Nitrate Question

kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
Hi,
My nitrates are consistantly high, over 60. I use Tap water.
BUT, Yesterday I went out and bought 10 G of spring water and did a change. I tested the nitrates of that water and it was ZERO. After testing MY tapwater I found that MY own tap water has nitrates. I bought a typhoon 3 couple days ago, so cant wait for that to come.
Questions;
1. Will the RO/DI water have trates
2. how many water changes before the traes lower
3. is there another reason for high trates besides overstocking? I dont think I am overstocked.
last tests results were
temp 82 (have 4 cp's under canopy so get up there, going to drill hole in side for ventilation.
sal 1.024
ph 8.0
Ca 440
kh/gh test 10
no phosphates
Trates 60
my tank is
75G 170 lbs Lr , 4 in DSB
4x 65w Pc's and double flor. hood
backpak 2 skimmer, ehiem professional 2 w/spraybar & fluval 404
(I switch them out for filtration needs, chemi=pur etc...)
maxijet 1200 w/spraybar on back
3 other power heads
tomato, yellow tang, 6 line, greenbird, bi-color blennie
clean up crew
several hard and soft corals
everything seems to be doing well, but the numbers on my test kits are frustrating me.
Im thinking that after I do a few more water changes with RO water it will straighte up. Oh, I confess, I overfeed! But now I feed every other day.
Any thoughts?? Thanking you kindly, Kim
 
T

thomas712

Guest
Questions;
1. Will the RO/DI water have trates
2. how many water changes before the traes lower
3. is there another reason for high trates besides overstocking? I dont think I am overstocked.
Kim -
No the RO/DI unit should remove all of the nitrates, until such time as the cartridges get old and will need to be replaced.
As soon as you do a water change you should see a difference. I would recommend a 20-25 gallon water change to begin, then you can go back to 10 or 15 gallon regualr changes.
Oh yes there can be many reasons for high nitrates. Overfeeding is one, using tap water is another, too many additives, improper maintanence, dirty filters, dead spots collecting detritus, fish death..etc..
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
Thomas,
Thanks a bunch... I'm sure thats the problem, My water... I will do a larger change with the RO/DI water and hope all will straighten up...
Im good with my filters and no dead spots.. It can only ook up from here =)
Thanks again, Kim
 
golfish

golfish

Active Member
How long has your sand bed been setup? It doesn't sound like its working like it should be..could be too new, too old?
If things are working right, your fluval shouldn't be a problem. Just to be on the safe side I would remove it unitl you get the nitrates back down to zero.
 
jeremyglen

jeremyglen

Member
IMO, you should take the canister filters off the tank. All they do is produce nitrates. If you keep them, you need to clean the pads and filter material at least once a week. I used to run an Eheim, a good filter for a F/W tank, and my nitrates were always high. I took the Eheim off and setup a refugium, for my mandarin as well as filtration, and my nitrates haven't been up over 25 in the last year and a half. I can let the tank go for up to 3 months before it reaches 20-25 on the nitrates.
You have enough rock in your tank to do without anything but the skimmer and good circulation.
What does your sand look like at the front glass? Do you see any bubbles or little trails running through the sand? How much of your sand bed is visible from the rocks to the front glass?
As to the water, never use tap water again, please. You can add all the primer and chlorine remover you want, but tap water is still not safe. The water from your faucet has metals and minerals that will eventually kill all the inverts and corals in your tank. RO/DI water is cheap and very safe for your tank.
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
Really,
Get rid of the filters?? What if I use just one and get rid of the other. I think the ehiem works better but harder to change the media... I just shut down the fluval.
My DSB is 3 years old.. Looking at it from the glass it looks sort of dirty I guess but not gross... Do you think my DSB is failing? I have never mixed it up but the powerheads have made a dent in it or two. I have heard of DSB failing.. what should I do about this??? Oh SH*T!!
I just bought more spring water today while I am waiting for my typhoon to come. I will do another water change tomorrow when it is the right temp
Please give me you input,,,, thanks, Kim
 
