Nitrate Spike!!??

[phatmatt08]

My nitrate levels are stuck way up high!! I did a partial water change a couple days ago, but with no positive results. Any suggestions?

 

[david s]

we need more info what kind of substrate do you deep sand bed ?? how old is the tank do you have bio balls or have somthing that could be a nitrate factory ??

 

[phatmatt08]

55 GAL, started on Feb. 3 2003, 100 lbs. of LS, Red Sea Berlin Protein skimmer, HOT Magnum 250gpm Canister Filter, 2 Hagen model 402(270gph) powerheads.

 

[david s]

it is a new tank have you seen a bunch of bubles form on your sandbed yet when that happens that means it is starting to work also did you buy ls i noticed you have no lr you are useing mech filter so if it was regular sand you have to seed it

 

[azeritis]

Consider this: If your nitrates are 50 ppm and you change 10% of your water, then you have decreased your nitrate concentration by 10% wich is 5ppm, ie your new measurement should read 45 ppm. If you change another 10% of your water the next reading will be 45-4.5=40.5ppm, and so on. Therefore, it is not as easy as it seems to lower your nitrate concentration by small partial water changes. It is better to make a major change for a short term solution, but then you must find what causes the problem and solve it (which is not the easiest thing to do by the way)