Help with my numbers

[agarcia892003]

Just did a test on my numbers today and this is what I got.

salinity 1.023
temp 76.5
Alk in dKH 10.9
ph 7.8
amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 80


Dont have a phosphate test yet. I have been trying to bring my nitrates down by doing water changes and feeding less. I only have a 6 line wrasse a clown fish and a yellow goby in the tank, as well as a cammel shrimp. What can I do to bring my ph up?? Thanks in advanced

[fleming3]

Well, high nitrates are usually the end result of your tank breaking down ammonia. For example - if you feed way too much, that food breaks down, causing ammonia that your live rock will process into nitrate. However, we'll probably need to know a lot more about your tank before we can be sure.

1)What's your tank size and total water volume (if running a sump)
- if running a sump, are you using macroalgae?
2)How long has the tank been established?
3)Can you provide Calcium and Magnesium numbers?
4)Are you running a bare bottom tank or a sand bed? If sand, how deep?
5)Running a skimmer?

Also, take a look at this thread: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=102605

There's tons of useful info about a variety of things related to how you can get back to equilibrium.

[Playa-1]

If you're keeping corals in the tank then you should run your specific gravity around 1.026, Otherwise you Sg is ok. I think you should bump your temp up a little so that it doesn't drop below 78 degrees. The pH of 7.8 is boarderline on the low side. I would suggest you read this article on pH issues. This should shed some light on the subject for you.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

High nitrates can be a challenging issue to deal with. Many people struggle to keep the nitrates under control and it's usually a combination of practices that will get the job done and not a magic bullet.

[undrtkr_00]

Is the pH test a drip (titration) test? If so, the test is most likely inaccurate. With that alkalinity, your pH is probably OK. Or, you need to have better air exchange with your water. Unless you are doing something else to affect your pH (like calcium reactor, etc) it should stay in the "good" range when your alkalinity is good.

[agarcia892003]

for my tests I use an API salt water test kit. I dont use strips. for my alkalinity test I use the Salifert test kit and for my Calcium I use the Red Sea test lab. My calcium is really low im guessing around 300ppm. I use C balance A and B but I have been only adding the Calcium component since my Alkalinity is ok. My tank is a 29 gal biocube with no sump and running carbon on chamber 1 and bioballs on chamber 2. I'm getting rid of the bioballs slowly, and will be adding a protein skimmer instead.

[undrtkr_00]

Yeah, I'd try to double-check that pH reading at an LFS.

API test kits are not nearly as good/reliable as Salifert, IMO. I have never seen a drip pH test that was really accurate.

[agarcia892003]

will it be too dangerous for me to add invertebrates to my tank with this numbers??

[IslandCrow]

Nitrates at that level will be very stressful to inverts. I think fleming is thinking along the right track as far as your nitrates go. If you answer his questions for us, that will help out. But in short, I'd hold off on the inverts for now and continue to work on your nitrates. A skimmer is very helpful in nutrient control, but with a tank your size, you can generally get away with regular water changes as long as you don't overstock or overfeed.

[rale2001]

We'll for the record I was strugglin with nitrate levels of 20 ppm in my 35 gal fowlr. I changed my lighting timing from 8 to 10 hrs a day. Only feed what the fish will eat during that time so not much is wasted and continue to do 10 per water changes. I have a canister filter also I keep my pads rinsed with declorinated water. Fresh carbon every 4 mons I just added a skimmer I'm down to 15ppm in about 2 weeks of my routine. The funny thing about everything I just purchased a firefish and I decided to run test on my lfs's water to see what they working with. Do u know that have the nerve to have a nitrate level of 120ppm I said wow and btw I had 2 damsels a clown pair a banded coral shrimp 5 hermits and 5 snails. So 80 is not the end of the world just means u got work to do and inverts as part of a CUC will be fine.

[undrtkr_00]

Originally Posted by rale2001

. Do u know that have the nerve to have a nitrate level of 120ppm I said wow

I think I would fire my LFS!!

[garzaci]

What is your complete stocking list. If all you have is fish it could be possible to do a 50% water change. Make sure everything matches. Cal, alk, temp, etc. Right off the bat you will be down to 40ppm nitrates.

[agarcia892003]

Originally Posted by fleming3

Well, high nitrates are usually the end result of your tank breaking down ammonia. For example - if you feed way too much, that food breaks down, causing ammonia that your live rock will process into nitrate. However, we'll probably need to know a lot more about your tank before we can be sure.

1)What's your tank size and total water volume (if running a sump)
- if running a sump, are you using macroalgae?
2)How long has the tank been established?
3)Can you provide Calcium and Magnesium numbers?
4)Are you running a bare bottom tank or a sand bed? If sand, how deep?
5)Running a skimmer?

Also, take a look at this thread: http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...hreadid=102605

There's tons of useful info about a variety of things related to how you can get back to equilibrium.

1. 29gal biocube no sump and no macroalgea..
2. the tank has been set up for about 2 years.
3. my calcium is about 300ppm and no magnesium numbers at this time.
4. Im running a sand bed of about 1.5-2 inches..
5. No skimmer yet but will buy one soon.

in a wek time ive done about 3 water changes , changed my carbon as well and my number went from 160 nitrate to 80 in about a week.

[costellow]

IME bioballs are a nitrate factory. Get rid of them.

[fleming3]

Sounds like you're on the right track for helping to bring these down. +1 that the bio balls will be a big contributor to the problem, so it's definitely good that you're slowly removing those. Since we don't have any of the "traditional" means of nitrate removal (deep sand bed, macroalgae), you'll just have to keep on those water changes. I think if you stick to your current path - less feeding, more water changes (and maybe bigger), and removing the bio balls, your nitrates will get down to a much more reasonable level.

On another note, I know they're expensive, but getting a Mg test will definitely help you get an idea of how to get the other params in check. You want to make sure the "trifecta" parameters (Alk, Calc, and MG) are in line. The magnesium component actually helps your water hold more calcium. It would seem that the general consensus is to have a Mg level that's triple your calcium level. A lot of reefers shoot for 1350 Mg. pH can be so closely tied to the "trifecta" parameters that you'll want to know what's going on so you can properly gauge how to get back in line. I can't attest to the specifics of reef chemistry like some on these forums can - so I'd check over in the chemistry forum for Randy Holmes-Farley's posts. His reef chemistry knowledge is legendary.

[agarcia892003]

Thanks alot for the help and hopefully I will get this nitrate problem under control.