Nitrate Question

[criketnest]

I test my water once a week. I did my first water change last saturday because my Nitrate readings were 40, Tha tis the highest reading I have ever gotten. Nitrate went down to 10 after water change.
At what reading do you do a water change and how much. I had changed out approx 10 gal from a 65 gal tank
Thanks

 

[reefnut]

Most people just set up a regular water change routine... once a week, once a month, etc.
Are you running a skimmer? refuge? DSB? or anything else that will help maintain your nitrates??

 

[bang guy]

Your numbers don't seem to add up. I'm thinking that your test kit is giving you erratic readings.
Water change is only one tool to use for pollution. An algae scrubber, live rock, live sand, and chemical means are all popular ways to reduce nutrients. Best results are obtained by using a variety of methods.

 

[criketnest]

I have alot of live rock, Emperor 400 with biowheels, and the water changes. I do not have a protien skimmer as of yet that is on the list of things to buy. could not afford it with christmas. I asked at the LFS store today when I went to buy frozen shrimp and he said that I could take the biowheels out of the filter because he thought I had enough live rock now. I just wasn;t sure.
I thought if I did 10% water changes each week that would be ok????
Thanks
Chris

 

[ktsdad]

I agree with Bang Guy.
If you have a 65 gallon tank with lots of live rock, you may have only about 50 gallons of water in the tank.
If you did a 10 gallon water change, then you changed out 20% of your water.
If nitrates were at 40ppm and you removed 20%, then the new reading should be about 32ppm. 40 x 20%= .8 40ppm - .8ppm = 32ppm.
You may want to check your test kit and/or get your LFS to check your water and verify your readings.
I personally like to do weekly water changes also.
You do need to get the skimmer when you can afford it.
Good luck!