nitrates help

[kjord97]

Well i know i am going to ask the # 1 question. how do i get my nitrates down. i have had my tank set up for about 11 months now. it is a 45 gallon tall reef tank.
3 inches live sand
25 lbs live rock (gonna buy 20lbs more next week)
130 watts pc (upgrading next week to280watts metal
halide/pc)
seaclone 100 protein skimmer (works great)
40-60 hang on back power filter (clean it every month)
marine guys
2 maroon clowns 3 inch and 1 inch
1 yellow tail damsel 2 inch
1 4 stripe damsel 2 inch
1 yellow tang 3 inch
1 blenny 2 inch
20 snails
15 hermit crabs
1 blue banded hermit crab
1 brittle star
1 coral banded shrimp
2 peppermint shrimps ( keep rock anemones under control)
2 bubble tips ( was 1 but split and now just sit next to each other, each one with his own maroon)
1 oyster
several shrooms
lots of different zoos
star polyps
sun coral
large plate 8 inches accross
devils hand leather coral
temp 81
ph 8.1
nitrites 0ppm
ammonia 0 ppm
calcium 480
nitrates 40-60ppm
water changes with well water once a week 5 gal
just would like some advice on getting nitrates down thanx
here is a pic of the tank minus the brain he got a whole in him and died.

 

[kjord97]

forgot about some things
also have to emerald crabs
i put a piece of red seaweed on a clip every 3 days and it is gone by morning size is about 2x4
spot feed plate and aneomonie every thur
mondays and thurs get frozen assortment of shrimp, clams, greens,
tues and fri sun get flake
sat and wed get the frozen red stuff cyclopods

 

[kogle]

Your bio-load is a bit heavy for a 45. Have you tried testing your water before you put it in the tank? It could be high in nitrates before it goes into your tank. You might try doing bigger water changes and see if that helps.

 

[kjord97]

i am going to get rid of the power filter and put one of those cpr hang on tank refugiums. i am gong to go with the med or large version. i here the med version holds 3 gallons of water. going to see if that helps. i know the power filter is producing alot of my nitrates.

 

[j-key]

buy an r/o unit and do water changes.1st place id start..overfeeding will hurt also,but well water no telling what youre getting.

 

[ophiura]

From what I can tell you have very little live rock. You are pretty much at maximum stocking - maybe over, but it also seems to me like you feed a lot. Do you have filer pads in the filter? If so, cleaning that every month is not enough...if you keep filter pads in it at all, they should be rinsed very frequently....at least once a week. And I mention the "if at all" because all it is doing is catching excess food that sits there and rots.

 

[kjord97]

more live rock that is commin from a friends tank is being added this weekend and also the hang on back refugium is going to be added sometime in the next 2 weeks. aslo changing out lights got a new metal halide and pc combo 280 watts getting rid of 120 watt pc.