57chev

57chev

Member
Kimkissy I agree with Jeramy I'd s**t-can the canister filters they will do you more harm than good. The skimmers the key. Ive had good luck over the years with the wet dry system though I'm putn in a fuge with macro to help keep phosphates in check. Nothin will clean up your water quicker than replacing some of it. When you get your RO you'll have it whipped. :joy:
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
Awesome guys! I did another H20 change and plan on a big one today.. Geesh, I wonder how long the shipping is on my Typhoon.. LOL
I will change the media in the ehiem today but leave one of them for the bacteria.
I just tested it and it went down some, but I can see a drop.
I was afraid my DSB was failing because you hear so much about it from the BB people. What would someone do if their DSB failed? Now I'm curious?
Also, I would love to set up a fuge. Could I set up a 20 or 15H gallon under my tank for a fuge? ( I have so many old tanks in the basement) I am a completely stupid DIY that's why I never did one. Are they hard to do? I guess I would need an overflow box too. Anyone wanna give me a quick list of what I will need for a fuge?
Then I could keep macro in it too to help reduce the trates
STUPIS question here, a sump and a fuge are same thing?????
I also have TONS of life in my sand, at night I see tons of bugs runnin around. I Dont know why I mentioned that?? LOL Did someone say something about a manderine, maybe?? LOL
I don't want to overstock my tank, Im going for more corals =)
Im also SH** canning the Greenbird, that was a bonehead move!
Thanks a bunch, Kim
 
T

thomas712

Guest

Originally posted by KimKissyFish
I also have TONS of life in my sand, at night I see tons of bugs runnin around.
With the above statement I'd say your sandbed is healthy, don't worry about it crashing, don't borrow trouble until it happens.
 
sammiefish

sammiefish

Member
I just solved a nitrate problem myself... the filter-sock in the sump. I removed that and in 3 weeks the nitrate level went from 20 ppm to 5 ppm. Now I only put the sock in during feeding... after all the leftover food is gone I take the sock out... no artificial filtration but a protein skimmer and the occasional carbon in the canister filter.
As far as keeping the sandbed clean... among other creatures, I think my brittle star does a great job. He stays on the surface (doesnt dig down) and just picks up all the little pieces of junk.
good luck and keep us posted
 
golfish

golfish

Active Member
Your sand bed could be the problem...I didn't see that you were running and Eheim along with the Fluval. Like I suggested above, I would remove them both until you get the nitrates down to zero.
What's the Typhoon? is it some kind of WetDry filter? See, these along with canister filters and other mechanical filters do a great job turning ammonia into nitrates but they stop there. Your DSB and Live Rock should be able to take care of the nitrates they produce. Adding a wetdry or other type of mechanical filter, IMO, isn't going to help at all. If your running a GOOD skimmer, enough LR and a working DSB then you should have ZERO nitrates..I would remove all or your canisters, sponges, pads and just run the skimmer. Do your water changes, make sure you have lots of flow..if the nitrates continue to go up you might want to consider a biggerbetter skimmer and or do something with the sand bed
I agree with Thomas's last post..the problem is the trouble might of already happened.
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
Thanks Guys,
Ok, the anser to the question is teh typhoon 3 is the RO/Di unit. It hasnt come yet. I removed the fluval and just cleaned out the ehiem. I have food flow with 3 Powerheads and the spraybar in the back.
My skimmer is a backpak 2 with biobale. It pulls out crap great. I am upgrading it to the maxi jet 1200 on the skimmer... like someone said here.
Also I want to go for the fuge or sump.. I think they are the same thing. What I want is a tank under my tank with macro and maybe put a heater on there....
Can anyone explain the difference between the 2 and what I will need as far as an overflow box?
Thanks, Kim
 
shawnhardy

shawnhardy

Member
With all that live rock, you should take out the biobale in your bakpak. It is probably hurting your nitrate level.
 
kimkissyfish

kimkissyfish

Member
Really,
Take out the biobale?? WIll that make the skimmer perform the same? I would think the return just might be faster?? The biobale is pretty dirty, I have rinsed it with tank water before at my monthly big maintenance. I was told that was bad because it would bring on a mini cycle.?? SO I stopped... (my tank is 3 yrs old & full of life!) SO, I can just take it out? If its dirty it makes sense that the biobale would hold bacteria and thus raise the nitrates. Hmmm
:thinking: :thinking:
Anyone wanna take the fuge/sump question?? WHat I need and HOw to get the water from the tank to the fuge and back to the tank...??? Confused blonde here.. LOL
Thanking you kindly, Kim
 
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