High nitrate question....help!

[bavass]

The skimmer does remove DOC's. Dissolved organic compounds).

Yeah which reduces nitrates right? and also would come from turning and cleaning the sand bed? I hope I am correct in that theory?

 

[thincat]

Yes that should do it. The last 20 is always the hardest. I looked back at your first post and that full tank shot sure doen't look like a 2 yr old tank. You don't have any coralline in the tank either.

 

[bavass]

very little coralline which is because my calcium levels were down to 280 for awhile, which I have brought it up to 400. So hopefully it will start growing soon

 

[melosu58]

IMO I would stop stiring up the sandbed. Let your clean up crew do that. I`ve not stirred or cleaned my sandbed in the 4 yrs I have had this 125. It`s really not necessary IMO.

 

[bavass]

I was really doing more vaccuming than stirring. Are you saying that you would stop that? or just stop stirring?

 

[Innovator]

Continue to vacuum the substrate, but no need to penetrate more than 1" into the substrate. If you have corals you can stir the substrate as this is also another acceptable means of feeding them. You are not doing any harm by doing so.

 

[melosu58]

I`ve never vacuumed or stirred my substrate. I let my gobies take care of that. As I said your CUC will take care of that. Just my experience.

 

[bavass]

Just got home from work was looking at my tank and I am already starting too see more purple coralline. OH YEAH!

 

[thincat]

Good sign. Great job!

 

[bavass]

I still want to add a little more live rock. I was thinking about getting 40lbs of Caribsea South Seas Base Rock I was wondering since I really don't have anything in the tank but the starfish (which I am going to take to LFS for a credit since it will eat the reef) and just let it cycle in the tank. Would it really be a big spike since I already have about 55lbs of live rock and a 3-4" DSB? Would it be high enough to kill the 3 or 4 hermit crabs I have? I was also looking at making my own live rock which I posted a thread question about. But, looking at its cheap Caribsea South Seas Base Rock enough.I may not even use all the 40lbs was thinking of just using 25lbs of it. The other thing I thought about was adding a piece every few weeks for awhile maybe?

 

[thincat]

You could go more than a few pieces a week with nothing but a CUC in the tank.

 

[bavass]

just did a ntrate test and its a lighter shade of orange with no water change. They are still coming down. I am so excited!

 

[InfernoST]

Good job.

 

[bavass]

if I am reading the light orange right i would say about 12ppm come on yellow and big 0ppm

 

[bavass]

Good job.

Thanks!

 

[bavass]

UPDATE on Nitrates

Here is an update of week 3 Nitrate battle along with a phosphate test. Much better than 160ppm

 

[InfernoST]

Huge improvement, way to go.

 

[melosu58]

Things are headed in the right direction.

 

[bavass]

I am hoping that more rock and a clean up crew will help get it to 0! Looks like about 10ppm right now?

 

[blue71]

I would buy an RO/DI unit like others have suggested