Very high nitrates!

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Michealw1

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
50
3rd week of my dead shrimp and live rock cycle and ammonia levels are around 3-4 while my nitrates are hovering around 160. What should I do?
 
55 gal, done a 30% water change and removed dead shrimp. Ph still around 8.4. But nitrates still around 160. Will do another water change today and clean my filters!
 
Well I'm going to install my sump this evening and remove the cannister filters along with a 25% water change. Hopefully the live rock and the live sand in my sump will finish the cycle for me.
 
So I emptied 50% of my water, can i refill with tap water or my old water. I bought 40# of live sand and took out old sand! It's like I'm starting over again! I also have 20# of live for the sump I'm bout to install
 
You don't wanna use tap water it's really not recommended and you wouldn't wanna refill your tank with the old water, if that was the question. Old water out... Fresh new clean water in.
 
So 55 gallons distilled water? Or dechlorinate 55 gal of tap water? I started last time with Tap water.
 
Yes it is saltwater that we talking about .

I wouldn't use tap water at all... Even if using a water conditioner. Ideally you want to use RO/DI water or buy a system of your own. Supermarkets usually will sell 5 gallon jugs of RO water. If not distilled water would work. I'd test the distilled water anyway but it's safer then tap IMHO
 
i have had to use tap water for emergencies and it does not really seem to hurt the tank at all i use double the recommended tap water declorinator dose and i usually use Prime. None of my fish have notices the difference and the tank is fine i just throw in some phosphate remover. I do get tap water when i can though but if you want to go the R/O route instead of spending 55+ dollars on distilled water check out the r/o systems at lowes
 
Tap water may work for a while but trust me. It "creeps" up on ya and can be a pain when it does. I know people that used tap for months and are now sorry they did.
 
I do 90 percent distilled or r/o water but i had a anemone commit suicide the other night and had to use 10 gallons of tap water to try to level things out

:banghead::fish2:
 
i have had to use tap water for emergencies and it does not really seem to hurt the tank at all i use double the recommended tap water declorinator dose and i usually use Prime. None of my fish have notices the difference and the tank is fine i just throw in some phosphate remover. I do get tap water when i can though but if you want to go the R/O route instead of spending 55+ dollars on distilled water check out the r/o systems at lowes

I picked up my RO unit at petsmart for $80
 
I picked up my RO unit at petsmart for $80

Tell me a little more about this RO unit from petsmart... Is is also di? have you tested the tds of the water it produces? And what is the rate at witch it provides this RO water? Im not nocking your ro unit at all, I am actually asking because I am interested.
 
It's made by coralife i haven't tested tds cause I don't have a meter but it makes 50 gal a day. It's a premium TFC RO water purification system. I have never had a water quality issue with it and I keep a mixed reef. Where I live the tap has high TDS and lots of lime we get out water from an aquifer. And ik people who use strictly tap no RO and has an amazing tank. Kinda makes me wonder if I wasted my money. I don't think it is DI also cause I've been informed I really don't need the DI
 
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