Nitrate problem

[radioactive]

I have had a 75 g split tank for about 2 1/2 months and no problems . The tank cycled in 4weeks . again no problems , the levels after the cycle were all at 0 . I noticed my nitrates after I di a water change was 110 ppm . So I did another 20% water change and levels did not go down . ammonia and trites were still at 0 . So I checked my tap water and noticed trates were 110 + coming right from the sink . So I purchased a Typhoon RO/DI and tested the water and 0 nitrates . I have currently done about 60% in water changes over 2 weeks and still cannot get nitrates down . I have about a 2inch sandbed , crabs-snails - a general starfish - burgendy red sea starfish - 1 blue hippo tang - 1 yellow tang and everything has been fine . They eat very well and feed about once a day . I have been feeding them just enough to eat within 5 minutes . My current levels are :
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 110
calcium - 440
PH - 8.5
Sal - 1.024
80 deg temp .
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get these trates down ? I am about tired of doing water changes every other day , and by now have about changed 80% of the tank . Is there anything I can add to bring trates down ?
I am using a Hagan Master Test Kit . I tested the RO/DI water again and it still reads 0 nitrates . So I do not think it's a bad test kit . Sorry this thread is long , but it's starting to bother me .... Thanks for any help or suggestions ...

 

[entice59]

ok first, the water you are putting in isnt the cause of the nitrates but you know that already, its not the reason why nitrates are still there, nitrates takes awhile to get rid of, even with massive water changes so just be patient, 80% is alot though... dont know if thats okay but someone can help you out there....
There are alot of ways you can denitrafiy things, from getting a refuge, getting a mangrove tree, probably 2 in your case
a general starfish - burgendy red sea starfish, uh im not a starfish expert but this shouldnt be good for any starfish... starfish are VERY sensitive to water changes 80% might be a little too much for a starfish to handle... i would give someone the starfish until you fix the problem -might be hard to find someone but a lfs might hold it for you, might cost you but its better then it dieing- *Someone correct me if im wrong*
More Sand!! a good 4 to 5 inches should help drop your nitrate down, many people suggest this to denitrafy a tank
you can use many products like those small rock like media you put in to your filter... but nitrates that high might be a little hard to lower... consider this when its lower...
Make your sure what your doing is right on your test kit, ive been believing my nitrates were 0 when infact they are .20
What was recommended for me is to airate the water prior to mixing and after mixing again to airate the mixed salt water, i do this now in a rubbermaid tub, but some people dont do this step...

 

[thomas712]

If water changes are not doing it then there is something wrong. I would check your filtration ie..wet/dry, saddle filters and see if any of your sponges, filters, bio media..etc need to be cleaned. Are all the animals accounted for? Cut the feeding back to only once a day for a while.
Thomas.

 

[alti]

first thing you should do is have someone verify your test results. i had the same problem as you and was doing water changes for almost 3 weeks. i could not get them to get below 80. my friend can over and tested it with his kit and it read somewhere between 5-10 ppm. this may not be your problem, but it is worth it to at least make sure the test is not bad.
do you have any live rock in the tank? if so was it cured or uncured when you bought it? what is a split tank? what type of filtration do you have?

 

[andygar]

Caulerpa with 24 hour lighting I am told will eat up a lot of your nitrate, since the plant will metabolize it while doing photosynthesis. I have a large ecosystem filter - finished my cycle 2 weeks ago and my nitrate is still reading 0.

 

[radioactive]

I am going to take my water to the LFS and have it tested . It does not make much sense why my trates are so high . I have had Caulupra in the tank and still does not seem to help.
I am already airating the water that I mix for changes .
I have a wet/dry filter , and the filter floss is changed on a regular basis , usually when it starts to get dark tan in color . Here is a pic of the tank .... Thanks - any more suggestions ?

 

[entice59]

perhaps something is in the live rock that died? i maybe take it out and inspect the rock, by the way NICE TANK!

 

[sebae0]

i believe in my opinion that the wet dry with the bioballs is your problem. that is a good filter, but it is so effecient at breaking down the waste it is causing your trates to remain high. i have the same problem in my fo tank with the wet dry, tried all the stuff you did and still have the same problem. jmo maybe someone with a little more exp can help you out.

 

[slick]

The problem was the test kits he was using were bad. We took a sample of water to the lfs today and nitrates were fine.

 

[dindi]

Andygar, how long has your ecosystem been up and running? also is that THE only filtration you have? I too have the ecosystem 60 hang on the back for my 75. I am always fighting nitrate. I do weekly water changes of 10% just to keep it in check. Mine is 10 months old with a brick of calurpa. All my other water conditions are premo. I do not over feed and my tank is not over stocked. This is the only filteration I have. does anyone else with the eco have similar nitrate probs? Not to get away from the thread but I think any information will help. What about nitrate sponge, does it work?