nitrates

[shobby]

Alright everyone, I still need help. I have set up a refugium, chaeto growing, slow but growing, also have some leafy plants in it, a rock, bio balls, regular pump to keep the chaeto moving, light and a new skimmer. Nitrates still sit between 5 and 10, the orange color looks the same to me so not sure which it is. I change about 9 gal of water but it goes right back to the same amount. How can I get it to drop? Please help.
Shelley

 

[evanjah]

nitrate sponge

 

[nycbob]

can u list ur livestocks and equipments? more info, the better.

 

[ophiura]

First off, it is not overnight. they are often long slow problems to build, and long slow to remove. How long have you had the refugium going?
What test kit and have you had it verified at an LFS?
Also take some of your freshly mixed saltwater and do a nitrate test on it.
Having said that, there is ABSOLUTELY no problem IMO with nitrate at 5-10. Nothing at all, whatsoever, assuming your tank is not covered in algae.

 

[shobby]

I have had it tested and theirs say the same, they also say the same but I would like very good water for coral. I have had the refugium for at least three months give or take a little.
There are several crabs, too many to count. Two urchins, two anenomes, one sea serpent thing, looks like a star fish with very long legs, and eight snails. Three fish. Mushroom coral. Two conches.
Equipment are the refugium, skimmer, two water movers, big ones a three and a two tank is 55. Not sure about how much rock I have at least fifty pounds, if not more. Was given some and have bought more over the years.
Shell

 

[shobby]

Forgot to mention, I do have an algae problem. Green hair. It was so bad that I pulled rock out and cleaned each piece in a bucket of water. Also, I have tested my regular water and it is clear. One week I changed 9 gal of water three days in a row, third day water tested perfect, next day, water was at 5 again.

 

[ophiura]

Do you plan to keep SPS corals?
Really, trying to achieve a 0 on nitrates is unecessary in most cases, and this frustration you are experiencing is what causes a lot of people to give up. Nitrate tests are not particularly accurate. I do recommend testing your mix water...or at least some distilled water (to use as a "0"). Sometimes nitrate test kits have color even if the reading is 0. There is a lot of user error, and many lower quality test kits are not all that good anyway.
How often do you feed and what do you feed? Do you have a phosphate reading?

 

[shobby]

I feed pellets and flake about every other day.
I do test for phosphates and that is at .5 to 1.
Shell

 

[florida joe]

Really, trying to achieve a 0 on nitrates is unecessary in most cases
Plus 1
how big is your refuge/sump ? you are using up valuable space with the live rock, bio-balls and your skimmer (if it is also in your refuge sump)

 

[shobby]

Not sure how big, several I believe it took 6 more gal to fill this one compared to the one I had, It is built with a small area v shaped for bio balls, large area for sand plants and a small seperate area just enough room for the skimmer and pump. Barely fit in. Why, is it a waste? Should I change something?
Shell