Chemistry Parameters

[Wwidener]

I have a 30g biocube reef tank and I have consistently been getting nitrate levels in the 80ppm range even after water changes. Second, I have rowaphos in a media bag in the filter but still have phosphate levels around 50ppm. Also, KH is really high even after doing routine water changes.

Ammonia= 0ppm, Nitrite = 0ppm, pH = 8.1, Can = 400ppm

Two clowns, one Christmas wrasse, brittle starfish, cleaner & peppermint shrimp, inverts.

I don't understand how to get the nitrates down without adding more chemicals. I am thinking about adding more rowaphos to the bags to take care of the phosphate but that would be using 3x the recommended amount. I'm using marine buffer to keep the pH up and Kent purple tech.

Advice?? Thanks.

 

[coralbandit]

Phosphates are often found in prepared foods...
What are you feeding?
Have you looked into 'Bio Plastics' for nitrate control?
I have not had to change water in ,well to be honest I don't...
I just replace evap and add traces..
What is your water source? Have you tested it PO4?

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TwoLittleFishies.html

 

[Wwidener]

I'm feeding the fish Cobalt Color. I also use Phytoplex, Coral Accel and Chroma Plex on a schedule, not all the time.

I have not heard of bio plastics but I will look into it.

I use prepared saltwater from my LFS.

 

[Wwidener]

Also, I'm not using a tumbler reactor.

 

[Sniperhank]

Are you using ro/di water? Once nitrates get high it can be difficult, but not impossible, to manage.
If your nitrates are at 50, doing a 50% water change will bring that down to 25...if the water isn't bringing in additional nitrates that is.
So, I would do a 50% water change on top of the 10% you should be doing weekly. Do this for a month. Everything should be fine and give you time to be thankful that it's easy to do a small tanks water changes.

 

[Wwidener]

I am not using RO/DI water. I have considered doing large water changes. My hesitancy is that I do a water change and the nitrates are still high the next day. I don't want to constantly do them bc of the effect it has on the Eco system

 

[coralbandit]

Is the water you get from LFS a prepared commercial brand like ;Nutri Sea Water? Natural Live Ocean Saltwater by Natures Ocean®
If so then I doubt the nitrates are from water,BUT if they are mixing their own and selling it to you I would test it brand new next time you get it.
The bio plastics take about a month to get going as they create a bacteria that eats the nitrates..
There many ways of removing nitrates that do not involve waterchanges....
Look into carbon dosing [IE vodka dosing],I did this also for some time and kept my nitrates right where I wanted them....

 

[Wwidener]

I tested the LFS water last night. It is phosphate and nitrate free. I would like to try the bio pellets but do not have a media reactor for them. There is a seachem product I'm considering.

 

[coralbandit]

A simple small phosban reactor will work.
I have never used ROWAPHOS before ,but aren't they supposed to be in a re actor ?
I know now they use GFI with carbon which I think tumbles [bad for carbon].
When I used GFI I tumbled...

 

[Sniperhank]

I do like biopellets, and it is simple to diy a reactor. I recently made one for my system.
I'm not familiar of seachem making biopellets.
Though with that said, the biopellets won't be a solution to the entire issue at hand. I'd still suggest large water changes on top of the biopellets, as the pellets work their way to being effective it will help with preventative with the nitrates in the future as the large water changes will bring them down more quickly...which is why 50% water change on top of the 10% weekly water changes will be necessary to get in front of this issue.
Keep in mind that water changes are replenishing elements in the water column that hobbyists aren't able to test for and remove the bad. The solution is dilution. It will not cause negative side effects on the environment you are attempting to simulate.

 

[Wwidener]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I appreciate it.

Hank, you're saying that dilution will not also dilute nutrients and beneficial stuff as clean saltwater is added?

 

[Sniperhank]

No, your water changes replenish what is consumed by calcium based critters, from coral to algae.