Chindo Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hey guys, Im new to this whole saltwater world and loving it...... I have a little problem with my nitrates, they are a LITTLE high and have been ever since I have had my tank since March, Ive moved into a little bigger tank with sump about two weeks ago. My nitrates are around 160ppm DOH! I have a protein skimmer not a great one but i empty it out every day and has nasty stuff in it, I also have carbon in a media bag in my filter sock.. I tried using the nitrate remover chemical from instant ocean. Im thinking of putting in a refugium in my sump but not sure how to set it up or what to put in it (scratch) Ive also heard of dosing with vodka (plotting) Ive tried doing water changes but they don't seem to help much I do 5g at a time my tank dimensions are 15x36x20 and my sump is 18x17x16 with 3 compartments I have about 12 hermit crabs, 10 snails, 3 peppermint shrimp, seabae nem, 3 clowns and 1 GSP, Also have live rock but i know its not enough for my bigger setup since ive moved into a bigger setup from my last 29g. any help would be great... (clap) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 the left side has three baffles setup between them [ATTACH]12048[/ATTACH] this is how im currently running it, the teeth are a little lower than the baffles so the baffles really don't do much (laugh) [ATTACH]12049[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danik Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 First, make sure your tests are accurate. Take some to a LFS to test the water and confirm with your test. 160 is very high and dangerous for your tank. I would do 50% water change now and 50% in a week, repeat till your nitrates drop. How much are you feeding your fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVPaquatics Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hey guys, Im new to this whole saltwater world and loving it...... I have a little problem with my nitrates, they are a LITTLE high and have been ever since I have had my tank since March, Ive moved into a little bigger tank with sump about two weeks ago. My nitrates are around 160ppm DOH! I have a protein skimmer not a great one but i empty it out every day and has nasty stuff in it, I also have carbon in a media bag in my filter sock.. I tried using the nitrate remover chemical from instant ocean. Im thinking of putting in a refugium in my sump but not sure how to set it up or what to put in it (scratch) Ive also heard of dosing with vodka (plotting) Ive tried doing water changes but they don't seem to help much I do 5g at a time my tank dimensions are 15x36x20 and my sump is 18x17x16 with 3 compartments I have about 12 hermit crabs, 10 snails, 3 peppermint shrimp, seabae nem, 3 clowns and 1 GSP, Also have live rock but i know its not enough for my bigger setup since ive moved into a bigger setup from my last 29g. any help would be great... (clap) Did you move your entire sandbed? that can cause a nitrate spike...anything decaying is going to raise nitrates...keep everything clean! Carbon wont do anything for nitrates but is beneficial in other regards. keep on the heavy skimming. No chemicals work...its all biological. (deep sand bed, biopellets, plants, etc.) A turf algae scrubber or refugium would definately help, I like 24hrs or reverse cycle. chaeto really does well. If you are fairly new to the hobby I would try other methods before trying vodka, its touchy. Water changes are still best but take frequent (weekly, twice weekly), large (30-50%) to start knocking them down, but keep in mind you still want to try and track down the source and eliminate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 I feed my fish half a frozen brick of brine shrimp and they usually eat it all up very quickly, the peppermint shrimp come out and go after anything if any that is left over like a crackhead at a drug house.... I put in a new sandbed didn't reuse my old one for that reason, Thanks to tim from westside for that cause i probably would have used it.. where do you guys recommend me putting in my refugium with the sump that i have?? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhoffee Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hi, I use Seachem's Purigen bags to help me keep my nitrates low or zero. Mind you my nitrates where not even close to that. They hover around 5-10 without the bags. Do you have any narcissus snails they help keep the sand stired and eat things off the sand bed when they fall? How many fish do you have and how often do you feed? I have 4 fish and a eel I typically feed them once every 2-3 days. How big is the frozen brick of brine shirmp? Can you send us a picture of how big the half brick is? For your sump I would recommend putting a filter sock in there if you don't already have one. If you need any help I drive Cornelius Pass almost every day and would be happy to help you if you need it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hey Nhoffee, I do have a filter sock in the first picture, I am usually home afternoons and any help would be great Im not sure if im running things right and probably am not (laugh) I have a few questions as to my plumbing too.... seems like my return is to fast for my drains.. I have two 1" drain and a 3/4" return thinking of putting a 1/2" locline on my return to slow it down a little..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelhead77 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Doing a 5 gallon change in your size tank will do absolutely nothing. You need to do 4 50% water changes. This will bring your nitrates down from 160 to 10. You can do them 3 or 4 days apart with no issues to your tank. You do need to figure why they are so high though. Always remember: the solution to pollution is dilution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandinga Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Are you using RO/DI water? A refugium will absolutely help Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Rather than the locline, I would put a ball valve on the return. Water changes and algae s rubber would Dec be my recommendation. You could just put another baffle with teeth just before the return pump and put chaeto or an eggcrate scrubber there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burningbaal Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Are you using RO/DI water? A refugium will absolutely help Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I would def check your freshwater for nitrates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 You had a lot of great advices already. I would add this: try to not having too much "water splash" (as I see in pic one of your sump). That way you add a lot of oxygen. Oxygen inhibits the nitrates reduction. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted October 20, 2011 Author Share Posted October 20, 2011 I'm currently redoing my Sump trying to figure out where to add a refugium in it and i will extend the drain pipe into the water level a little to help out with the splash too... Thanks guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oregonreefer Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 I think a bigger in sump skimmer would be a great addition. You must be using a hang on is that correct? Hang on skimmers are pretty much useless in my opinion. More rock and a refugium will help also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 There are some hang on the back skimmer that perform really well, especially for a tank of this size Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 Thanks guys, will be picking up a 180g tank tomorrow thats been running for several years so hopefully my small 55g will be taken down by the weekend and the big one setup and running.... Now i just have to figure out if my floor can hold the extra weight????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoobtoSalt Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Thanks guys' date=' will be picking up a 180g tank tomorrow thats been running for several years so hopefully my small 55g will be taken down by the weekend and the big one setup and running.... Now i just have to figure out if my floor can hold the extra weight?????[/quote'] Sure it can. Congrats on that purchase. I was tempted to buy it and part it out myself. Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePremiumAquarium Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Congrats! Your floor should be fine. I have put in much larger tanks and haven't had an issue. If you think about it, it's not a ton more weight per sqr ft/ sqr inch then your 55g. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted November 2, 2011 Author Share Posted November 2, 2011 thanks Garrett Floor is holding up well guess just nervous from a first "big" tank build. Last night was first night with sump running, skimmer skimming and reactors reacting, let me say I didn't get much rest... Will be over at your shop Thursday Garrett hopefully see what you have going on down there.. Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfisher Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I have a 90g nitrate factory with large predetors. I have found that a GIANT skimmer, refugium with macro and a reactor stuffed with "nitrate reducing rock" helps and they have been healthy for a couple years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
souperman Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Watch out if you decide to vodka dose. I was able to get my nitrates undetectable but starting seeing cyano after a bit. The reddish cyano went away when I stopped wasting the vodka in my tank. The tank is holding at 0 nitrates with just my skimmer and a large ball of cheato, but my bio load is pretty low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindo Posted November 9, 2011 Author Share Posted November 9, 2011 I was thinking about a cheato where did you place it in the sump or did you plumb in a refugium Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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