nitrate spike

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 05:02 PM

so any ideas what can cause the nitrate yo spike to over 100 in just a week. im doing a water change now to help lower it but i have no clue what could have happened, nothing in the tank has changed lattly?

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 05:06 PM

i just checked nitrite and it came up 0
no im confused

Peter T · 03/19/2012, 05:17 PM

Have you checked the results with another test kit? Maybe your old test kit is expired. If you are using an API test kit, make sure you shake bottle #2 thoroughly before you use it. Failure to do so may have caused your faulty readings in the past. Or it may of been the reason for your high nitrate readings right now.

If other test kits read the same, you may want to check your RO/DI water source and see if the resin needs to be changed.

Also, if you have added any live rock or disturbed the sand bed recently, it may have released a lot of detritus into the water column and affected your nitrate readings.

About your nitrite reading zero, that is no surprise if you have a cycled aquarium. Concerning the nitrogen cycle, ammonia and nitrite should always be at zero and the only reading that should go up is nitrate.

sporto0 · 03/19/2012, 05:18 PM

Expiration date on test kit?

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 05:19 PM

its a brand new kit doesn't expire untill 2016

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 05:20 PM

i did another test and this one came back lower but still very high
first one was close to the 160 mark, second was closer to the 80 mark

uncleof6 · 03/19/2012, 05:36 PM

How about the nitrite kit? There are nitrate kits that give false readings if there is detectable nitrite present. Have seen this high reading a lot of late, I have never had a reading that high, that is not to say it cannot happen.....

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 05:43 PM

the nitrite kit is new also. i took my water the the LFS store last week. the test was 0 nitrite and 15 nitrate.

no i use this new kit for the first time and 0 nitrite and the really high nitrate. im hoping i am just doing the kit wrong. will see a little bit later when i get done with the water change i guess.

i just wasnt sure if anything could cause a spike this large to happen.

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 05:46 PM

its a new api master kit

Sk8r · 03/19/2012, 05:46 PM

Reasons for high nitrate: too little live rock and sand (s/b) 1 lb each per gallon min.
2) sponges not cleaned.
3) filters not cleaned.
4) overfeeding.
5) tank is still cycling, bioload pushed too high too fast.
6) sandbed was disturbed.
7) tank is overloaded with fish.

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 06:05 PM

well i just replaces my filters a week ago, only have 6 fish in the tank, and i cut the amount i feed them in half so i dont think that is it at all. the one thing i do do is spray my live rock like twice a week to get the derby off. is this a bad thing to do?

BigCountry74 · 03/19/2012, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tada1096

the one thing i do do is spray my live rock like twice a week to get the derby off. is this a bad thing to do?

yeah man do not do that. that's why the live rock is there. i bet your knocking bio up into the water everytime. let the tank sit for a week and check the nitrates again.

uncleof6 · 03/19/2012, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tada1096

the nitrite kit is new also. i took my water the the LFS store last week. the test was 0 nitrite and 15 nitrate.

no i use this new kit for the first time and 0 nitrite and the really high nitrate. im hoping i am just doing the kit wrong. will see a little bit later when i get done with the water change i guess.

i just wasnt sure if anything could cause a spike this large to happen.

This is the time to have the reading confirmed by the LFS again, before you get off on a tangent about things with your tank, not being up to the rules of thumb. Nitrate is going to continue to rise, over time, this is a normal part of a HOME aquarium, without some intervention in the form of dedicated export, along with PWC's, though the dedicated export is more efficient, overall, rather than the percentage of a percentage reduction with PWC's.

With your current bio load, if your Ammonia is zero, (have it confirmed) you are doing fine. Nitrite is of no concern. The nitrates will continue to rise. Macro algae is the first step, along with a good skimmer correctly sized for the system. "Too little" live rock, just means you will have better circulation in the tank--far more important.

The reasoning behind my saying have the tests confirmed, is only to a point where you are comfortable with the results you get with the test kits, and then such confirmation would not be needed.

Peter T · 03/19/2012, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tada1096

well i just replaces my filters a week ago, only have 6 fish in the tank, and i cut the amount i feed them in half so i dont think that is it at all. the one thing i do do is spray my live rock like twice a week to get the derby off. is this a bad thing to do?

