Nitrates

[Jcj0033]

Yeah I'm probably just gonna start doing EVERYTHING myself

 

[Jcj0033]

Yeah I know, I'm probably gonna start doing everything myself

 

[TheTodd]

Yeah they do 10 gallons every other week

What size tank is this? If I was paying someone to maintain my tank, it would have to be with them doing the PWCs . Unless this is a small tank, 20 gallons a month borders on pointless (as far as decreasing nitrates goes at least).

 

[Jcj0033]

It's 80 gallons and they do a 10 gallon change every time they come

 

[Mebbid]

The decrease in nitrates is going to equal the amount of water changed. A 10g water change is only going to drop the nitrate level by a few points.

I would suggest doing daily 25 Gallon water changes until the problem is under control. It will probably take 4 - 5 water changes to get things down to safe levels.

 

[huma-huma]

I agree its time to split ways with that company. Theres no reason you should be paying someone to maintain your tank and do water changes, only to find out the trates are that high. I wouldnt expect them to be 0 but thats just outrageous. A warning call or message would have been nice. Id follow the advice in doing back to back water changes. Even if you do back to back 25% pwcs, thats still not 50%.

 

[alco1]

from experience..... ive had a very similar problem with a previous tank. had an aggressive FOWLR tank with a shark/eel and a few others. nitrates stayed at 80...... tried water changes consistently, after a couple of days the nitrates crept back up to 80, I even thought at one stage that all the nitrates being created were somehow doing it in the sump so I even completely cleaned out the sump but still no luck.

don't really know whats in your tank but could be too much stock for the filtration to handle or when the maintenance guys are doing water changes are they stirring up the sand as well??? that could be it.

I eventually just overkilled my filtration by doubling my sump and adding all these extra things to it. eg biopellet reactor, crushed coral in the sump, etc and now it just stays at 0-10 nitrate never changes.

this little bit of info probably wont help if your looking for a quick fix lol

 

[TheTodd]

I was thinking these guys could be stirring up sand as well, but could also be doing something foolish like using tap water instead of RODI and maybe that has trates?

I would dump them. If they can't keep nitrates low and they only do tiny PWCs, then it seems useless to pay them to just clean the glass.

 

[Smoothmullet]

Any macro algae in the sump or absorbing resin like purigen?

 

[alco1]

lol orrrr maybe the maintenance guys are adding nitrate to the tank while working on it to make you call them up more so they can make more money

hmmmmm conspiracy theory?? or the truth?? lol

 

[Launig]

Do you 'vacuum' your sand to get rid of grunge that has settled in?
Should the sand be 'vacuumed'?

 

[huma-huma]

only time I ever touch my sand is when im pushing it to fill in a bare spot, other than that, never.

 

[Launig]

Then why do they sell the vacuums? Are they for freshwater only? Hmmm

 

[huma-huma]

that same question could be asked for about half of the products on the market today for aquariums. but gravel vacs do have their uses, they are meant more for fw tanks and tanks that have course gravel in them, or even sw tanks that the owner wishes to vacuum during weekly water changes. but IMO when done correctly, there really shouldn't be a need to vacuum the sand in a sw tank