Hi Nitrate!!

[rick]

Last Friday water test showed a high Nitrate (160 - max on my test kit Aquarium Pharmaceutical, Inc.), slightly elevated Nitrite of 0.25, and high Phosphate of 5 (did not have a Phosphate reactor - added one on Sunday). Past 6 months, I have not had any problems (that I know of) with water - typical Nitrate level has been 20 to 40 - never 0.

I did a 15 gallon water change on Sunday, no effect on Nitrate level, but Nitrite at 0. Another 20 gallon water change last night - still 160 (max on chart).

Bought another test kit (same brand - Aquarium Pharm. Inc.) and it also showed the same Nitrate. A strip test kit showed no problem with the Nitrate.

All other water test came in fine as of today ; Ammonia, Calcium, PH, Phosphate (1), Sp, Gr., etc.

I am sure I'm over feeding them - a newbie disease. I am trying to feed small portions and turn the power heads off so that food does not get into the overflow.

I lost one Brain Coral (4-5") - it slowly died off in last 2 months. Wonder this could have to do with the Nitrate level spiking. I added (2) Hippo Tangs about 1 month ago - did I over load the tank? Aside from the Hippos, corals and fish are all more than 3 months in the tank.

About 2 weeks ago I replace the return pump from Refugium to main tank to increase water movement in the main tank - went from 800 gph to 1500 gph at 0 head rating.

Last water change was 4 weeks ago 15 gallons; my routine water change.

Any comments are greatly appreciated.


Tank Spec:
- 80 gallon Bow; started March 06.
- about 150 #s base/live rock
- 1 -2 inches of sand bed in tank.
- Refugium (20g capacity with 10g water) with SB in middle chamber, some live plant (keep it trimmed from over growing), nano-balls, and some live rock.
- Refugium houses (1)-700gph pumps to P-skimmer and return back to Refugium.
- 1500 gph (at 0 head) return pump from refugium to main tank (changed pump from 800 gph about a month ago to increase water movement).
- 600 gph (at 0 head) on a battery back-up from refugium to main tank - 90W UV light and Phosphate reactor (added last Sunday) connected to this pump.
- Main tank has 3 Power heads on wave maker.
- About 10-12 corals.
- Fishes: (2) 3.5" Hipo Tangs, (1) 4" Yellow tank, (1) 3" Sand Sifter, (1) 2.5" Sailfin, (1) 2.5" Wrass, (1) 3" Fox Face, (1) Anemone, (1) 2.5" Flame Angel misc. shrimps, snails, etc.
- Lighting: 4' with (3) MH on timer (1- 250w from 8 am to 8 pm (off when other MH are on), 2 -250w from 12-3), Fl Blue lights (6 to 10), and Moonlights.
- Refugium light- on at night.

 

[JellyMan]

How long has your tank been up and running? What type of substrate do you currently have? And when was the last time you did a 50% water change? No I dont think you may have overloaded your setup you didnt mention an amonia spike. When was the last time you changed your filter media what type do you have in your filter.

 

[bobby]

A large water change will bring the trates down, but thats only a quick fix not a permanet one. 1- feed lightly 2-use ro 3-regular water changes 4-dont use bio balls if you do clean half very well every week Are you using ro water, you can also try using a deep sand bed in tank or in refugium, or add some macro to refugium. The hippo tang will get too large for your tank, if I remember correctly you need at least a 125 or larger for a hippo. Every thing else sounds good though. Good luck and keep us posted. Also do water changes more often like 10% every week, if you dont everything will build up and can cause problems later on. on my 30 gal I do 5 to 10 gal a week and my trates stay at .5 and dont go up any higher if I did it every 4 weeks it would go though the roof over time.

 

[rick]

I need to be more careful about feeding .......

Tanks has been running for about 10 months ......

As for Hipo Tang needing a larger tank - plan on setting up a 125 - 250 gallon at my office and move them when they get too large. Have the lights and some accessories but no time at the moment.

I use RO water made by Abundant Flow: a 100 gallon perday that has (2) prefilters, (1) RO Mebrane, (1) DI Resin Filter, (1) DI second filter. It wastes so much water to make the RO ......... fortunately I use water for plants - so don't feel too guilty.

By the way, the manufacturer recommends to change every 6-12 months. Has anyone any thoughts on this - how often do you change the filters? I am planning on changing them this weekend - it has been about 10 months old.

