Nitrates high, water change question?

TonyOrlando · 02/05/2007, 01:46 PM

Over the past month my nitrate level raised to 40 due to overfeeding, die off, and bioballs. Over the past 2 weeks i have added a protein skimmer, and have done 2 water changes and removed most of the bioballs. The first water change i did was 20%, the second one i did 6 days ago was a 50% water change. My nitrates are at 25 now.
My question is, should i do another water change of 50% today/tomorrow even though it was only 6 days since my last, or should i wait another week.
Please give me any suggestions..thanks!!!

BurntOutReefer · 02/05/2007, 01:50 PM

you should be able to do 20% today and then 20% in 6 days........
I do 10% every Saturday......

TonyOrlando · 02/05/2007, 01:54 PM

I can understand regular maintenance water changes of 10-20%, but my nitrates are very high and i have corals and other inverts that im worried about.

teetimefun · 02/05/2007, 03:11 PM

As long as the water has similar PH, temp, salinity, Alk, it is fine to do large water changes.

2fishy · 02/05/2007, 03:19 PM

I have safely done a 20% one day, retested the next day and did a 10%, retested the next day, and did a 10%. I only continued until I got it down to 10 ppm (or lower because its hard to tell between 5 & 10 ppm on my color chart

) And then went back to the 10% water changes weekly. All other readings stayed at zero. My pH was lower when the nitrates were higher but came back to normal as the nitrates came down. I always tested the nitrates before doing the water change and would not have tried this had I not read about doing it.

TonyOrlando · 02/05/2007, 08:18 PM

Ok, thanks alot. Ill take your advice.

02/05/2007, 01:46 PM	#1
TonyOrlando Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Orlando,Florida Posts: 379	Nitrates high, water change question? Over the past month my nitrate level raised to 40 due to overfeeding, die off, and bioballs. Over the past 2 weeks i have added a protein skimmer, and have done 2 water changes and removed most of the bioballs. The first water change i did was 20%, the second one i did 6 days ago was a 50% water change. My nitrates are at 25 now. My question is, should i do another water change of 50% today/tomorrow even though it was only 6 days since my last, or should i wait another week. Please give me any suggestions..thanks!!!

02/05/2007, 03:19 PM	#5
2fishy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Rhinelander, WI Posts: 918	I have safely done a 20% one day, retested the next day and did a 10%, retested the next day, and did a 10%. I only continued until I got it down to 10 ppm (or lower because its hard to tell between 5 & 10 ppm on my color chart ) And then went back to the 10% water changes weekly. All other readings stayed at zero. My pH was lower when the nitrates were higher but came back to normal as the nitrates came down. I always tested the nitrates before doing the water change and would not have tried this had I not read about doing it. __________________ Carole Current Tank Info: 55 gal

02/05/2007, 01:50 PM	#2
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	you should be able to do 20% today and then 20% in 6 days........ I do 10% every Saturday......

02/05/2007, 01:54 PM	#3
TonyOrlando Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Orlando,Florida Posts: 379	I can understand regular maintenance water changes of 10-20%, but my nitrates are very high and i have corals and other inverts that im worried about.

02/05/2007, 03:11 PM	#4
teetimefun Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: St. Louis Posts: 281	As long as the water has similar PH, temp, salinity, Alk, it is fine to do large water changes.

02/05/2007, 08:18 PM	#6
TonyOrlando Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Orlando,Florida Posts: 379	Ok, thanks alot. Ill take your advice.