ph dropping and nitrates rising

[standridge32]

So Ive been having this problem where I'm fighting my oh and nitrates for a couple of weeks now. I do water changes weekly along with regular cleanings but all of a sudden ph drops to 7.4 and nitrates rise real high about three days later I get it all balanced back out.. I use a buffer called eight.four it helps but I can't figure out what's going on.

65 gallon. Sump, skimmer, 2 circulation pumps. 2 pair of clowns 1 yellow tang 1 queen conch several hermits and snails. Elephant ear mushroom, spaghetti coral, torch, 2 ricordea mushrooms, three acan colony, s

 

[standridge32]

Several zoa colonys and 40 lbs live rock and refugium.. help please.

 

[mr_X]

what kind of flow do you have towards the surface? do you have glass tops or is this open topped?
the reason i ask is that in most cases you can increase and stabilize ph by simply aiming a power head towards the surface. it will increase gas exchange. i believe the nitrates to be a separate issue.

 

[standridge32]

Most of my flow is aimed at the bottom and I have glass tops. I will try to aim one of my circulation pumps toward the surface to see if it will help.

 

[standridge32]

So Mr x your advise worked wonders my ph has shot up to 8.1 now just fighting the nitrate level. I did a water change and siphon my sand and didn't budge its setting at 40 ppm I even changed my socks so I switch up my circulation pumps to see what it does. All my corals still seem healthy along with my fish. I have even changed to feeding every other day.

 

[Saltybabe]

What are your other params? How often/how much/ are you feeding? Do small 10%water changes once a week. What is in your sump (media, reactors,macroalgae ) ? A small amt of nitrates is ok, even beneficial right around .5. I had this problem for a while and I had to change a few things to get it back to acceptable levels.

 

[standridge32]

Everything else is 0. But my Sump has carbon purigen live rock. And my skimmer. I feed small amounts once a day

 

[Saltybabe]

Everything else is 0. But my Sump has carbon purigen live rock. And my skimmer. I feed small amounts once a day

What type of skimmer? Try to cut back on feedings to once every other day. I have gotten rid of my carbon after my clown and sailfin tang both got head and lateral line erosion. I now use a gfo reactor from bulk reef supply and Purigen.

 

[standridge32]

I have a marine land pro100 its amazing. Great skim constantly. I will change my feeding habits I just hope I ain't lose any corals or fish in the process of getting it under control.

 

[Saltybabe]

You won't lose anything due to nitrates. The most that will come of that is a pretty bad hair algae problem. It's happened to all of us. I think it's like a Right of passage! Lol, but anyway get a tang to clean up the algae and make sure you feed him lots of seaweed when your hair algae is gone so he doesn't starve to death. Btw, what is your water source?

 

[standridge32]

I have a yellow tang. I get my water from lfs but I feel dumb bc this morning I cleaned my circulation pumps and my 1050 wasn't working that was my problem I think and hope.. my elephant ear mushroom is doing something weird though it has weird looking disk particles coming out of it. That's the best I can explain it. It doesn't have too much flow to it because he has been fine for months and I woke up this morning and he looked like that. Any suggestions?