I have a 14 gallon Biocube and running the oceanic skimmer ,with 12 lbs of live rock and 10 lbs of live sand and it is about 2 months old. I am using Red Sea master test kit so I think it is pretty accurate. I use R/0 for the water changes. Which I tested for 0 Nitrates etc... I am also using Red Sea salt which is also Nitrate free. I feed formula 2 about every 3 days.(should I cut down feedings?) And I have been running at 20 on Nitrates everthing else is zero. I have been doing alot of large to small water changes(every 3-4 days)And It dont seem to help. For live stock i have 1 ocelleris clown, 1 fire shrimp, And about 6 crabs and 6 snails. I know the best way to eleminate Nitrates is to do water changes, is there any problem with doing a large water change? I just did one maybe 4 days ago, Or am i removing to much of the good bacteria and it never has a chance to break down the nitrates? I am planning on doing 1 today. I would love to get below 5 on trates or is this an unreachable goal? Or should I give it time and stop being paranoid? I worry about the inverts in the high level of Nitrates. Or is this not that high of a level and I should just leave the tank alone for a while?
Nitrates?'s
- Thread starter jake6986
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Dont ever worry about removing bacteria from the water column as there is very little there. Nitrifying bacteria is on surfaces like LR, LS and glass surfaces. The problem with too big of PWC`s is that it changes the water chemistry too much at one time. IMO frequent smaller PWC`s are better and will accomplish the same thing. IMO also 0 is an achievable goal but your 20 is really not that bad. It`s not 0 but it`s not a killer either. Just keep up with the plan and you`ll get it lower.
This is an quote that I took out of this article about nitrates.
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
"For these reasons, most reef aquarists strive to keep nitrate levels down. A good target is less than 0.2 ppm nitrate. Reef aquaria can function acceptably at much higher nitrate levels (say, 20 ppm), but run greater risks of the problems described above."
The problem he is talking about is algea growth. Just scroll on down that link and read what it says about nitrates. HTH
Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
"For these reasons, most reef aquarists strive to keep nitrate levels down. A good target is less than 0.2 ppm nitrate. Reef aquaria can function acceptably at much higher nitrate levels (say, 20 ppm), but run greater risks of the problems described above."
The problem he is talking about is algea growth. Just scroll on down that link and read what it says about nitrates. HTH
Nitrates have more of an impact on invertebrates, specifically coral, than that of fish. Even soft coral will seemingly thrive with nitrate above 40ppm, but eventual wilting and recession may develop in other coral species above 20ppm (lps and sps).
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