Lowering Nitrates

[flynnternet]

My tank has been cycled for a few weeks now, but for nitrates which are still hovering between 5 and 10 ppm. I have done two water changes over the past three weeks, but the "trates haven't gone down. I have no livestock in the tank yet besides my 40lbs of LR and a few hitchhikers. I'm hoping to get my cleaner crew within a few days and I have been dosing Turbo Calcium to try to raise my Ca. Alk is about 11dKH, Ca up to 335ppm (long way to go - I thought a gradual increase would be best, but feel free to tell me I can add like 10tsp at once). Not sure if any of this is relevent, but I figure I'd give all the specs.

How can I lower my Nitrates, short of adding a fuge with macroalgae (I have a little Caulerpa growing here and there on the LR, though I ripped out like 90% of it on the advice of AA)? Will my cleaners help? Do I need more LR?

TIA

 

[24 hours? NE!]

You could add more lr, but it might just take a little longer. What are you planning on putting in the tank? What are the hitchhikers?

 

[reefrunner69]

If your having difficulty raising the CA, check your mg levles, if it is low, you will not be able to maintain CA in solution. If the mg is fine, I see no problem adding enough turbo CA to about a quart of water to raise your CA to the proper level and then adding that for evaporation. If still must be dosed slowly, over the course of a day or so (otherwise it will deplete the ALK) but it can be sped up a bit.

 

[flynnternet]

Hitchhikers are some small snails, maybe margaritas, and a three odd polyps, maybe buttons.

Mg - the one kit I don't have. I will be sure to ock one up in my next purchase. Ca has gone up from 300 to 335 in 4 days with me adding about 1.5 tsp per day to my tank, so hopefully Mg is ok, even without me testing.

 

[flynnternet]

I have some sponges in my Fluval for mechanical filtration I have cleaned them with RO water once, wehn I replaced the carbon in the baskets. Is it possible these are causing higher Nitrates? Should I remove them?