Nitrates!

[epaz]

My 125g fowlr has been up for roughly 3-4 mo. It was a previously setup yet severly neglected tank. After moving the tank a setting it up again I never really noticed a cycle everything always read 0 except nitrates.....off the chart. So it sat with no livestock for 1 1/2 mo with no change to parameters. I couldn't take it anymore so I slowly started adding fish. Now im into month 5 and the nitrates are still crazy high everything else is still 0. So I am peparing to do a major water change like 50%. My question is that enough? I do have a huge ball of chaeto in my sump. And is there any advice when doing a really big water change? I did invest in an RO/DI system but on the initial fill I just used treated tap water Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[melosu58]

If you moved the sand around then that would have caused a spike in the tank.

 

[epaz]

No I haven't moved the sand around it had crushed coral when I moved it and I replaced it with sand when I moved it. I don't really have a spike per se the nitrates have just always been that high.

 

[Mebbid]

I would imagine that large water changes would be enough. Are you running any sort of skimmer?

 

[epaz]

Yes I am running a skimmer I got it from a friend not sure on the brand and I don't think its quite big enough for my tank but it does remove alot of nasty stuff. A reef octopus diablo or an aquamaxx is my next major purchase. Any pointers on doing a large water change? As long as my salinity and temp matches my DT it shouldn't stress my inhabitants too bad will it?

 

[Mebbid]

If there's a large difference in the pH levels between the tank and additional water I would add the water at a fairly slow pace but other than that the temp and pH matching should be fine.

 

[epaz]

I use IO reef crystals for my mix so my ph should stay fairly stable I will test just to make sure though. Thanks so much for your input.

 

[Tmar]

I am new to the hobby too, but sounds like you are on the right track. I would match the saline, temp and pH as closely as possible and do 30-50% water changes daily until my nitrates were less than 10 G00d Luck!

 

[epaz]

I hear ya but my RO recharges SO slowly I mean really I have been working on filling my 50 gal drum for 3 days. It takes forver to just fill the 4 gal pressure tank on my system and once that's depleted I have to sit and wait for it to recharge really frustrating.

 

[Tkey3425]

I hear ya but my RO recharges SO slowly I mean really I have been working on filling my 50 gal drum for 3 days. It takes forver to just fill the 4 gal pressure tank on my system and once that's depleted I have to sit and wait for it to recharge really frustrating.

What is the GPD rating on it? Sounds like you either got a really slow membrane or you don't have enough water pressure. Mine shows 75 GPD but I can fill my 44 gallon can in about 6-7 hours @65 psi WP. Most membranes need about 50psi minimum that I've ever seen.

 

[epaz]

I'm not home Carey told me to pull the membrane for the info about gpd. But yeah it seriously takes about 2-3 hrs to recharge my holding tank before I have enough pressure to operate.

 

[Tkey3425]

I'm not home Carey told me to pull the membrane for the info about gpd. But yeah it seriously takes about 2-3 hrs to recharge my holding tank before I have enough pressure to operate.

Might want to invest in either a dedicated rodi unit for fish water or upgrade your existing one to a faster membrane if you have the water pressure to use it. If all you can do is pressurize the 4 gallon tank then try taking the tank rodi line off and run a T with a little ball valve so you can bypass the tank when you need it to run for a long period of time like when filing a large drum of water.

 

[epaz]

Good idea tkey sounds like that would work.