NItrates. I'm baffled...

slf125

slf125

Member
Or maybe I just don't get
haha. I have a 125g that is arguably medium stocked. 12 small fish, cardinals, cromis, blenny, gramma, and 2 clarkii clowns. I have 6" DSB. about 300lbs of LR. A wet/dry and HOB prizm skimmer. A MRC MR2 skimmer setup and Solaris g series lighting. I feed every other/every third day. My MRC has just recently been connected so hopefully that will help ( already has started pulling out crap. MY nitrates are 100 but my phos are 0. I don't get it. What am I doing wrong?
JAke

P.S If you need anythin clarified just ask.
 
slf125

slf125

Member
I feed New life spectrum pellets maybe 2-3 pinches, fish eat all of it, shrimp get the rest. I have a turnover rate of 65x ( as long as you don't count in sump pumps and returns on my skimmer. + 101x turnover rate then) atleast 60x comes from PH's in tank.
 
pete159

pete159

Member
do a large water change to start with.
the way i lowered my nitrates was to buy a canister filter and took out the bio balls and ceramic rings it came with. i left the sponges, but then added ehiem pro substrate, because its really good, and the other tray i added kent nitrate sponge. So in a sense i made a de nitrate unit out of the canister filter.
After doing this my nitrates are way down and all is well. no more algae blooms at all.
 
slf125

slf125

Member
I dont have the capacity to do a large water change but I will try. I will look into the canister filter.
 
karavak

karavak

Member
Originally Posted by pete159
http:///forum/post/2886493
do a large water change to start with.
the way i lowered my nitrates was to buy a canister filter and took out the bio balls and ceramic rings it came with. i left the sponges, but then added ehiem pro substrate, because its really good, and the other tray i added kent nitrate sponge. So in a sense i made a de nitrate unit out of the canister filter.
After doing this my nitrates are way down and all is well. no more algae blooms at all.
I'm thinking about doing this with my canister as well. Someone suggested using liverock in it? Is that worth it or would help?
How do you have it layered?
 
slf125

slf125

Member
any other suggestions. I really can't think of why this is happening so unless someone has an idea I'm looking more for a cure.
 
natclanwy

natclanwy

Active Member
Have you verified your test results with another test kit? How much and how ofter are you changing water when you do.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
how long has your tank been up and running is the first thing I would like to know but then again thats just me
 
slf125

slf125

Member
tank is almost 3 years old( 3 in feb.) Water changes used to be rare but now im doing 5g twice a week. I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals tests. I have not verified with other tests but I will order some others from swf.com ( maybe sailfert) soon.
 
locoyo386

locoyo386

Member
Originally Posted by SLF125
http:///forum/post/2886174
Or maybe I just don't get
haha. I have a 125g that is arguably medium stocked. 12 small fish, cardinals, cromis, blenny, gramma, and 2 clarkii clowns. I have 6" DSB. about 300lbs of LR. A wet/dry and HOB prizm skimmer. A MRC MR2 skimmer setup and Solaris g series lighting. I feed every other/every third day. My MRC has just recently been connected so hopefully that will help ( already has started pulling out crap. MY nitrates are 100 but my phos are 0. I don't get it. What am I doing wrong?
JAke

P.S If you need anythin clarified just ask.
HI there,
Just personal curiosity, you have a 125 gallon DT and you have 300 lbs LR.
I am curious as to how much of that LR is in your DT and what size tank is the remaining LR in? Just curious here that's all.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by SLF125
http:///forum/post/2886985
tank is almost 3 years old( 3 in feb.) Water changes used to be rare but now im doing 5g twice a week. I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals tests. I have not verified with other tests but I will order some others from swf.com ( maybe sailfert) soon.
What was the line of progression in your nitrate build up as close as you can recall
 
culp

culp

Active Member
if you can not do larger water changes. than maybe you should try your water changes more often.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Water changes water changes water changes no offence but you are treating the effect not the cause lets try to get to the root of the problem
 
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