I may do water change every week - say 5-10 gallons a week as appose to 15-20 per 4 weeks which I have been doing.

I do clean out the Protein skimmer and prefilter in the refugium (water drains to 1/2" thick filter).

Thanks for all your feedback ..... will keep you posted.

 

[rick]

JellyMan -

I never did 50% water change since I set it up about 10 months ago ...... may not be a bad idea.

Thanks.

 

[Bifferwine]

I think that if your nitrates were really at 160+ your anemone, shrimp and snails would have been toast a long time ago. I have had AWFUL luck with A.P. tests. I would recommend buying a different brand of nitrate test before you do anything drastic to your tank. I have had A.P. and Red Sea nitrate tests read 100+ for my tank, when nitrates were actually around 10.

 

[bobby]

Bifferwine is right, you should take some of your water and have your lfs test it first to see if your kit is bad or not before you buy a new one though. On the feeding, feed them sparingly maybe everyother day or so. I feed mine every 3 days just a bit though, but then again my fish eat some algae to supliment there diet, I dont know what or if the hippo eats algae, I just know they need a big tank the 125 to 250 sound very good for your hippo the bigger the better.

 

[rick]

Hi, Bifferwine -

I read some threads in the Reef Talk - someone mentioned about some of the test kits are very unreliable. I did run out got another Nitrate kit from lfs, unfortunately it is the same brand Aq. Pharm. - different lot number, and the same results. My strip test kit shows Nitrate to be around 20-40.

I suppose you are right, if my NO3 is that high, my anemones, inverts would have been doing back strokes.

I'll bring some water to lfs for test.

Thanks a mil.

 

[rick]

Bobby -

As you indicated and reading some of the threads, I am WAY over feeding my critters - I guess it is a newbie disease. I've been feeding twice a day - they are all going on a crash diet from today on. I really thought I read every thing on setting up a saltwater tank ........ this is my first fish tank. This website is what got me into it - especially John's helpful articles - although, everything sounds easy. I guess I missed on feeding fish article - I always wondered about feeding, maybe I wasn't looking in the right place. Some of my fish geeks would never tell me a straight answer - standard answer is always 'don't over feed - feed only what they eat' - well, my fishes seem to eat whatever I feed.

I do see a lot of algae (not 100% sure what they are - it looks like stringy silt hanging from rocks) growing in the past month or so - I try to blow them off using a hose from a power head and a brush.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Bifferwine]

Good luck and keep us updated on how things go...

 

[jhnrb]

Make sure you read the materials that come with your test kits, some do not read total nitrates, also there is a factor you sometimes must divide by or X by so make sure you are using the test kits correctly. I recommend the following:

1. Always run ro system for about 15 min. before collecting any water for use after it has set for a while. this will clear the water that has been sitting in the filters and help reduce nitrates that develope.
2. Until you get your nitrates under control do a 10 to 20 percent water change at least every 10 days or weekly.
3. At least once per month take a small pump with a short tube extention on it and blow around rocks and corners like a storm to get any detritus back into the water collum so your filters can pick it up. Do not blow the scales off the fish or damage corals but around and under the edgers of rock and coral to dislodge any sediments that have accumulated.
4. Test water parameters, before and after cleaning and then in couple days and keep a log so you can see what your system is doing. In not too long of a time you will see what your system is doing from the log and you will be able to adjust to address any lingering issues.
Good luck. keep us posted hope something here helps.

 

[rick]

John -

All your suggestions make a whole lot of sense - thanks, I will keep them in mind.

I took some water to a lfs yesterday, it also tested high on Nirate - they use the same API kit. I used two different API test kits with a different lot number at home.

Rocks do have a lot of detritus hanging - I've been using a power head with a hose to blow them off.

LFS suggested that I put a dozen or so cherrystone clams in the refugium along with water change. It sort of makes sense - I put a dozen in see if Nitrate goes down. Have you heard of anyone using clams to keep the Nitrate down?

I'm planning on doing my 3rd water change in a week.

Again, I am backing off my feeding to every other day.

Thanks to all .....

Rick

 

[jhnrb]

Clams are used by some to help with the nitrates, phosphates, etc. that is only one part of it though. If you are blowing off the rocks and stuff do so just before the water change and let your filters pick up as much as possible, then do water change. In the short term this will drive up nitrates, however, in the long term as you get the detritus out the nitrates should start to come down, weekly water changes are advised until you see some reduction in the nitrates to an acceptable level. good luck, keep us posted.