High Nitrate issues

m000240 · 10/19/2006, 02:43 PM

I'm looking for a little help and information.

I have a 75 gallon, up and running for 5 months.
I have had zero proplems

This week I had Nitrates climb between 60-80 ppm and stay this high.

I added Chempure to the filter and reduced feedings as of last night. I added more live rock yesterday along with changing all filters. Last week I did a 20-30 gallon water change (ro water, nothing different from before)

All life in tank looks normal with the exception of my Hippo tang. She is going crazy, she has nested herself at one end of the tank pacing back and forth up and down like she's on crack. As soon as the lights are off she heads to her bed for the night and then starts again when the lights come on.

I live in Hawaii and due to the Earthquake on SUN. We lost power for 14 hours, water temp reached 83.5 . Could this be part of my problem?
I spent most the morning reading the threads on the Chemistry and reading the provided links surrounding my issue and still I'm not sure what else if anything I should do.

I'm still a novice to this hobby and would take any advice you can give.

Thanks
Chrissi

laurentb · 10/19/2006, 03:33 PM

if you have a sump, put some colerpa algea in it. this will get rid of your nitrate in no time.

m000240 · 10/19/2006, 04:36 PM

What if I don't have a sump?

chocolateblnt · 10/19/2006, 04:48 PM

You can still use chaetomorpha and just place the ball in your main tank. However I think you need to do another water change like last week's. You're Tang won't make it much longer in those conditions, probably developing ich already : / ...

I too am currently experiencing nitrates but not nearly as high and am considering dosing vodka.

Sk8r · 10/19/2006, 04:51 PM

I saw the word 'filter.' This may be the heart of your problem. Are you running a skimmer? Do you have live sand, live rock?

Ls/lr should be enough for most circumstances. A HOB [hangonback] skimmer would help a lot. A filter is a notorious problem, because it doesn't complete the nitrite > nitrite >nitrogen gas cycle. It stops at nitrate, and it builds up, with ammonia, in the filter, and gets put back into the tank. The live rock and sand can't keep up with the exchange, because it's not getting the food that went into the filter. And every time you clean the filter you start a mini-cycle all over again. Filters are usually useful for fish-only tanks with predators, but not so with corals. The power outage likely had something to do with it. The temperature alone wouldn't have done it, but nothing was moving for a while through that filter, and nastiness may have built up there.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 10/19/2006, 05:31 PM

There are lots of ways to decrease nitrate. I prefer skimming and macroalgae, but there are many other methods, most of which are detailed in these articles:

Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...t2003/chem.htm

m000240 · 10/19/2006, 06:11 PM

Live rock, Yes
Live Sand, Yes
Filter Yes
Skimmer yes I have it running on hight today I have dumped the crap out twice aready.

I'll do a large volume WC as soon as I can get more salt.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 10/20/2006, 04:47 AM

In the long run, water changes are not the best way to keep nitrate down. I show that in this article:

Water Changes in Reef Aquaria
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php

Here's a typical expected result:

Figure 12. Nitrate concentration as a function of time when performing daily water changes equivalent to 0% (no changes), 7.5%, 15% and 30% of the total volume each month (in other words, 0%, 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% per day). In this example, nitrate is present at 100 ppm at the start, and is accumulated at a rate of 0.1 ppm per day when no water is changed.

10/19/2006, 02:43 PM	#1
m000240 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 69	High Nitrate issues I'm looking for a little help and information. I have a 75 gallon, up and running for 5 months. I have had zero proplems This week I had Nitrates climb between 60-80 ppm and stay this high. I added Chempure to the filter and reduced feedings as of last night. I added more live rock yesterday along with changing all filters. Last week I did a 20-30 gallon water change (ro water, nothing different from before) All life in tank looks normal with the exception of my Hippo tang. She is going crazy, she has nested herself at one end of the tank pacing back and forth up and down like she's on crack. As soon as the lights are off she heads to her bed for the night and then starts again when the lights come on. I live in Hawaii and due to the Earthquake on SUN. We lost power for 14 hours, water temp reached 83.5 . Could this be part of my problem? I spent most the morning reading the threads on the Chemistry and reading the provided links surrounding my issue and still I'm not sure what else if anything I should do. I'm still a novice to this hobby and would take any advice you can give. Thanks Chrissi Last edited by m000240; 10/19/2006 at 03:14 PM.

10/19/2006, 04:51 PM	#5
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I saw the word 'filter.' This may be the heart of your problem. Are you running a skimmer? Do you have live sand, live rock? Ls/lr should be enough for most circumstances. A HOB [hangonback] skimmer would help a lot. A filter is a notorious problem, because it doesn't complete the nitrite > nitrite >nitrogen gas cycle. It stops at nitrate, and it builds up, with ammonia, in the filter, and gets put back into the tank. The live rock and sand can't keep up with the exchange, because it's not getting the food that went into the filter. And every time you clean the filter you start a mini-cycle all over again. Filters are usually useful for fish-only tanks with predators, but not so with corals. The power outage likely had something to do with it. The temperature alone wouldn't have done it, but nothing was moving for a while through that filter, and nastiness may have built up there. __________________ 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%.

10/19/2006, 05:31 PM	#6
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	There are lots of ways to decrease nitrate. I prefer skimming and macroalgae, but there are many other methods, most of which are detailed in these articles: Phosphate and the Reef Aquarium http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-09/rhf/index.php Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...t2003/chem.htm __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

10/20/2006, 04:47 AM	#8
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	In the long run, water changes are not the best way to keep nitrate down. I show that in this article: Water Changes in Reef Aquaria http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/index.php Here's a typical expected result: Figure 12. Nitrate concentration as a function of time when performing daily water changes equivalent to 0% (no changes), 7.5%, 15% and 30% of the total volume each month (in other words, 0%, 0.25%, 0.5% and 1% per day). In this example, nitrate is present at 100 ppm at the start, and is accumulated at a rate of 0.1 ppm per day when no water is changed. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

10/19/2006, 03:33 PM	#2
laurentb Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Fort Worth TEXAS Posts: 127	if you have a sump, put some colerpa algea in it. this will get rid of your nitrate in no time.

10/19/2006, 04:36 PM	#3
m000240 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 69	What if I don't have a sump?

10/19/2006, 04:48 PM	#4
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	You can still use chaetomorpha and just place the ball in your main tank. However I think you need to do another water change like last week's. You're Tang won't make it much longer in those conditions, probably developing ich already : / ... I too am currently experiencing nitrates but not nearly as high and am considering dosing vodka.

10/19/2006, 06:11 PM	#7
m000240 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 69	Live rock, Yes Live Sand, Yes Filter Yes Skimmer yes I have it running on hight today I have dumped the crap out twice aready. I'll do a large volume WC as soon as I can get more salt.