Can't believe I'm asking this?!?

[Dankrencisz]

I took my Fluval canister filter off the tank today. I'm a few days away from a month old. Still having nitrate spikes. Zero ammonia. Diatom blooms but nothing overboard. Thinking the fluval and all the "stuffing" in it could be contributing to my inability to bring the nitrate down. I know that the API test isn't the best but it's all I've got at the moment.

Thoughts? Am I on the right track?

I also upped the circulation in the tank with 2 @ 1300 gallon an hour pumps.

[Dankrencisz]

Sorry. 75g tank

[Comedy Fish]

Usually when Nitrates spike, it means your tank has cycled and you can just do a large water change to remove them. I would wait another week or two and then add some CUC members.

[TylerHaworth]

Are you using 0TDS ro/di water when you mix up your new saltwater?

[Dankrencisz]

Unfortunately I don't have a TDS meter yet. Slowly acquiring gear as I go.

[fredfish13]

If you have zero for ammonia and nitrites and a measurable amount for nitrates, you are cycled. Do a WC, and stock slowly.

One of the ways to bring down nitrates is to do a wc.

[Kona26]

Running a canister filter can more often than not be counter productive. They become for like a nitrate factory depending on how much you clean them. I would just do water changes and make sure you clean out your canister often.

[Dankrencisz]

I removed the offending canister filter. Maybe just run it every now and then to polish the water as needed.

[TylerHaworth]

Make sure your freshly made saltwater has zero nitrates or else you're not going to progress… If it is, then a couple large water changes should result in a significant reduction.

[Dankrencisz]

I'll be honest, after doing freshwater tanks for almost 25 years, I feel naked without a "filter" going in the reef.

[FishAddict87]

I used to run a canister on my old tank and I didn't keep anything in it except a bag of carbon. It was mostly used for flow. Might be worth a try.

[Dankrencisz]

Good idea to keep it for carbon.

[maddmaxx]

Originally Posted by Dankrencisz

Good idea to keep it for carbon.

only keep it to polish the water like you said. keeping it running all the time with carbon in it can still cause the same problems. take it off line and use it only when running carbon to polish the water. once the carbon is exhausted it. take it off line again until you need it again....