Lowering nitrate

madmike10000 · 10/31/2016, 05:29 PM

I have a 75 gallon tank that has been up for a year and I can't seem to get my nitrates to go under 20 ppm. I change 8 gallons a week with rodi water and it doesn't do anything. The tank has been bb for 2 weeks now because I wanted more flow for my sps. And to try to bring it down. I don't know what to try. I don't have any algae growing or anything and my p04 always test 0. Maybe start carbon dosing? But idk very much about that.
Salinity 34ppt Alk 9
Temp 80. Calcium 440
Mag 1350. Phosphate 0
Nitrate 20. Ph 8.2
2x mp40s
Chinese leds
20 gallon sump with filter sock changed ever 3 days

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bertoni · 10/31/2016, 06:13 PM

Water changes typically don't work. Carbon dosing might be reasonable to try. Reducing the feeding might be helpful as well.

Tanthaitrung · 10/31/2016, 06:48 PM

Volka, vinegar, NO3:PO4-X or chaeto will help. Try to adjust skimmer export more, vacuum sand bed, exchange filter shock regularly

madmike10000 · 10/31/2016, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tanthaitrung

Volka, vinegar, NO3:PO4-X or chaeto will help. Try to adjust skimmer export more, vacuum sand bed, exchange filter shock regularly

No sand in my tank and I change every 3 days. I have no fuge. I bought some vodka and I'm gonna try to vodka dose.

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Reefable · 11/01/2016, 12:27 PM

Nopox works great along with reduced feeding. I had the same issue and I got it down thru reduced feeding and using nopox. My nitrates were at 40-50ppm a month ago and now its between 2-5ppm.

Mad_Reefer · 11/01/2016, 01:03 PM

Deep sand bed and macro algae has always worked for me.

sandipan.ece · 11/01/2016, 02:04 PM

I know some dont agree, but I think for tanks smaller than 75 gallons (and yours is right on the mark), water change is an effective nutrient export method. Particularly when your nitrate is too high and you need to bring it down quickly.
Apart from water change, I personally use a good quality skimmer and an Algae scrubber from Santa Monica. Both are very effective in exporting nutrient and thereby reducing nitrates.

mannytorres16 · 11/01/2016, 02:40 PM

i have a 40 gal, and I remember I had really high nitrates in my aquarium years ago, in the high hundreds! and many large water changes helped me lower them to about 10ppm, but it took like 3 weeks for me to fix that prob(I had no fish when I had this prob). I severely lacked maintenance when this happened, but now I learned my lesson and change 10-15% of my water every 2 weeks. in my opinion and experience water changes DO WORK. so maybe you just need to do a bigger water change, feed less, and do plenty of maintenance.

bertoni · 11/01/2016, 05:20 PM

The problem with using water changes to lower the nitrate level is that the level can bounce back up very quickly if there's an underlying problem, like insufficient filtration. If a tank is new or has had some shock, then water changes can help a lot.

madmike10000 · 11/02/2016, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

The problem with using water changes to lower the nitrate level is that the level can bounce back up very quickly if there's an underlying problem, like insufficient filtration. If a tank is new or has had some shock, then water changes can help a lot.

It does bounce back quick when I do large water changes. Idk why thought.

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madmike10000 · 11/02/2016, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannytorres16

i have a 40 gal, and I remember I had really high nitrates in my aquarium years ago, in the high hundreds! and many large water changes helped me lower them to about 10ppm, but it took like 3 weeks for me to fix that prob(I had no fish when I had this prob). I severely lacked maintenance when this happened, but now I learned my lesson and change 10-15% of my water every 2 weeks. in my opinion and experience water changes DO WORK. so maybe you just need to do a bigger water change, feed less, and do plenty of maintenance.

