nitrates surprise-help!

j_rizzo · 09/15/2011, 01:01 AM

Help, please, with my problem:[describe]

Size of tank: [in gallons] 40 ish

Age of tank [days? Weeks? Years?]:1 month
Sump? yes, 5 gallons
Skimmer: coralife
nitrate: around 80 ppm
ammonia: 0
temperature: 78.0 to 81.0
Water source {ro, ro/di, tap} ro/di
Salinity: [eg, 1.024] 1.024
Alkalinity: [eg, 8.3] unsure
Lights [mh/T5/LED, other] 2 actinic, 2 t5, 2 moonlight LED
Calcium: [eg, 420] unsure
Magnesium {eg, 1500] unsure
Dosing?[list other additives used, if any] none
Specimen dipped [in what] or quarantined or previously treated

new tank, TBS live rock added 10 days ago, second half + CUC 2 days ago. Ammonia has never been over 0, just tested nitrates/nitrites via salifert and my nitrates were just a shade under 100. snails/hermits very active, corals/sponges seem good, extended. brittle star and cukes are inactive, very concerned about nitrate levels. beginning a 10% water change in a few minutes.

WIll this correct my nitrate level? Nitrites were right around 1 ppm and I havent dine any water changes since adding live rock. Trying not to panic...

jonathansruelas · 09/15/2011, 01:09 AM

I would Do a 50% water change, check if anything is dead in tank? The live rock could have been dead and all the live animals living on the rock could have caused the nitrate outbreak.. did you fully cycle tank? nitrites shouldnt be above 0 zero

j_rizzo · 09/15/2011, 01:40 AM

Got the LR from TBS. had about 2/3 of it in the tank for 10 days with no ammonia spike at all testing 3 times a day. Rest of LR went in 2 days ago along with a few assorted gorgonians and sponges, all of which seem to be doing well. CUC came along with the second LR shipment- everything is still alive although the 2 cukes are still a bit lethargic. Everything on the LR seems to be doing pretty well actually, not sure where the nitrate spike came from.

I do ahve an issue with water changes, as the LR goes up nearly to the top of my tank, how detrimental is it to leave it exposed while I change the water? I can do around 5 gallons at a time (about 12% ) and still leave the rock reasonably submerged.

thegrun · 09/15/2011, 07:11 AM

You are getting ahead of yourself. If you just added additional live rock you are likely to start a new cycle, if the first cycle was even complete. It's way too early to be adding a clean up crew or corals. I would make a large water change and then slow way down. Wait to see if you have an ammonia spike and for your nitrites to drop to zero for a week before adding anything else to your tank.

BluespotLady · 09/15/2011, 07:22 AM

The LR will be fine as long as it stays moist. Sponges and gorgs should stay submerged though.

50% water change will reduce 80 ppm nitrates to 40 ppm.
5% water change will only reduce it to 76 ppm.

It takes a lot longer with smaller water changes to get the same result as a large one. If you aren't comfortable with a 50% water change, do something like a 20 or 25%.

When I got my second shipment from TBS, it cycled. Some of the stuff that is on the rock just doesn't do well in shipping or a new tank and you get dieoff.

You might want to add a polyfilter to help with any potential ammonia spike. Or PRIME will detoxify ammonia and nitrite if you end up with that problem. Personally, I don't worry too much about nitrate alone, I just do water changes until it comes down. The critters/CUC will be sluggish for a while after shipping, but watch them closely and remove if they die.

j_rizzo · 09/15/2011, 05:24 PM

Thanks for the replies!

Just completed my second water change, first on last night was around 10% and today I got to about 25%.

Ammonia is still reading 0, nitrates look to be more around the 50 ppm range. I could use some advice on the salifert test kits- seems really hard to judge the colors to me- if I set the test vial on top of the 50 ppm stripe I can see its a lot darker than the water in the vial, but just sitting on the white part it looks more even with it. The ammonia vial stays a cloudy white color every time- I assume this is good :-)

The top rocks have just a ton of sponges and stuff on them, they were out of the water for maybe a total of 1 min while I poured the new water in. In hindsight I wish I would have oredered a bit less LR to allow more room for water changes but lesson learned.

Cukes moved around a bit today while I was at work, and a lot more life popped out of the LR, so I guess I will contiue to do 20% changes till things stabilize.

Quick question- the gorgonians and the sponges that came with the rock- is there somewhere particular I should anchor them? I have a pretty orange sponge wedged into the LR but the gorgonians are submerged in the sand. they tend to break free a lot- wll they attatch themselves to the LR at the base like an anemone? would like to get them a bit more set in their places as the current topples them over.

again, thanks for the great advice guys and gals!

