High nitrate question....help!

[thincat]

I would not worry about a nitrate reading of 10 on a new tank setup.

 

[bavass]

blue71.....I do have the nitrates down to about 5ppm maybe a little less, I will evenutally buy an RO/DI. My tap water has 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates, and I do use a tap water purifier by Aquarium Pharmisuticlas More rock is in the tank building bacteria using the BioClean. No Nitrites.

thincat...its not a new tank setup, just one I let get out of hand and let the nitrates hit 160ppm. Just trying to get under control again.

Thanks for all comments and help!

 

[CaptainAhab]

blue71..... My tap water has 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates,

Yousa.. where u from?

 

[melosu58]

I have to wonder about your readings also. I work for a water municipality and I know that nitrates and phosphates are the first things added. Are you mixing your water with the salt and then checking the water with your SW kits?

 

[bavass]

I have to wonder about your readings also. I work for a water municipality and I know that nitrates and phosphates are the first things added. Are you mixing your water with the salt and then checking the water with your SW kits?

I am in the mountains of Stuarts Draft Va. The spring water has a lot of limestone and greenstone. I have checked my nitrates before and after adding salt. I still use the tap water purifier from AP.

 

[bavass]

well I got my nitrates down to 5ppm changed 25g last Sunday today my nitrates are about 15ppm. The only thing I have been doing is adding reef rock a little at a time. Could that be causing it? I am going to change another 25g tomorrow. I just made a batch of saltwater and the Nitrates are 0 in the mix. Tested it twice. Where could the nitrates be coming from?

 

[thincat]

Nitrates are the second to the last part of the Nitrogen cycle or should I say the last. You feed the fish, they eat the food, changes to ammonia, nitrite, then to nitrate and if taken one step futher via a DSB, back to nitrogen gas and bubbles off into the air.

 

[thincat]

So either feed less, less fish or both....or more water changes.....

 

[bavass]

no fish in tank, so there is no feeding

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

You've mentioned several times about using "BioClean". Not sure what that is, but if it's some type of bacterial supplement, and there's nothing in there for the bacteria to eat (ammonia from fish), then the bacteria is going to die off. And bacteria dieing off creates... nitrates.

I did some searching and found several snake oil... err... I mean "aquarium helpers" called "BioClean". Not sure what exactly the stuff is, but I'd wonder if that's not the source of your mystery nitrates - either directly or indirectly.

Adding uncured reef rock will cause die off, but I wouldn't think that'd be enough to boost the nitrate levels that much in a few days. I'd be suspicious of the stuff you're putting in the tank.

 

[thincat]

Thanks Kurt, I've been out of the loop for a while.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

??

 

[bavass]

Here is a link for Prodibio Bioclean. I do have about 4 hermits and a starfish in the tank. I am trying to get the nitrates under control before adding fish

 

[bavass]

Well I took you advice on fish and went to the LFS and picked up 2 Green Chromis. We will see what happens.

 

[thincat]

I guess the stuff does not work if you are having such a problem with nitrates!

 

[blue71]

blue71.....I do have the nitrates down to about 5ppm maybe a little less, I will evenutally buy an RO/DI. My tap water has 0 nitrates and 0 phosphates, and I do use a tap water purifier by Aquarium Pharmisuticlas More rock is in the tank building bacteria using the BioClean. No Nitrites.

thincat...its not a new tank setup, just one I let get out of hand and let the nitrates hit 160ppm. Just trying to get under control again.

Thanks for all comments and help!

I'm kind of a hypocrite, I dont even have a RO/DI unit for my tank... But its been reccomended so many times, I am getting one this week.

 

[bavass]

I guess the stuff does not work if you are having such a problem with nitrates!

I didn't start using it till after the Nitrate problem. 160+ppm down to 5ppm back up to 15ppm which could have been the new reef rock added a 2 weeks ago and no fish as far as it working or not, I can say my water is cleaner that it has ever been. I have done big water changes before and the nitrates shoot right back up to 160ppm not this time. I actually have nitrates below 20ppm and I think it has a lot to do with the BioClean!

 

[thincat]

Good show. Now is the time for the large water changes before you add any fish. You lhave made great progress and I believe it is due to the water changes and the additional LR.
Keep up the good work and you should have it under control in no time. My Nitrates have been at 0 for over a year now. I use a DSB, Mangroves and PWC"s to get and keep that. It's neat to watch the hermit crabs walk on the sand and the nitrogen gas bubbles up and into their shell and the shell becomes a gas ballon and they walk tiptoe on the sand and sometimes they float away.

 

[melosu58]

I am in the mountains of Stuarts Draft Va.

I go camping in that area. Next year I`ll have to stop by and see the tank.

 

[bavass]

Big Levels?