I change about 12% a week. I barely feed as it is. I have a 2 clowns, yellow wrasse, pajama cardinal. I change my socks every 3 days and I skim wet with a bubble Magnus curve 5. My matenence is pretty good. Every time I try to do large water changes it just goes back up to 20

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NaturalReef · 11/02/2016, 08:01 AM

Also make sure there isn't a detritus trap somewhere in your tank or sump. In the back filtration area of my IM lagoon 50 there are dead spots where detritus collects. I have to use a turkey baster to clear those areas of detritus.

spkennyva · 11/02/2016, 12:21 PM

This helped me:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2526998

fixingstill · 11/27/2016, 10:09 AM

All-in-one NP BioPellets? I am still reading about it. It says it could lower the nitrate...

waterman78 · 11/28/2016, 01:45 AM

My suggestion would be to clean your skimmer and other pieces of equipment. Your skimmer could just be at that point where it needs to be cleaned. Also, try dry skimming to allow the water to be cleaned by the skimmer - - - allow it to do it's job. It sounds like you recently removed the sand from your tank and maybe the tank is cycling again due to your base rock leaching out waste. If you can, add some activated carbon to assist with absorbing the foul waste. Just my two cents.

Larry

jml1149 · 11/28/2016, 04:06 PM

Not to be silly, but have you tried a different test kit? I was using a Salifert test kit, and my results were significantly higher than expected. So I went out and got an API test kit, and my results were much more reasonable. Now that I had two different test results, I sent off for one of the AquaMedic samples, and the API kit was much closer to the professional results than the Salifert kit. Sometimes, just get bad batches. Probably the case in my experience.

Long story short, if you're that concerned about it, before you do anything drastic, I would verify your results with another, independent test kit. I think the API nitrate test kit runs 8 bucks at the local pet store (not LFS).

madmike10000 · 11/28/2016, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jml1149

Not to be silly, but have you tried a different test kit? I was using a Salifert test kit, and my results were significantly higher than expected. So I went out and got an API test kit, and my results were much more reasonable. Now that I had two different test results, I sent off for one of the AquaMedic samples, and the API kit was much closer to the professional results than the Salifert kit. Sometimes, just get bad batches. Probably the case in my experience.

Long story short, if you're that concerned about it, before you do anything drastic, I would verify your results with another, independent test kit. I think the API nitrate test kit runs 8 bucks at the local pet store (not LFS).

I tested my friends aquarium and it showed zero just like he said it was as well as my brothers tank is at around 5 which was correct so I don't think it's the test kit.

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organism · 11/28/2016, 08:24 PM

I think vodka dosing might be a good way to go, just start off really slow. There's an article in Reefkeeping magazine that might help, it's what I used.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/

biecacka · 11/28/2016, 08:42 PM

I use a homemade nopox mixture. Vodka and vinegar and it helped lower mine last year.

Corey

bertoni · 11/29/2016, 11:18 AM

I agree that any kind of detritus trap, like sponges, biological filter media, or many types of sand, can lead to a higher nitrate level. I'd look there. How much food is going into the tank each day, and what types?

penkey49harley · 12/01/2016, 08:50 PM

Corey, can I ask what are your ratios of vinegar and vodka? Anything else you mix for your homemade concoction? :-)

dartier · 12/05/2016, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by penkey49harley

Corey, can I ask what are your ratios of vinegar and vodka? Anything else you mix for your homemade concoction? :-)

You can find the DIY NOPOX recipe in this thread (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2408985)

Dennis

10/31/2016, 05:29 PM	#1
madmike10000 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 159	Lowering nitrate I have a 75 gallon tank that has been up for a year and I can't seem to get my nitrates to go under 20 ppm. I change 8 gallons a week with rodi water and it doesn't do anything. The tank has been bb for 2 weeks now because I wanted more flow for my sps. And to try to bring it down. I don't know what to try. I don't have any algae growing or anything and my p04 always test 0. Maybe start carbon dosing? But idk very much about that. Salinity 34ppt Alk 9 Temp 80. Calcium 440 Mag 1350. Phosphate 0 Nitrate 20. Ph 8.2 2x mp40s Chinese leds 20 gallon sump with filter sock changed ever 3 days Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

10/31/2016, 06:13 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Water changes typically don't work. Carbon dosing might be reasonable to try. Reducing the feeding might be helpful as well. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/01/2016, 02:04 PM	#7
sandipan.ece Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 53	I know some dont agree, but I think for tanks smaller than 75 gallons (and yours is right on the mark), water change is an effective nutrient export method. Particularly when your nitrate is too high and you need to bring it down quickly. Apart from water change, I personally use a good quality skimmer and an Algae scrubber from Santa Monica. Both are very effective in exporting nutrient and thereby reducing nitrates. __________________ Regards, Sandi Current Tank Info: 43 Gallon, Redsea reefer 170

