Nitrates at 30 and PH at 7.8

[okiefish]

Ammonia and Nitrites are at 0 but my Nitrates jumped to 30 and my PH is showing to be at 7.8. This is the first time I've tested the PH and its been below 8. My Nitrates are usually around 10 or less. What could have caused the changes?
I have a 90 gallon w/
90lbs LR
Tomato Clown
Yellow Tang
Foxface
2 blue damsels
1 domino damsel
cleaner shrimp
coral shrimp
chocolate chip starfish
and snails and hermits

 

[bailey52]

don know what you have in means of filtration, but if you have bio-balls, or any padded filters, they can accumulate Nitrate.. try cleaning them.. and a water change

 

[druluv]

Dude this is not good.

 

[druluv]

We need to know more about your filtration set up.

 

[ophiura]

Have you only tested this once, or multiple times, using different kits?
A level of 30 really isn't all that bad. Certainly not fatal, though can have issues with algae and some corals may not be happy. But certainly not something to react to rashly. Just some regular water changes.
I agree that you may need, if you have them, to rinse out your bioballs in old tank water. They are not a "nitrate factory" but if they accumulate a lot of debris it can be an issue.
In terms of your pH, what is your alkalinity and calcium? A pH reading without these is limited. 7.8 is also not fatal and I do not recommend drastic action (eg pH buffers without testing alkalinity/calcium). Do check that your powerheads and return pumps are functioning normally. Have you made any other changes, eg adding glass tops?

 

[mudplayerx]

I have heard that bioballs can become sources of nitrate spikes at about the 2 year mark. Never had them since I have tons of live rock....in which case they seem useless to me.

 

[bailey52]

Exactly, I had the prob of high nitrate with my BIO balls after about 8 months, and I had lots of LR so it was pointless to have the BIO balls so I removed them, and boom, nitrate down