Too Much Nitrate????

smalls383 · 03/09/2008, 06:08 PM

I am in the 6th week of my tank cycling. I have nothing in the tank except the LR and LS....

My nitrates are at about 40-50 and won't seem to decrease. I have had no signs of ammonia or nitrites for about 3 1/2 weeks, but I did have an initial spike...

I did my first water change last week of about 10% and also repaced the filter sock....which was dirty....

However, I cant seem to get my nitrates to a safe level for a CUC....or do you think it is fine???? or should I still wait longer.

Any suggestions please would be helpful, thanks

blacklake · 03/09/2008, 06:24 PM

Sometimes you need to do more than a ten % water change. Also go to your local fish stoe that you trust get another nice piece of live rock and add that to it sometimes you can believe it or not lower your nitrate levels by adding another live rock.Trev.

blacklake · 03/09/2008, 06:25 PM

Sometimes you need to do more than a ten % water change. I had the same problem you just need to keep on the water changes and maybe add another piece of live rock from a cycled tank. Trev.

smalls383 · 03/09/2008, 06:28 PM

Really....more LR??? I already have 90lbs in a 54 gallon corner tank...

I guess I am shooting for 0 trates....however, is this not really reasonable at this stage in my tank?

At a level of 40 trates, is that not safe for CUC??

Chago09 · 03/09/2008, 06:32 PM

1.) are you using tap water?? if so check the nitrate level of that water??? switch to RO

2.) Do a another water change. 15-20% . You trates should come down. Then it should be safe to bring in some crabs. They will eat up some of the junk in between the rocks that could be causing the high Nitrate. Don't get any shrimp or anything like that yet

smalls383 · 03/09/2008, 06:36 PM

I initially filled the tank with tap...ever since then I have gone through about 20 gallons for fill ups and that one water change....I used RO

I do have some debris in the back areas of my tank....stuff that came off the rocks cause I wasnt smart enough to scrub or wash the LR (fiji premium uncrured) before I put it in there....could this be causeing the high trates?

tuckrule · 03/09/2008, 06:40 PM

you mentioned a filter sock. How often do you change it? I would change it every 3 days. Also are you skimming? You could possibly ditch the sock all together until you add livestock. That might help, and def keep up on those water changes

blacklake · 03/09/2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chago09
1.) are you using tap water?? if so check the nitrate level of that water??? switch to RO good idea! Trev.

2.) Do a another water change. 15-20% . You trates should come down. Then it should be safe to bring in some crabs. They will eat up some of the junk in between the rocks that could be causing the high Nitrate. Don't get any shrimp or anything like that yet

smalls383 · 03/09/2008, 06:54 PM

I am using a filter sock and yes I do get kinda lazy about it...I change it when it starts to overflow....about 2 weeks. I attempted to ditch the sock but it really disturbed everything in my tank....

The sock calms the water from the drain pipe into the sump. When I took it off, it started letting a lot of air get into my water....too much IMO.

Do you think that I should take it out, it does a good job reducing the water waves created by the drain pipe in my sump.

MYDRAAL · 03/09/2008, 07:09 PM

Just clean it weekly if you don't want it to add to your Nitrate problem. Uncured live rock will have a lot of die off, srubbing it off before you added it to your tank probably would have helped with some of the issues your having now. I would scrub off any dead looking debri that you still see. Between that and water changes you should see a decrease in nitrates. It will be a while before your system will convert the nitrates on its own, so just do weekly water changes for now. If you want to start adding some of your CUC now just stick with a couple hermits and snails. Once you get everything in check you can start adding more.

smalls383 · 03/09/2008, 07:15 PM

Ok, I think I will add a small amout. What is too high for nitrates.

It is kinda hard to read the API kit but it appears to be around 40 or so...what if it got up to 80, but still 0 for ammonia and trites....how toxic is this for fish?

Chago09 · 03/09/2008, 07:25 PM

for fish I would say less than 30 is "ok" but around 10-15 would be optimal. For corals less than 5 is required. 80 would be bad for everything, even cichlids LOL

Blown 346 · 03/09/2008, 08:05 PM

I agree, clean out the filter sock a few times a week. When you do your waterchnage, do 20%. While yout in there, siphon out the crap that is on the sand bed etc.

By adding rock, there wont be a change in nitrates.

smalls383 · 03/09/2008, 08:12 PM

Blown 346 hugh....would be a nice race for my 02 408 stroked SS with a 150 shot!!!!!

LOL would be fun...

How do I clean out the filter sock?

