Cannot get Nitrates under control

[ReeferRusty]

Issue:
Nitrates 40+ppm

Tank:
120g Mixed Reef / Fish

• Firefish Goby
• Orange Spot Goby
• Yellow Belly Damsel
• Orange Clown
• Black Clown
• Eyelash Lawnmower Blenny
• Purple Sea Urchin
• Sandsifting SeaStar
• Crabs
• Snails
• Various Corals - SPS/LPS

Display Equipment

• (3) 1050 Hydor Koralia Powerheads
• (2) Return Lines

30g Sump Sump Photos

• NWB150 Reef Octopus Skimmer
• Live Sand
• Live Rock
• (5) Various Macro Plants

All Powered by a ReefKeeper System

pH: 7.9
SG: 1.026
Am: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40+
Ca: 440+

Lit by a Odessea HO/T5
(2) 10,000k 48"
(2) 450nm Actinic 48"

------------------------------------------------------

I have performed 4 water changes in the last week.
(3) 25 gallon water changes
(1) 35 gallon water change

My Nitrites will not go down.

Any suggestions?

 

[Sniperhank]

Are the water changes with ro/di? How much are you feeding?

If you are using ro/di and feeding sparingly, then it might be worth looking into a reactor to run GFO on your system to bring your nitrates down.

 

[crister13]

GFO only removes phosphates. But if your nitrates aren't going down with that many water changes you either have a bad test or aren't using pure water. You need to use RODI water which has 0 TDS resulting in no nitrates, ammonia, nitrites, phosphates, copper, etc. in other words, you need to add pure water for your tank to have pure water.

 

[ReeferRusty]

RO/DI

Of course im using RODI.
I use RedSea Coral Pro Salt
I have tested with API Nitrate Test Kit
and
RedSea Nitrate Pro Test Kit.

Both give me the same results.

 

[crister13]

If your using Rodi and the filters aren't all gunked (whens the last time u replaced??) there are only two thibgs that could be happening. 1. Both of your tests are either too old or bad (tests can expire) 2. Your testing wrong. You can't replace 25% of 40 with 0 and get 40. It's not possible.

 

[ReeferRusty]

RO/DI

Of course I'm using RODI.
I use Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
I have tested with API Nitrate Test Kit
and
Red Sea Nitrate Pro Test Kit.

Both give me the same results.

I have had a chocolate starfish in my sump, but i think he went through the pump. would have merely been fish food at that point, but that's awhile ago. I wouldn't imagine that would be a problem anymore.

 

[crister13]

It wouldn't because it's not physically possible to add less and get the same. It's not. Either your tests are bad, you're testing wrong, or your Rodi filters are bad.

 

[ReeferRusty]

Replaced all filters and membrane last week,
and the Red Sea Nitrate Pro test kit came the same day. it expires 04/2014
api test kit expires 03/2017.

 

[ReeferRusty]

I know i changed A LOT of water yesterday and its high. Doesnt make sense. Im doing another wc today. another big one. well see what happens i guess. I am def. going to get a reactor.

 

[Openbrain]

I know i changed A LOT of water yesterday and its high. Doesnt make sense. Im doing another wc today. another big one. well see what happens i guess. I am def. going to get a reactor.

How much food do you feed them? Do you use supplements?

 

[crister13]

A reactor won't do anything. Unless you can create a low oxygen zone for anaerobic bacteria.

 

[ReeferRusty]

OK after three more tests, looks like I'm about at a 3ppm. I believe that my API test is bad. So I decided to run three more tests with Red Sea Nitrate pro and results are much better. after my bucket of live rock is done curing ill add that to the sump and well see if i can get these under control.

 

[ReeferRusty]

A reactor won't do anything. Unless you can create a low oxygen zone for anaerobic bacteria.

For GFO.

 

[54seaweed]

OK after three more tests, looks like I'm about at a 3ppm. I believe that my API test is bad. So I decided to run three more tests with Red Sea Nitrate pro and results are much better. after my bucket of live rock is done curing ill add that to the sump and well see if i can get these under control.

Is this a FOWLR
or a
reef

FOWLR can have 0 to 40 ppm to be safe

REEF can have 0 to 10 ppm to be safe
but it's best 0 to 5 ppm IMO

 

[crister13]

GFO doesn't remove nitrates that won't do anything.

 

[ReeferRusty]

for phosphates man. cmon. geesh.

 

[ReeferRusty]

Is this a FOWLR
or a
reef

FOWLR can have 0 to 40 ppm to be safe

REEF can have 0 to 10 ppm to be safe
but it's best 0 to 5 ppm IMO

Mixed Reef w/Fish

 

[ReeferRusty]

Controlled. Issue resolved.

I tested three more times and got the result of 3.0ppm. I think it was a testing issue. I tested additional times to just make sure. Everything is good. Thanks for all the ideas and tips.

 

[crister13]

I knew it! Haha nice job. Glad it worked out.