Strange readings and results

[Dr_Doom2]

Hey guys its been a while since i've posted but i have an unusual thing going on and i wanted some input.

I had my new tank set up for about 6 months when I moved. It's now been about 3 months since the move. My nitrate used to be at 0 before the move. A week after the move, it spiked to 30-40ppm. Normal ph, 0 ammonia, and 0 nitrites.

Now, everything stayed at 0 and the nitrate is staying around 20ppm. Mushrooms splitting like mad and some cool pink sponges are popping up. Everything looks happy but I can't get nitrates down.

I change 10% water about every two weeks since cycled and run chemipure. I've tried 20% water changes every other day for 10 days and it didn't move so I must have a source for the nitrate, I'm just not sure where!!

Any ideas??

 

[abrahamavelar]

have you tested the water that you add on ur PWC it might have nitrates and that might be the reason also r u using ro/di water or tap????????/

 

[roka64]

Definitely test your source water as stated above.
How old is your test kit?
Can you take a sample to your LFS to have them test your water, just to doublecheck?

 

[abrahamavelar]

Definitely test your source water as stated above.
How old is your test kit?
Can you take a sample to your LFS to have them test your water, just to doublecheck?

+1 i used to have a problem with my ammonia results because i was reading it wrong, so ill double check too

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I do use tap water but I've tested phosphates, ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate on my tap water and they all read 0. ..except ph!!

My test kits are all less than a year old. I can try taking a sample to my LFS but I'm pretty confident in the readings.

 

[roka64]

Do you have a filter or any type of media that may need to be cleaned in old PWC?
Sponges/foam/bioballs?

 

[Dr_Doom2]

I have foam and ceramic rings that I clean about once a month in the old water. Maybe I should try twice a month!

 

[abrahamavelar]

yeah also you can do is every week clean half of the rings and then the next week the other half, thats what i do and i have rings

 

[mfdrookie516]

are you running a canister filter? i didnt clean mine for a month, and i tested my water, the nitrates were 160+... i freaked out, cleaned both of them, and my nitrates, after a 50%pwc, went down to 10...

 

[abrahamavelar]

also i would get new filter sponges and pads maybe even the carbon

 

[Dr_Doom2]

carbon (chemipure) is only about a month old. I run
it in a HOB Aquaclear 110. BTW its a 45g tank.

I was hesitant about replacing the foam because I always figured it would be a good place for beneficial bacteria to breed. Now that I'm thinking about it, i'm not sure if wringing it out in used tank water gets rid of more good or bad stuff though!!

 

[abrahamavelar]

you should change carbon atleast once a month, on my cichlid tank i was doing pwcbut water never got really clear until i changed the carbon and the media and also ro/di water makes it nicer IMO

 

[melosu58]

I do use tap water but I've tested phosphates, ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate on my tap water and they all read 0. ..except ph!!

Have you made a batch of SW with your tap water and let it set 24-48 hrs and then tested it?

 

[Jnam]

Sponges seem to be a Nitrate factory, What i do with my aquaclear is run it as a fuge, I didnt notice if your tank was a reef tank or not. But a having some kind of plant or algea in your tank that consumes nitrates will help keep them low or at 0. On my 55 gallon I dont run any filtration except for the AC70 empty except with some chaeto macro algae in it my nitrates stay at 0. I use RO/DI water for top offs and PWCs (with salt for pwc's obviously). Just my .02 if you want to give it a go i have a ton of macro that i could trim for you and ship if you want to pay shipping.

 

[abrahamavelar]

Have you made a batch of SW with your tap water and let it set 24-48 hrs and then tested it?

+1