Nitrate creep

[dmolavi]

I've noticed in the past 3 weeks my nitrAtes creeping up from near zero to somewhere between 5-10ppm. I'm careful about feeding, and typically only do so 3 times a week (alternating between pellets and PE Mysis). Livestock is composed of 2 clowns, hi fin goby, pistol shrimp and a skunk cleaner. The tank is FOWLR for now, but I'm prepping it to add corals...

I have a HOB filter running a Purigen pouch, but also a 50 micron filter pad as well as floss (primarily to keep a bacteria colony available for a QT if I ever need it). Could those pads (or maybe just the floss) be the cause of nitrate rise (ie, a nitrAte factory like bioballs or the mesh that the BakPak2 comes with)?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

What's your water change schedule? Nitrates will creep up over time due to the ammonia being converted, and the water change is what will bring the levels back down.

 

[dmolavi]

Weekly, 20% changes with RO/DI water (zero TDS, nitrites/nitrates, etc).

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

How often do you rinse the media in the filter? I swish mine in the tank water that I removed for the change.. Could also just be your tank and the amount of ammonia it's converting. Nitrates are a natural part of the cycle, which is why we do our water changes.

 

[dmolavi]

Now that you mention it...I stopped swishing it around in the old water a couple of weeks ago...dangit, I'll bet that's it. I'll have to get back into the habit of doing it.

 

[TheTodd]

If possible, I would try to put the "media for future BBQ" somewhere its not grabbing detritus.

 

[dmolavi]

Yeah...I would if I could, but as it's a sumpless nano, I think pretty much everywhere will gather gunk.