first thought was 'is the substrate crushed coral?' :)
 
tlubinski3

tlubinski3

New Member
The tank is a 55G with crushed coral substrate. I have about 25-35 lbs of live rock. I had quite a large amount of coraline growth but lately my clean up crew have been eating it. I do not have a RO unit so I just use tap water but I dechlorinate it before I use it. I have three clownfish, a yellow tang, a pseudo, two damsels, and a coral beauty. I use the test strips and I also used a nitrate tester(The one that changes the color of the water you are testing). When I do water changes, I will do anywhere from 10-25% at a time. This has been an ongoing problem. I would buy a nitrate reductor but I have not heard great things and I am a college student so I don't have that much $$$$.
 
joncat24

joncat24

Active Member
1. crushed coral traps detrious which leads to nitrate build up.
2. You need about 40-50 lbs more live rock
3. You have too much bioload for a 55g tank
4. dont use tap water...get ro/di water. the nitrates may be in the tap water
that's my .02
 
scrapman

scrapman

Member
Are you using well water? If so, test it for NO3. This may be the problem.
Anyway, RO/DI is the way to go. I was in the same situation 6 mos ago. I scooped up all my CC and replaced it with LS. My NO3 in my 90 gal (with LR) is consistently around 5 mg/l. Good luck.
 
hatessushi

hatessushi

Active Member
Originally Posted by joncat24
1. crushed coral traps detrious which leads to nitrate build up.
2. You need about 40-50 lbs more live rock
3. You have too much bioload for a 55g tank
4. dont use tap water...get ro/di water. the nitrates may be in the tap water
that's my .02
I agree with everything said except #4 since even tap water won't add a significant amount of nitrates but will add some.
How high are your nitrates tlubinski3?
 
liquidonyx

liquidonyx

Member
I'd skip the reducer. get rid of the cc and go with sand. stop using tap water because that can add nitrates and other impurities. by a cheap ro unit to start, or i used ro water from wal-mart for a year, but that turns into a weekly hassle. lastly I'd buy more live rock.
 
teeithigh16

teeithigh16

Member
tlubinski, sorry for hijaking your thread, but I have been having a similar problem, and have a 40G long. I have 1/2 crushed coral and half live sand, but 50 lbs of LR as well.
can i mix in more LS... i do not have a second tank to move my fish to. not looking for an easy way out, but have little space and other options.
thanks all! (thanks tlub, for letting me tag on)
 
hatessushi

hatessushi

Active Member
Originally Posted by teeithigh16
tlubinski, sorry for hijaking your thread, but I have been having a similar problem, and have a 40G long. I have 1/2 crushed coral and half live sand, but 50 lbs of LR as well.
can i mix in more LS... i do not have a second tank to move my fish to. not looking for an easy way out, but have little space and other options.
thanks all! (thanks tlub, for letting me tag on)
I would try to remove the CC a little at a time if possible and replace it with the LS a little at a time. Maybe try a few cups at a time. You just want to make sure that you don't stir things up to much and cause a cycle or a huge nitrate spike. Maybe do a cup or 2 every 2 days.
 
teeithigh16

teeithigh16

Member
Originally Posted by seasalt101
add ls and lr and some plants and even a cleaner clam and you have too many fish jmo tobin
what kind of plants? how much/many?
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
how big is your tank, you may have already stated that, but i did not read the whole thread this time. most plants will remove nitrates, but here are some, shaving brush, sold on this site, chaeto look in classifieds on this site, that will grow like crazy and i recomend, and you can also get mangroves just a few suggestions, everything as far as how much depends on size of tank, do you have a fuge?
 
petjunkie

petjunkie

Active Member
How often are you doing water changes? I had a tank with crushed coral and tap water for years with nitrates about 5 constantly, switched to sand, same nitrates. I do weekly water changes and vacuumed the cc every time though. I would do some large changes with ro 30-40%, just make sure temp is the same temp and everything. Maybe add some more live rock and get rid of the tang. Maybe switched out the cc for sand and do the large water change at the same time, solve all your problems. :thinking:
 
seasalt101

seasalt101

Active Member
if you pull all the cc at once you are asking for problems, do it slowly over several weeks there are biological load issues petjunkie did not think about, if it is all gone at once where is the good bacteria etc. gone with the cc if you do it slowly it can rebuild as you go a net full or 2 at a time is all i would reccomend research it 1st also a large water change can be just as bad, unless you have a major issue 10-15% a week is fine jmo tobin
 
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