Its actually a good thing if you have a way of getting the detritus out of the water column. Things such as filter socks, protein skimmers, or mechanical filtration (as long as you clean the filters regularly) will help remove detritus out of the water if you blow off the rocks from time to time. Also blowing the rocks off before a water change never hurts either

SushiGirl · 03/19/2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter T

Its actually a good thing if you have a way of getting the detritus out of the water column. Things such as filter socks, protein skimmers, or mechanical filtration (as long as you clean the filters regularly) will help remove detritus out of the water if you blow off the rocks from time to time. Also blowing the rocks off before a water change never hurts either

+1

Also, make sure you're not reading the nitrate result after more than 5 minutes of it sitting. The longer it sits, the darker it gets. If you forget & read it 15 or 30 minutes later, it's gonna look really high.

tada1096 · 03/19/2012, 09:56 PM

so assuming my test kits is correct, (i tested again after a 5 gallon water change and its between the 80- and 160 reading) what do i do know just keep doing water changes every few days and hope everything lives?

03/19/2012, 05:02 PM	#1
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	nitrate spike so any ideas what can cause the nitrate yo spike to over 100 in just a week. im doing a water change now to help lower it but i have no clue what could have happened, nothing in the tank has changed lattly?

03/19/2012, 05:17 PM	#3
Peter T Gallantly Forward Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 563	Have you checked the results with another test kit? Maybe your old test kit is expired. If you are using an API test kit, make sure you shake bottle #2 thoroughly before you use it. Failure to do so may have caused your faulty readings in the past. Or it may of been the reason for your high nitrate readings right now. If other test kits read the same, you may want to check your RO/DI water source and see if the resin needs to be changed. Also, if you have added any live rock or disturbed the sand bed recently, it may have released a lot of detritus into the water column and affected your nitrate readings. About your nitrite reading zero, that is no surprise if you have a cycled aquarium. Concerning the nitrogen cycle, ammonia and nitrite should always be at zero and the only reading that should go up is nitrate. __________________ Foolproof systems do not take into account the ingenuity of fools - Gene Brown Current Tank Info: 24g Nano reef tank, 40b reef tank. Both fully stocked reef tank housing stomatopods (mantis shrimp)

03/19/2012, 05:36 PM	#7
uncleof6 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: AWOL Posts: 12,013	How about the nitrite kit? There are nitrate kits that give false readings if there is detectable nitrite present. Have seen this high reading a lot of late, I have never had a reading that high, that is not to say it cannot happen..... __________________ "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." (oft attributed to Einstein; most likely paraphrasing by Roger Sessions; compactly articulates the principle of Occam's Razor) Current Tank Info: 325 6' wide Reef

03/19/2012, 05:46 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Reasons for high nitrate: too little live rock and sand (s/b) 1 lb each per gallon min. 2) sponges not cleaned. 3) filters not cleaned. 4) overfeeding. 5) tank is still cycling, bioload pushed too high too fast. 6) sandbed was disturbed. 7) tank is overloaded with fish. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/19/2012, 05:06 PM	#2
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	i just checked nitrite and it came up 0 no im confused

03/19/2012, 05:18 PM	#4
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	Expiration date on test kit?

03/19/2012, 05:19 PM	#5
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	its a brand new kit doesn't expire untill 2016

03/19/2012, 05:20 PM	#6
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	i did another test and this one came back lower but still very high first one was close to the 160 mark, second was closer to the 80 mark

03/19/2012, 05:43 PM	#8
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	the nitrite kit is new also. i took my water the the LFS store last week. the test was 0 nitrite and 15 nitrate. no i use this new kit for the first time and 0 nitrite and the really high nitrate. im hoping i am just doing the kit wrong. will see a little bit later when i get done with the water change i guess. i just wasnt sure if anything could cause a spike this large to happen.

03/19/2012, 06:05 PM	#11
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	well i just replaces my filters a week ago, only have 6 fish in the tank, and i cut the amount i feed them in half so i dont think that is it at all. the one thing i do do is spray my live rock like twice a week to get the derby off. is this a bad thing to do?

03/19/2012, 09:56 PM	#16
tada1096 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Walcott, ND Posts: 133	so assuming my test kits is correct, (i tested again after a 5 gallon water change and its between the 80- and 160 reading) what do i do know just keep doing water changes every few days and hope everything lives?