11/01/2016, 05:20 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The problem with using water changes to lower the nitrate level is that the level can bounce back up very quickly if there's an underlying problem, like insufficient filtration. If a tank is new or has had some shock, then water changes can help a lot. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

11/28/2016, 01:45 AM	#15
waterman78 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Van Nuys, CA Posts: 1,337	My suggestion would be to clean your skimmer and other pieces of equipment. Your skimmer could just be at that point where it needs to be cleaned. Also, try dry skimming to allow the water to be cleaned by the skimmer - - - allow it to do it's job. It sounds like you recently removed the sand from your tank and maybe the tank is cycling again due to your base rock leaching out waste. If you can, add some activated carbon to assist with absorbing the foul waste. Just my two cents. Larry __________________ I am truly grateful to receive any useful information about this hobby each day... :idea: Current Tank Info: Reef: 40g breeder with a Aquamaxx HOB skimmer, 250w MH pendant and a 1/10hp chiller.

10/31/2016, 06:48 PM	#3
Tanthaitrung Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 565	Volka, vinegar, NO3:PO4-X or chaeto will help. Try to adjust skimmer export more, vacuum sand bed, exchange filter shock regularly

11/01/2016, 12:27 PM	#5
Reefable Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 213	Nopox works great along with reduced feeding. I had the same issue and I got it down thru reduced feeding and using nopox. My nitrates were at 40-50ppm a month ago and now its between 2-5ppm.

11/01/2016, 01:03 PM	#6
Mad_Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 249	Deep sand bed and macro algae has always worked for me.

11/01/2016, 02:40 PM	#8
mannytorres16 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 1	i have a 40 gal, and I remember I had really high nitrates in my aquarium years ago, in the high hundreds! and many large water changes helped me lower them to about 10ppm, but it took like 3 weeks for me to fix that prob(I had no fish when I had this prob). I severely lacked maintenance when this happened, but now I learned my lesson and change 10-15% of my water every 2 weeks. in my opinion and experience water changes DO WORK. so maybe you just need to do a bigger water change, feed less, and do plenty of maintenance.

11/02/2016, 08:01 AM	#12
NaturalReef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Kankakee,Illinois Posts: 369	Also make sure there isn't a detritus trap somewhere in your tank or sump. In the back filtration area of my IM lagoon 50 there are dead spots where detritus collects. I have to use a turkey baster to clear those areas of detritus.

11/02/2016, 12:21 PM	#13
spkennyva Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Suffolk, VA Posts: 195	This helped me: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2526998

11/27/2016, 10:09 AM	#14
fixingstill Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 249	All-in-one NP BioPellets? I am still reading about it. It says it could lower the nitrate...

11/28/2016, 04:06 PM	#16
jml1149 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Southern CT Posts: 818	Not to be silly, but have you tried a different test kit? I was using a Salifert test kit, and my results were significantly higher than expected. So I went out and got an API test kit, and my results were much more reasonable. Now that I had two different test results, I sent off for one of the AquaMedic samples, and the API kit was much closer to the professional results than the Salifert kit. Sometimes, just get bad batches. Probably the case in my experience. Long story short, if you're that concerned about it, before you do anything drastic, I would verify your results with another, independent test kit. I think the API nitrate test kit runs 8 bucks at the local pet store (not LFS). __________________ 120g mixed reefer.

11/28/2016, 08:24 PM	#18
organism code monkey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: south bay Posts: 6,223	I think vodka dosing might be a good way to go, just start off really slow. There's an article in Reefkeeping magazine that might help, it's what I used. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/ __________________ I don't always grow frags... but when I do, I prefer Dos Acros

11/28/2016, 08:42 PM	#19
biecacka Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 6,361	I use a homemade nopox mixture. Vodka and vinegar and it helped lower mine last year. Corey

11/29/2016, 11:18 AM	#20
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that any kind of detritus trap, like sponges, biological filter media, or many types of sand, can lead to a higher nitrate level. I'd look there. How much food is going into the tank each day, and what types? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

12/01/2016, 08:50 PM	#21
penkey49harley Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 56	Corey, can I ask what are your ratios of vinegar and vodka? Anything else you mix for your homemade concoction? :-)