Nitrates keep spiking help??

[juniper]

I'm not understanding why, but my nitrates keep spiking high. I use a protien skimmer, feed tiny amounts 3x a day, have sand sifter star and do weekly water changes. Because they keep spiking I keep getting this long green algea on the surface of my substrate. Any suggestions??

 

[sandy]

I've been having terrible problems with my NitrAtes (young tank). What I found out was that my Fluval is a host for crap that turns into NitrAtes. So, since I have plenty of LR (70+ in a 50 gal) and a DSB to host bacteria, I keep the Fluval cleaned out and will get rid of it when I build my sump. I also do 10 gal of water change each week.
Also, My LR was sitting on a lot of sand. Less sand than the rest of the tank, but still too much. Crap filtered down under the rocks and well... So, besides the powerheads I have behind the rock, I am now elevating them on frags, etc. so that hermits, circulation and the like can sift through the waste under the rock.
I'll let ya know how it works out. I'm only guessing that this has been a big part of my NitrAte problem, besides it being a fairly new tank (end of cycle).

 

[volitan]

What type of substrate? What kind of filtration are you using? How old is your tank? What are you housing? Need more info.

 

[juniper]

I'm usuing crushed coral, 2 Fluval 403's, and a Sea Clone protien skimmer. I have 5 fish and am wondering if I should reduce them.

 

[joshh]

i dntknow for a fact bu maybe you should only feed 3x a week if not less the fish will do fine

 

[wamp]

I think the Crushed Coral is one part of the problem. The other could e the amount of food or the amount of fish compared to filtration. What size tank and filters do you have. You need to vacum your crushed coral with every water change. With the amount of food you say your feeding I would not think that would be a problem either. I would look into the coral and the Bio-Load problem.
Good Luck

 

[juniper]

I am using 2 fluval 403 filters. I was thinking that maybe crushed coral could be the problem. I do a weekly water change vacuuming the cc everytime. All my other levels are normal just my nitrates are up. 2 days after I do the water change, I start to get the long green algea covering the surface of my cc. I'm very frustrated!!!!

 

[ruaround]

check out this link...
<a href="http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/aa072999.htm" target="_blank">http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/aa072999.htm</a>

 

[wrassecal]

I have crushed coral and no nitrate problems, I agree with those that suggest you need to reduce your feedings and see if that helps, IMO

 

[ren]

Juniper, What size tank and what is stocked in it?
Nitrates are the end of the cycle process and ways to get the nitrates to actually break down into nitrogen are all unproven as far as I know. If its not from feeding then I would look into the current stocking. You might need to reduce the bioload. Humm BTW what are your high nitrate levels?