help with nitrates

[Thorn Walthall]

I have a 200 gal saltwater fowlr about 90 lbs live rock and 220 lbs live sand there is a LG volitan lion fish Med humu trigger Med yellow tang and bout foot snowflake eel I've never had a problem with nitrates until the last month or two been doing 50% water changes with ro/di water and hasn't improved none researched the " vodka" method where you add 1 ml per 100 gal for 3 days everyone says it works well it didn't for me also feed fish with feeding stick beside tang so don't think over feeding is an issue so any help is greatly appreciated

 

[don_chuwish]

Filtration? Skimmer? Sump? Recent changes? Clean up critters? I may not have an answer but I do know some of the follow up questions!

- D

 

[melosu58]

All those fish are messy eaters and I`m sure that is contributing to the higher nitrates. I would suggest a skimmer, more PWC`s and if that dont work maybe a denitrator.

 

[Thorn Walthall]

I have a Skimmer and was doing 25% monthly water changes now doing 50% bi monthly the tank has been running for almost 5 yrs and just the last couple months have had a problem normally was 0ppm now up to 40 PO.

 

[Thorn Walthall]

40ppm**

 

[J33ps]

What do u have in ur sump I had bio balls and just got rid of them because they were giveing me really high nitrates

 

[Thorn Walthall]

I have Bio balls and lice rock should i throw the old Bio balls away and get new

 

[EriksFish315]

I would rinse them possibly or just get rid of them as they could be holding the nitrates. Move them to a different spot

 

[J33ps]

I would go with chaeto alge it lives on nitrates but u would have to put a cheap light down there

 

[Thorn Walthall]

What would be the best wattage

 

[J33ps]

I went to home depot got one of those metal light fixtures from where they have all the shop light for ten dollars and get a 14 watt fluorescent bulbs make sure it's at least 5000k

 

[J33ps]

Cost me 17 buck and my tanks doing so much better

 

[Thorn Walthall]

Thanks really appreciate the help where would be the best place in the sump to put the algea

 

[J33ps]

I moved the egg crate put it a little ways away from the pump putting the put at the far corner and I rapped the pump with a filter pad so nothing will go through it then put the light on the top of the sump so it was shinning right down on the alge I didn't like the sound of the water flowing and I guess the chaeto alge doesn't like that much flow (at least that's what I heard) so I make shifted another filter pad about 3 in from the top one

 

[J33ps]

I should have that sump filled with chaeto alge by the end of the month then I will cut half of it out again because it grows better and u want to get rid of some for it to collect more nitrates

 

[J33ps]

If u need a better pic let me know I'm using a iPhone so not the greatest

 

[Thorn Walthall]

O yea that works great where is the best place to get it lfs or online

 

[J33ps]

If u can see if anyone has it around u on this forum most people will give it away it grows real fast it's sometime hard to find in a fish store at least in Portland or it is u don't need much because it does grow quick it's about 10 dollars around here when store have it but they don't give u much at all, if u can find someone wanting to give some away and ur fish stores don't have it then u will have to go online

 

[J33ps]

But if it was me I would try here first like I said people will give it away because it grows so quick most people have to throw it away once a month

 

[Thorn Walthall]

OK I'm in TN fish stores around here really don't have Marco stuff so ill prolly have to go online