Nitrates too High

[bonniewoodruff]

I had an issue with my nitrate test and it was wrong. It said 0 they were well over 100. I have added a refugium, and I am doing about a 20 gallon water change(93 gallon tank) every day or 2. My RO takes forever to make water. I tested again today and now it is around 80. Has anyone ever dosed with vodka or vinegar? I have been doing some research on this. I have a deep sand bed and a octopus diablo skimmer. I have a snowflake eel, korrian angel, foxface, 4 small blue damsels, and some snails, hermits and starfish. This is an established tank, I am not sure how long they have been too high as the first test I was using was no good.

 

[tonedogz]

I've used both vodka and vinegar and they both work very well. I have been using vinegar now because vodka tends to produce cyno also vineger is a lot cheaper . My nitrates drop from about 60 to 0. But you still have to do your maintenance, water changes watch your overfeeding etc.

 

[mr_X]

What do you think the high nitrates are caused by? Overfeeding? Not enough flow?

 

[bonniewoodruff]

I am not really sure. I have been testing with the bad test for 4 months. I did just move the powerhead, hope that will help too.

 

[gafights]

I use a aquaripure denitrator. Best thing I ever bought

 

[gafights]

You want to get them down but if it was a gradual raise your fish should be fine. Do water change ASAP. Don't panic to much if you have had them for a while fish can be very resultant.

 

[bonniewoodruff]

You want to get them down but if it was a gradual raise your fish should be fine. Do water change ASAP. Don't panic to much if you have had them for a while fish can be very resultant.

I have started vodka dosing and I am changing water as fast as my ro unit makes water. what causes high nitrates? I moved the power head from the rocks towards the top. I have macro algae on the way for my refugium. I am scared I may be over stocked. I did add a brittle star fish and can't find him. If he died would that do this? My tank is 93 gallon I have a Korean angel, fox face, 4 damsels, Niger trigger, snowflake eel, and starfishes, a few snails and hermits. I have a wet/dry trickle filter with bio balls, going to refugium, then to octopuses diabllo skimmer then to return. I bought this tank from a guy on Craig's list. He gave me his testing supplies... He didn't test for tartrate, only titrite. Should I try to rehome someone? I have a 65 gallon with only a pair of clowns and diamond go by. I think I could move someone if I had to, maybe the fox face???
Thanks for any help!!!!

 

[gafights]

Nutrients in the water cause the nitrates to go up. It does not sound overstocked to me and the fish should be fine. The sea star may be a little more susceptible. He is probably hiding somewhere in the tank unless you have seen his body in the there somewhere. Nitrates are just one of the most difficult things to breakdown in your tank. The corals (if u have any will be the most affected). Another is to check what kind of salt you are using. Some salts actually carry things in them that will cause your nitrates to stay the same after a water change.

 

[mr_X]

How large are the fish? How are you feeding? It could very well be overstocked.

 

[bonniewoodruff]

How large are the fish? How are you feeding? It could very well be overstocked.

Angel is about 5-6" snowflake is about 24" trigger and fox face are about 3" damsels about 1" I feed a little frozen food each night. I hand seaweed from veggie clip every night. I feed the eel with tongs(about every 2/3 days when ever he starts swimming to the top.

 

[Mr. D]

Considering the size of the fish and wast produced I think it's manageable, however the angel will outgrow that setup and eventually make it more difficult as he and the others grow.

I would think more water changes would do it and I'm not sure if I saw you had a skimmer or not?

There is always GFO that could reduce it as well as phosphates.

 

[Mr. D]

Considering the size of the fish and wast produced I think it's manageable, however the angel will outgrow that setup and eventually make it more difficult as he and the others grow.

I would think more water changes would do it and I'm not sure if I saw you had a skimmer or not?

There is always GFO that could reduce it as well as phosphates.

A refudgium will help and I really like mine but don't expect it to fix it, only help.

 

[mr_X]

I would definitely remove the angel and probably the eel. Your tank is way too small for that Koran. Feeding daily would easily cause a nutrient build up. I would imagine weekly, large, water changes would be your best defense.

 

[Fish-guy]

Are you running a good skimmer?

 

[bonniewoodruff]

So I tested with a new batch of api today and it was higher than the salifert test. I guess I had a batch of bad chemicals. But now I still don't know which one is right. I am going to take a sample to the LFS tomorrow, maybe I can get to the bottom of it.

 

[Beengirl]

So I tested with a new batch of api today and it was higher than the salifert test. I guess I had a batch of bad chemicals. But now I still don't know which one is right. I am going to take a sample to the LFS tomorrow, maybe I can get to the bottom of it.

API nitrate tests run high IME. When I did side by side tests with Red Sea and API, the API was always 4 times the red Sea result. Now I only use Red Sea.

 

[tonedogz]

I agree api is always high. I would believe the salifert(which I use) before the api

 

[gafights]

Some people on this forum may disagree but I purchased an aquaripure denitrator about three months ago. It will work and probably the best investment u could ever make. My tank has some very messy predators. Trigger 3 sharks. Lionfish. Eel. Stingray. And the highest my nitrates have bottom is right now which is 40. Mainly because I have had to over feed my tank to get food to some of the animals in the tank. After a water change this week I will be at about 20-30 and I will do another next week it should drop to 20-25. The aquaripure will take it down to 10 or so and I won't need a water change for about two months. Those things work.

 

[Swimfaster]

For the nitrates you could use a chemical used Atari local pet store to lower the nitrates.

 

[bonniewoodruff]

So the LFS says the API nitrate test is unreliable they don't use it anymore. Turns out my water is actually pretty good. I guess I'll stop using the API for nitrate.