09/15/2011, 01:01 AM	#1
j_rizzo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Huntington WV Posts: 57	nitrates surprise-help! Help, please, with my problem:[describe] Size of tank: [in gallons] 40 ish Age of tank [days? Weeks? Years?]:1 month Sump? yes, 5 gallons Skimmer: coralife nitrate: around 80 ppm ammonia: 0 temperature: 78.0 to 81.0 Water source {ro, ro/di, tap} ro/di Salinity: [eg, 1.024] 1.024 Alkalinity: [eg, 8.3] unsure Lights [mh/T5/LED, other] 2 actinic, 2 t5, 2 moonlight LED Calcium: [eg, 420] unsure Magnesium {eg, 1500] unsure Dosing?[list other additives used, if any] none Specimen dipped [in what] or quarantined or previously treated new tank, TBS live rock added 10 days ago, second half + CUC 2 days ago. Ammonia has never been over 0, just tested nitrates/nitrites via salifert and my nitrates were just a shade under 100. snails/hermits very active, corals/sponges seem good, extended. brittle star and cukes are inactive, very concerned about nitrate levels. beginning a 10% water change in a few minutes. WIll this correct my nitrate level? Nitrites were right around 1 ppm and I havent dine any water changes since adding live rock. Trying not to panic...

09/15/2011, 07:22 AM	#5
BluespotLady Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 64	The LR will be fine as long as it stays moist. Sponges and gorgs should stay submerged though. 50% water change will reduce 80 ppm nitrates to 40 ppm. 5% water change will only reduce it to 76 ppm. It takes a lot longer with smaller water changes to get the same result as a large one. If you aren't comfortable with a 50% water change, do something like a 20 or 25%. When I got my second shipment from TBS, it cycled. Some of the stuff that is on the rock just doesn't do well in shipping or a new tank and you get dieoff. You might want to add a polyfilter to help with any potential ammonia spike. Or PRIME will detoxify ammonia and nitrite if you end up with that problem. Personally, I don't worry too much about nitrate alone, I just do water changes until it comes down. The critters/CUC will be sluggish for a while after shipping, but watch them closely and remove if they die. __________________ Home of the Baby Picasso! Current Tank Info: 150g display, 55 and 40g baby picassos!

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
From New to the Hobby Forums: Help! Nitrate War and I'm Losing! (African Cichlids)	greenladdy	Advanced Topics	12	08/03/2011 08:08 PM
This noob's ongoing nitrAte war =( Now trying Instant Ocean's Nitrate Reducer. HELP!	greenladdy	New to the Hobby	10	07/31/2011 07:10 PM
When does chaeto consume more nitrates?	MyReef 2b Great	Reef Discussion	8	03/27/2010 11:32 AM
High Ammonia And Nitrate In Reef!?	WillLevantovsky	The Reef Chemistry Forum	7	01/19/2010 10:28 PM
High nitrates help. Shocking levels.	wcoast	New to the Hobby	11	11/25/2009 02:09 PM

09/15/2011, 01:09 AM	#2
jonathansruelas Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sylmar, 91342 Posts: 622	I would Do a 50% water change, check if anything is dead in tank? The live rock could have been dead and all the live animals living on the rock could have caused the nitrate outbreak.. did you fully cycle tank? nitrites shouldnt be above 0 zero

09/15/2011, 01:40 AM	#3
j_rizzo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Huntington WV Posts: 57	Got the LR from TBS. had about 2/3 of it in the tank for 10 days with no ammonia spike at all testing 3 times a day. Rest of LR went in 2 days ago along with a few assorted gorgonians and sponges, all of which seem to be doing well. CUC came along with the second LR shipment- everything is still alive although the 2 cukes are still a bit lethargic. Everything on the LR seems to be doing pretty well actually, not sure where the nitrate spike came from. I do ahve an issue with water changes, as the LR goes up nearly to the top of my tank, how detrimental is it to leave it exposed while I change the water? I can do around 5 gallons at a time (about 12% ) and still leave the rock reasonably submerged.

09/15/2011, 07:11 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	You are getting ahead of yourself. If you just added additional live rock you are likely to start a new cycle, if the first cycle was even complete. It's way too early to be adding a clean up crew or corals. I would make a large water change and then slow way down. Wait to see if you have an ammonia spike and for your nitrites to drop to zero for a week before adding anything else to your tank.

09/15/2011, 05:24 PM	#6
j_rizzo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Huntington WV Posts: 57	Thanks for the replies! Just completed my second water change, first on last night was around 10% and today I got to about 25%. Ammonia is still reading 0, nitrates look to be more around the 50 ppm range. I could use some advice on the salifert test kits- seems really hard to judge the colors to me- if I set the test vial on top of the 50 ppm stripe I can see its a lot darker than the water in the vial, but just sitting on the white part it looks more even with it. The ammonia vial stays a cloudy white color every time- I assume this is good :-) The top rocks have just a ton of sponges and stuff on them, they were out of the water for maybe a total of 1 min while I poured the new water in. In hindsight I wish I would have oredered a bit less LR to allow more room for water changes but lesson learned. Cukes moved around a bit today while I was at work, and a lot more life popped out of the LR, so I guess I will contiue to do 20% changes till things stabilize. Quick question- the gorgonians and the sponges that came with the rock- is there somewhere particular I should anchor them? I have a pretty orange sponge wedged into the LR but the gorgonians are submerged in the sand. they tend to break free a lot- wll they attatch themselves to the LR at the base like an anemone? would like to get them a bit more set in their places as the current topples them over. again, thanks for the great advice guys and gals!