Nitrates wont lower.

[Budda619]

Im having issues with my 30 gallon reef tank. My water has been testing 40ppm nitrates for the last month and i cant get them down. Got some cyano as well but not alot. This is what i have tried so far.
-Lower feeding to my two firefish and clownfish once every 2-3 days.
-I have super charged my skimmer by adding a wood stone to my current skimmer increasing bubbles.
- switched top off from tap to rodi
- vacuum gravel

Weird thing is i Did a 50% water change last sat. And another 50% the next day. My nitrates still read 40 ppm right after the water change.it doesent even budge one bit.

No new livestock has been added within that month.

Please Help!!

 

[Grizz]

Test your new water before you add any salt

 

[Liberty]

Are you using API test. There not that accurate

 

[bskerrichard27]

How long have you been using tap..

 

[Budda619]

Ive been using tap for about 4 months with prime, and yes i have api saltwater test

 

[Budda619]

But wouldnt two back to back 50% water changes atleast lower my nitrates? I took my water to the lfs and they said my water was at 35 ppm. Thats 5 less than what i originally had

 

[Gza166]

I had the same problem with my 40g took my about a month of water changes starting at 5gallons a change now doing 10gallons. Did the 50% change once and it shocked everything creating an ammonia spike and killed a lot of my snails. Still doing the 10gallons a week change and now it's down between 5-10ppm. It will take a while just be persistent

 

[Gza166]

I also use tap and I've been using it for over a year now and this is the first problem I've had

 

[Daniel Fishy]

Have you check with another kit or new solution . Take a sample to your lfs also.

 

[Budda619]

Just did a 50% wc yesterday and another 50% today. My api kit shows it at 40ppm still... Should i continue this process daily? Could my lights be the source of the problem? Im running a pc. 3x daylight+actinic

 

[navaljonf]

50% every day is excessive and will cause a large swing in your water chemistry. Perform 10% water change weekly and have your measurement validated through your LFS or another brand of test

 

[Budda619]

Would a 50% wc change be better weekly instead of 10% be better? It seems one of my kenya trees and pulsing xenias are deteriorating. Am not sure if that is because of the high nitrates.

 

[mr_X]

Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Gregcoyote]

Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

A carbon source could help, but using Vodka can be problematic as it needs to be added regularly. Another way to introduce more beneficial bacteria using a carbon source is bio beads. I am experimenting with them and like them a lot. Instead of dosing Vodka, the beads are slowly consumed by the bacteria. I think it may be more controllable and easier to maintain long term and this technique doesn't need a sump to work either.

The PWC's will eventually work the organic levels down, but it will take some time.

 

[jeffaquarius]

Has anyone ever tried this product to remove nitrate?

PURA NitrateLock - Magnavore

 

[Budda619]

A carbon source could help, but using Vodka can be problematic as it needs to be added regularly. Another way to introduce more beneficial bacteria using a carbon source is bio beads. I am experimenting with them and like them a lot. Instead of dosing Vodka, the beads are slowly consumed by the bacteria. I think it may be more controllable and easier to maintain long term and this technique doesn't need a sump to work either.

The PWC's will eventually work the organic levels down, but it will take some time.

Ive heard a little bit of these biobeads. But arent these only for lowering ammonia and nitrites? And not nitrate?

 

[Gregcoyote]

It will work for both. One advantage is some nitrogen based organics are converted to nitrogen gas (as well as some nitrous oxide) instead of nitrates. This is the same bacteria we depend on in live rock. We're just feeding it a slow release carbon source.

If you want to go specifically after nitrate, grow algae like chaeto.

 

[Kristy3693]

I agree with testing your tap water before mixing salt. Have you disturbed your sand bed recently?

 

[Gza166]

I heard sulfur media will lower nitrates as well

 

[Budda619]

I agree with testing your tap water before mixing salt. Have you disturbed your sand bed recently?

I have switched over to rodi about a month ago with still high nitrates. Before i would stir up my sand bed once every two weeks. I had low nitrates up till now. My tank is about 5 months in and water parameters were perfect till up to till my nitrate problem. In one weeks time it went from 10ppm to a constant 40ppm. No livestock has died so im not sure where this steady nitrates are coming from.

Do you guys think my corals could be causing this. I got about over a dozen corals in my 30 gal. Is there such a thing as overstocking corals?