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05/04/2014, 05:48 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North of Boston Ma.
Posts: 685
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Still batteling Nitrates
Hello all
my 55 gallon FOWLR tank is still showing around 10 ppm nitrates! I have been doing 10% water changes every week with RODI. I have a Koralia 850 GPH power hear running along with a Jebao wp 25 running, HOB skimmer thats working great approximately 50 pounds of live rock, live sand and my canister is only running Clear FX pro, and Sea Chem Sea Gel and ceramic biological meda (I removed all the sponges) Does anyone have any advice on what I may still be doing wrong? I want to eventually start growing corals..... Thank you all... |
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05/04/2014, 06:59 PM
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#2 |
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Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: St. Pete, FL.
Posts: 2,369
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How long has your tank been cycled & what brand of water tests are you using? You might take a water sample to your LFS & have them test it. Personally, I'd slowly get rid of the ceramic media. Your live rock is enough biological media. I'm also not sure you need to be using Clear FX & Sea Gel both...I'd suggest some good GAC (carbon) or maybe some chemi-pure elite.
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I love me some wrasse... & laissez les bon temps rouler! Current Tank Info: 120 gal Vizio |
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05/04/2014, 07:46 PM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Home of 10,000 lakes
Posts: 917
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Are you mixing RO/DI with salt. Where are you getting the RO/DI?
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33G Long, 4x54 watt T5, Tunze 6025, Tunze Osmolator ATO, Tunze Streamfilter 3163 Posts about moving an oversized fish to a bigger tank. Is like hearing every stripper is just working to pay for colle |
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05/05/2014, 06:04 AM
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#4 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North of Boston Ma.
Posts: 685
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Hi...yes I make the RO/DO and then make my salt water before water changes...I make the RO/DI with a Mikro Omega portable filter that I got about 6 weeks ago.
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05/05/2014, 06:14 AM
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#5 |
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Crazy Prophet
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Worcester, MA
Posts: 1,008
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Get rid of the ceramic stuff in the canister filter or better yet get rid of the canister.
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05/05/2014, 06:16 AM
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#6 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North of Boston Ma.
Posts: 685
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Will do today after work....thanks Xavibear...
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05/05/2014, 09:29 AM
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#7 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Panama City Florida
Posts: 24
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How old are your test kits? Had that same problem. Lots of water changes, cut back feeding fish, coral looking bad and I couldn't get the Nitrates to drop. After a months of this it occurred to me to get a new test kit. Nitrates at 0. Took the water to LFS, O nitrates. I had been starving my tank.
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05/05/2014, 10:21 AM
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#8 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,366
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My tank has been running for 3 years and I still run my Nitrates at around 10ppm. I overfeed because I like fat happy fish. Everything and everyone is healthy and everything (including SPS) grows well. 10ppm is not going to hurt anything. When I bring my Nitrates down to zero, which I can and have done, my LPS opens smaller and I lose some color on the SPS.
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24x24x12 Rimless RR * Apex * Reeflink * Radion Pro G2 * MP10wQD * JNS CO-1 Skimmer * Advance Acrylics Custom Sump * Jebao DC2000 |
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05/05/2014, 12:08 PM
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#9 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Memphis, Tn
Posts: 429
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+1 on losing the castister you will never have 0 nitrates unless you clean it faithfully and lose the ceramics i had one on a tank for several years and the lowest my nitrates were about 10 to 15ppms and i had an anemone for 2 years that was very happy. it even split into 4 others after a year and grew almost to 12 inches from just a 4 inch little drop
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90g Reef Octo BH2000 Tek 8x54 T5s 100 lbs of fiji rock Tangs; Magnif foxface; clowns; bar goby; chromis; Cardinal Frogspawns; zoas; scroll; acans; red and blue people eaters; RBTA and Carpet Nems Current Tank Info: 90g and 36g Bow |
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05/05/2014, 12:36 PM
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#10 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: North of Boston Ma.
Posts: 685
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Thank everyone, I'm going to take out the ceramics today. I bought my test kits (API) about 4 months ago now.
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05/05/2014, 12:48 PM
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#11 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: St. Pete, FL.
Posts: 2,369
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I'd also get better test kits like Salifert or Elos...API is pretty unreliable, esp. if you ever plan on doing SPS & need very accurate reading on nitrate, ammonia, CA, ALK & PHOS.
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I love me some wrasse... & laissez les bon temps rouler! Current Tank Info: 120 gal Vizio |
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