03/09/2008, 06:08 PM	#1
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	Too Much Nitrate???? I am in the 6th week of my tank cycling. I have nothing in the tank except the LR and LS.... My nitrates are at about 40-50 and won't seem to decrease. I have had no signs of ammonia or nitrites for about 3 1/2 weeks, but I did have an initial spike... I did my first water change last week of about 10% and also repaced the filter sock....which was dirty.... However, I cant seem to get my nitrates to a safe level for a CUC....or do you think it is fine???? or should I still wait longer. Any suggestions please would be helpful, thanks

03/09/2008, 06:24 PM	#2
blacklake Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Traverse MI Posts: 78	Sometimes you need to do more than a ten % water change. Also go to your local fish stoe that you trust get another nice piece of live rock and add that to it sometimes you can believe it or not lower your nitrate levels by adding another live rock.Trev. __________________ Honey is it ok if I go to the fish store?

03/09/2008, 06:25 PM	#3
blacklake Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Traverse MI Posts: 78	Sometimes you need to do more than a ten % water change. I had the same problem you just need to keep on the water changes and maybe add another piece of live rock from a cycled tank. Trev. __________________ Honey is it ok if I go to the fish store?

03/09/2008, 06:32 PM	#5
Chago09 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Georgetown Posts: 1,132	1.) are you using tap water?? if so check the nitrate level of that water??? switch to RO 2.) Do a another water change. 15-20% . You trates should come down. Then it should be safe to bring in some crabs. They will eat up some of the junk in between the rocks that could be causing the high Nitrate. Don't get any shrimp or anything like that yet __________________ Currently no tank!

03/09/2008, 06:40 PM	#7
tuckrule Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Greece, NY Posts: 887	you mentioned a filter sock. How often do you change it? I would change it every 3 days. Also are you skimming? You could possibly ditch the sock all together until you add livestock. That might help, and def keep up on those water changes __________________ Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't. Current Tank Info: 90G reef 20g sump 2/250mh 4vhos

03/09/2008, 06:28 PM	#4
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	Really....more LR??? I already have 90lbs in a 54 gallon corner tank... I guess I am shooting for 0 trates....however, is this not really reasonable at this stage in my tank? At a level of 40 trates, is that not safe for CUC??

03/09/2008, 06:36 PM	#6
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	I initially filled the tank with tap...ever since then I have gone through about 20 gallons for fill ups and that one water change....I used RO I do have some debris in the back areas of my tank....stuff that came off the rocks cause I wasnt smart enough to scrub or wash the LR (fiji premium uncrured) before I put it in there....could this be causeing the high trates?

03/09/2008, 06:54 PM	#9
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	I am using a filter sock and yes I do get kinda lazy about it...I change it when it starts to overflow....about 2 weeks. I attempted to ditch the sock but it really disturbed everything in my tank.... The sock calms the water from the drain pipe into the sump. When I took it off, it started letting a lot of air get into my water....too much IMO. Do you think that I should take it out, it does a good job reducing the water waves created by the drain pipe in my sump.

03/09/2008, 07:09 PM	#10
MYDRAAL Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: FWB Posts: 396	Just clean it weekly if you don't want it to add to your Nitrate problem. Uncured live rock will have a lot of die off, srubbing it off before you added it to your tank probably would have helped with some of the issues your having now. I would scrub off any dead looking debri that you still see. Between that and water changes you should see a decrease in nitrates. It will be a while before your system will convert the nitrates on its own, so just do weekly water changes for now. If you want to start adding some of your CUC now just stick with a couple hermits and snails. Once you get everything in check you can start adding more.

03/09/2008, 07:15 PM	#11
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	Ok, I think I will add a small amout. What is too high for nitrates. It is kinda hard to read the API kit but it appears to be around 40 or so...what if it got up to 80, but still 0 for ammonia and trites....how toxic is this for fish?

03/09/2008, 07:25 PM	#12
Chago09 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Georgetown Posts: 1,132	for fish I would say less than 30 is "ok" but around 10-15 would be optimal. For corals less than 5 is required. 80 would be bad for everything, even cichlids LOL __________________ Currently no tank!

03/09/2008, 08:05 PM	#13
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I agree, clean out the filter sock a few times a week. When you do your waterchnage, do 20%. While yout in there, siphon out the crap that is on the sand bed etc. By adding rock, there wont be a change in nitrates.

03/09/2008, 08:12 PM	#14
smalls383 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga, CA Posts: 483	Blown 346 hugh....would be a nice race for my 02 408 stroked SS with a 150 shot!!!!! LOL would be fun... How do I clean out the filter sock?