Will this help my Nitrate Nightmare!

[misskitty]

:help: :help: :help: Thats all I can say about what I need with my Nitrates. NO MATTER! What I do I still have it off the scale! So will this help me? I will add it to the tank, since I have ni refugem ( I would if I knew how to make it , so if you live in texas you can hook me up thats cool!)

education is the key right.. and boy do I need it right now..
Thanks!
Kitty:joy:http://cgi.----.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=3212

 

[leopard_babe]

I have that in my tank, and I don't think that it helped. In my tank it has become more of a food for my fish, then a nitrate lowering plant. Plants are good for lowering nitrates. You could get some for your tank. I don't think it will help lower your nitrates that much. I would try :caulerpa,chaetomorpha,gracileria. i find that these types of plant are much better of absorbing nitrates. Do you do water changes, and do you use ro water? Do you feed frozen food?
Leopard

 

[misskitty]

I do water changes ( tap with declorinate). I feed them a phtoplantkton frozzen cube on mon-wend-fri. I have a protien skimmer ( which more me dose nothing.. guess I cant get it right) I have a 30 gal tank and do 8 gal change every week. I have a nitrate bag on top of my filter, which is a eclipse bio wheel. I have the lights on a timer for 8 hours.
Am I doing somthing wrong...(strting to think I have to many fish!)
But I know if I say what I have it will start a riot ( tang police)
1 Blue devil
2 small 4 strips
1 tang
some other big damsel ( black with blue strip and white strip)
and a goby ( white with purple stips watchman goby or somthing)
I have about 39 lbs LR.
I will be getting a 55+ gal this week end so dont freak out! I will be transfering some fish.
So would all the fish be causing this? With all other things ( besides texas water is HARD water) testing great?

 

[belothsurf]

I would think you wouldn't want that floating around your display tank. I had some in my fuge and it didn't last long anyway...may need strong lighting. Check out refugiums in the DIY forum....cheap and easy.:happyfish

 

[leopard_babe]

When you feed frozen cubes, throw the food in the net, and melt the cube. The chemical that holds the cube together can cause your nitrates to go sky high. Also check and see if your test kit is expired. How long has your tank been set-up, and when did your cycle finish? Do you have a powerhead, that might help. I do a 10% water change (2 gallons) every week. 8 gallons every week might be a little much for only a 30 gallon tank. That mean in a month almost all of the water has been exchanged. I believe that it is common to do a 10% water change every week, or a 20% every other. I THINK, don't quote me. See if any of that helps. What is the temperature in your tank? Sometimes running it lower is better.
hth
leopard

 

[mugs]

Have you tested your tap water for nitrates? I used tap water and dechlorinated it and had a nitrate problem. When I tested the tap water (more out of curiousity) I found that it was 40ppm. Needless to say, all I use now is RO water. Just a thought:notsure:
Mugs

 

[waterboy_007]

yea, 10% water change once a week is a good schedule for your tank. that will help keep your nitrates down. you might have to increase the quantity a little bit until it comes down tho.

 

[col]

The chemical that holds the cube together can cause your nitrates to go sky high.
Never heard of that one! The "chemical" will be water.
Have you double checked your test kit? Have you tested the tap water for nitrates?

 

[gregvabch]

i would say that your bioload is one of the main things keeping your nitrates up. also, what are you using for substrate? crushed coral will cause nitrate problems because it traps waste and debris which allows for decomposure. what kind of protein skimmer do you have? you said it's not working right? maybe someone can help you get it running more efficiently, that will help too. what kind of circulation do you have in the tank? powerheads? what's your rate of turnover for your water?

 

[nacl-man]

you do have a lot of fish, but w/ a decent protein skimmer and high quality water you should be ok.... it is not insanely overstocked. What is the reading of your tap water? You may want to consider getting an RO/DI unit.
Cheers! HTH.

 

[misskitty]

Heres the answers for those questions:
well the test for nitrates in tap is almost none..
I am using sand.
My test kit is new.
I use a multi dip test strip aswell every other day.
My skimmer works.. just not like I hoped (still think I am doing something wrong although the bubbles are the right rate and foam and water line are at the right place.)
This tank is more then 2 years old.. I am not a "begginer" but I am sure not a expert.
I have a pc retro light kit for my eclipse bio wheel ( runs carbon)
I have 39 pnds LR & some LS
Protien skimmer is called Lees counter current
I have a power head that rotates and is strong. also two Very stong currents coming from the filter ( the two heads that have the filter water come out)
I also Use a nitrate filter bag on top of my carbon the brand is called phos-X.
My carbon is new ( every three months I change it, and rinse it off once a week)
Now I hope this helps any one to help me.. keep in mind ..I have NO fuge..(not yet) :help:
Thanks every one...! Kitty:happyfish

 

[leopard_babe]

Did you change the lights recently, or buy new bulbs for the lights? I am really stumped, but I am not an expert. If you say there are no nitrates in your tap water, then I guess that it is not coming from the water. When I switched to RO, my nitrates lowered alot. I have marine plants in my tank, and that helped lower the nitrates, even though I did not have a fuge when i added them. You do water changes. So the issue with your tank is much more then I can help you with. I forget what size tank you have, maybe your bioload is high??? I wish I could be of more help, but this is as far as my fish knowledge goes. Maybe someone else can help figure this one out.
Leopard