Upgrading and moving rock from a tank with high nitrates

shibbync777

shibbync777

New Member
Hey everyone. I currently have a FOWLR 55 gallon saltwater setup. I have 45 pounds of live rock in there. I am upgrading to a new 75 gallon tank. I currently have 30 pounds of live rock to start the cycling process, which is going well. I plan to transfer the live rock from my 55 gallon to my 75 gallon once the 75 has finished cycling.
My concern is that in the 55 gallon I have been experiencing nitrate problems. It has been around 40ppm. Never above that. Once the 75 gallon tank has cycled will adding the live rock from the 55 gallon cause the nitrates to go up? Will the 75 need to cycle again after adding the live rock from the 55 gallon? The 55g was my first attempt at saltwater. It has been running for a year and a half. I did not use RO/DI water when i set it up. I have live sand at the bottom of the 55 and i think that is whats holding most of the nitrates. In the 55 i have a small blue hippo tang, orange spotted blenny, 2 clowns, Coco worm, and a coral beauty. I have snails and hermits also. I just bought an ro di unit for the 75. When i started the 55 i was still learning everything and i should have spent more money on the equipment i know that now.
Thank ahead of time for your help!!
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
I know phosphates can be soaked up by LR but not sure on Nitrates. Either way, if you practice good maintenance and low feeding it will disipate over time.
 
tangs rule

tangs rule

Active Member
What test kits are you using ?
fyi - API trate kits read very high, and the red sea brand kits are all crap. Just thinking if your test kits are reading high, the trates may not be as bad as u think
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member

Hey everyone. I currently have a FOWLR 55 gallon saltwater setup. I have 45 pounds of live rock in there. I am upgrading to a new 75 gallon tank. I currently have 30 pounds of live rock to start the cycling process, which is going well. I plan to transfer the live rock from my 55 gallon to my 75 gallon once the 75 has finished cycling.
My concern is that in the 55 gallon I have been experiencing nitrate problems. It has been around 40ppm. Never above that. Once the 75 gallon tank has cycled will adding the live rock from the 55 gallon cause the nitrates to go up? Will the 75 need to cycle again after adding the live rock from the 55 gallon? The 55g was my first attempt at saltwater. It has been running for a year and a half. I did not use RO/DI water when i set it up. I have live sand at the bottom of the 55 and i think that is whats holding most of the nitrates. In the 55 i have a small blue hippo tang, orange spotted blenny, 2 clowns, Coco worm, and a coral beauty. I have snails and hermits also. I just bought an ro di unit for the 75. When i started the 55 i was still learning everything and i should have spent more money on the equipment i know that now.

Thank ahead of time for your help!!
The live rock is not the source of your nitrate problem so you can transfer from the 55 to the 75 once cycled...
 
geoj

geoj

Active Member

I know phosphates can be soaked up by LR but not sure on Nitrates. Either way, if you practice good maintenance and low feeding it will disipate over time.
What test kits are you using ?

fyi - API trate kits read very high, and the red sea brand kits are all crap. Just thinking if your test kits are reading high, the trates may not be as bad as u think
Let us try to be more clear for the new people, both these statements need clarification.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ http:///forum/thread/386165/upgrading-and-moving-rock-from-a-tank-with-high-nitrates#post_3390251
The live rock is not the source of your nitrate problem so you can transfer from the 55 to the 75 once cycled...
+1
Keep in mind that Nitrate does not dissipate on it's own. It accumulates until it is removed.
Your live rock can remove it by harboring anaerobic bacteria that convert the nitrate to nitrogen gas (which will dissipate).
Water changes remove some
Nitrate fixers can chemically remove nitrate
There are a variety of ways to use algae to remove nitrate as well.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
I agree because I really didn't know, nor ever heard that rocks could harbor nitrates or phosphates. Also my API reads 0 just fine and that's the number I want. My API tests read 80, but I don't think my nitrates are that high because my inverts and what little coral I have in the 90g are alive and well. I want 0 nitrates so I can have SPS corals.
LOL..I figure if my API reads 0, then I have a true 0
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/386165/upgrading-and-moving-rock-from-a-tank-with-high-nitrates#post_3390261
+1
Keep in mind that Nitrate does not dissipate on it's own. It accumulates until it is removed.
Your live rock can remove it by harboring anaerobic bacteria that convert the nitrate to nitrogen gas (which will dissipate).
Water changes remove some
Nitrate fixers can chemically remove nitrate
There are a variety of ways to use algae to remove nitrate as well.
Ugh, I figured the words "Practice good maintenance" were sufficient, my bad.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/386165/upgrading-and-moving-rock-from-a-tank-with-high-nitrates#post_3390262
I agree because I really didn't know, nor ever heard that rocks could harbor nitrates or phosphates. Also my API reads 0 just fine and that's the number I want. My API tests read 80, but I don't think my nitrates are that high because my inverts and what little coral I have in the 90g are alive and well. I want 0 nitrates so I can have SPS corals.
LOL..I figure if my API reads 0, then I have a true 0
LR does absorb phosphates. That's part of the reason why even after you get a scrubber or a reactor you may still have GHA growing and sometimes even dying off in some spots and growing in new places is because once the phosphates are removed from the water they start removing it from the rocks. As the phosphate finds it's way to the surface new GHA may grow in this spot while it's present. This is why some people get frustrated when they spend all this money on a phos removing apperatus and it doesn't seem to be working. It takes a long time for it to be removed from the rocks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top