Nitrate Issues

[Xanderjess]

Hi there, I'm new to the forum. My name is Kevin and I live in the metro Atlanta area and a few years ago I started a saltwater aquarium with a 75 gallon marineland tank. Over the years my nitrate testing has shown to be through the roof with nitrates like in the 80+ per million range. I always read that high nitrates would kill fish, but all of my fish have thrived and then I read that nitrate tests are very unreliable so i just chalked it up to a bad test kit, which was made by, I believe its called API. Anyway, I read online somewhere that Salifert was a better test kit so I ordered one on Amazon, received it today, immediately performed the test, and the result was the darkest purple that was available on the test sheet. What the heck?


So I'm just confused how the nitrates could be this high and none of the fish or snails die. Also, a month ago I purchased a hang-on the side protein skimmer (Bubble Magus QQ3). It is running 24/7 and I empty it out every other day. At first I thought it wasn't working correcting but then it started to produce stinky excrement which is what I believe is a sign its working. So now after a month of using a protein skimmer, the test results for nitrates are still super high and now I'm thinking of buying another skimmer to hang on the other end of the aquarium.

I don't have a sump below, just a lot of live rock.


Any ideas?

 

[bribo12]

How often and large are your waterchanges? In sw nitrates would have to be astronomically high to really affect fish that much. Usually high nitrates are bad for certain corals not fish. Do you have algae?

 

[Sniperhank]

Salifert tests are quite accurate, especially compared to API. API is like using a shotgun when target shooting. You get into Salifert, Hanna Checkers, Red Sea...you start using rifles.
When it comes to how your nitrates can be so high, well just counting what appear to be 6 quite large fish inside of a 75 gallon explains that easily to me. Big fish eat and poop big. Means that more feedings and higher nitrates, and that is without knowing regiment for feeding or maintenance. The naso tang on its own explains it.

 

[LaloJ]

Totally agree with Sniper, you have several fish in that tank, in my point of view it's viable but with excellent filtration, it does not matter if you buy another skimmer or even add another two HOB filters. It will not work with a biological load of that size, also in 75 gallons you need a sump, I would put it, and buy a skimmer for greater capacity, that would work although the water changes would be mandatory and according to what your parameters mark, you need to find a stability in your system.

 

[bribo12]

I must be blind! I didn’t see any of the big fish, just the damsel lol. Yeah I agree all those large fish is definitely keeping nitrates high, they’ll also need a very large tank when they get bigger, especially the naso and Koran? Angel.

 

[Xanderjess]

How often and large are your waterchanges? In sw nitrates would have to be astronomically high to really affect fish that much. Usually high nitrates are bad for certain corals not fish. Do you have algae?

Great question I forgot to mention that. Yes, I did a 30-35% water change just last week. I typically do one every 6-8 weeks. I'd like to keep nitrates down because I'd like to add corals at some point.

 

[Xanderjess]

Salifert tests are quite accurate, especially compared to API. API is like using a shotgun when target shooting. You get into Salifert, Hanna Checkers, Red Sea...you start using rifles.
When it comes to how your nitrates can be so high, well just counting what appear to be 6 quite large fish inside of a 75 gallon explains that easily to me. Big fish eat and poop big. Means that more feedings and higher nitrates, and that is without knowing regiment for feeding or maintenance. The naso tang on its own explains it.

Wow I had no idea. The lady at the fish store told me different, but I guess that makes sense. So I should think about upgrading to what, a 120 gallon? I suppose a sump would add volume as well.

 

[Xanderjess]

I must be blind! I didn’t see any of the big fish, just the damsel lol. Yeah I agree all those large fish is definitely keeping nitrates high, they’ll also need a very large tank when they get bigger, especially the Naso and Koran? Angel.

They're all crowded together at the bottom right. I have a Regal tang, Naso, Bicolor, Korean Emperor, and I forget what you call the others. Two clown fish, four damsels, loads of snails and a few crabs.

Oh yeah, I have three sand sifting star fish, and they reproduced a few months ago. There were literally hundreds of tiny star fish crawling up the glass for days. I thought I got them all out during a water change but there are still probably a dozen or so, very tiny they look like a large grain of sand. Most of them have only 3-4 arms.

 

[Sniperhank]

The tiny stars were asterea stars, not small sand sifters. Those things usually burry themselves in the sand and starve to death. An explosion of those little stars during the cycling process is pretty common.
And if you are wanting to keep the tang you will need a much larger tank. The 120 would be fine, but here is the listing from liveaquaria in terms of your angel:

The Emperor Angelfish requires a 220 gallon or larger tank with live rock for grazing and hiding. They also require extensive rockwork and deep caves to feel secure. It will nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) and clam mantles, but may be kept with small-polyped stony corals and somewhat noxious soft corals.

So, a lot to process in regards to this fish and your future wishes. My usual suggestion is to slow down and decide what you want for a tank. Then we can look at the fish you have and/or want and go from there.
But in general, the key to your nitrate issues is that the large fish are in a small environment. You will have to make it larger to house the current livestock successfully, which also brings you into the world of sumps, skimmers, algae turf scrubbers... but that is another bridge to cross when you figure out what it is you'd like to do.

 

[Xanderjess]

The tiny stars were asterea stars, not small sand sifters. Those things usually burry themselves in the sand and starve to death. An explosion of those little stars during the cycling process is pretty common.
And if you are wanting to keep the tang you will need a much larger tank. The 120 would be fine, but here is the listing from liveaquaria in terms of your angel:

So, a lot to process in regards to this fish and your future wishes. My usual suggestion is to slow down and decide what you want for a tank. Then we can look at the fish you have and/or want and go from there.
But in general, the key to your nitrate issues is that the large fish are in a small environment. You will have to make it larger to house the current livestock successfully, which also brings you into the world of sumps, skimmers, algae turf scrubbers... but that is another bridge to cross when you figure out what it is you'd like to do.

Thank you for that info about the stars. I just figured the sand sifters reproduced because I could see them laying on top of one another and then they disappeared under the sand for about a month.

I think I'm going to get a 90 Gallon with the same dimensions as my 75 gallon except 6 inches taller, that way I can keep the same stand. And then I will also add a larger sump underneath as well as an algae scrubber, which i find very intriguing after watching a youtube clip about them being better than protein skimmers. I may need to consider selling my Korean Emperor to make room for the others as well as corals in the future.

 

[bribo12]

I’d say the naso needs the same as the angel tank wise when full grown. They get huge. You’ll probably have to get rid of both if you aren’t looking to upgrade to a 6-8 foot tank in the near future.