PowderBlue Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Good luck man! Sorry I was not much help.Any input is much appreciated! Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 I'd suggest that you calibrate your test kit or at least have someone else test your water. You might have a bad test kit. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/11-fertilizers-water-parameters/34206-how-calibrate-your-nitrate-test-kit.html I bought a new kit a few months ago but I'm going to gran a salifert and see how it compares Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Barring your kit being expired as suggested, the Salifert one has the exact same increments. 10/25/50/100 etc. It does however also do high res at the same time which is nice. You just look at it from the side and you can also check <10ppm. Not sure if yours does that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matty Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 For what its worth, my Nitrates are always a little high and I have that same buildup in my sump. The one time I cleaned it out, it didn't make any difference in the levels but that's been a while. How is your clean up crew, pretty diverse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) So I've done 40 gallons of water change on a system of about 70 gallons maybe 80 and with a brand new salifert test kit it's still reading like 50 ppm. I don't see how the hell this is possible. It tested 50ppm before the change, now the same. Sps have polyp extension, LPS are doing great... I'm stumped. Edit: I did test my ATO water just to see if it was full of nitrates and from salifert kit it's totally clear. 0ppm for top off and water change water. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Edited January 31, 2017 by PowderBlue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexinverts Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Your live rock is likely leaching nitrate. You might have to fight it for a while before it starts to stay down. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Your live rock is likely leaching nitrate. You might have to fight it for a while before it starts to stay down.Do you think the ats would help in this situation, or do you suggested just a lot of water changes? Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Also here are a couple current shots of my rocks, literally 0 algae, no bubble, no hair, nada... I'd think with nitrates this high it would be an algae melting pot. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Nopox is already chipping my nitrate level down pretty steadily. I'm somewhere between 10 and 20ppm after a couple days use. I've also drastically cut back on feeding. Your tank is still looking great despite the nutrient level! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Nopox is already chipping my nitrate level down pretty steadily. I'm somewhere between 10 and 20ppm after a couple days use. I've also drastically cut back on feeding. Your tank is still looking great despite the nutrient level!I might have to try that stuff. I just was hoping I could find the problem and fix it with changes. What's crazy is my sps look totally different from last week, but the nitrates are still crazy high. Thanks for the props on the tank Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Edited January 31, 2017 by PowderBlue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexinverts Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Do you think the ats would help in this situation, or do you suggested just a lot of water changes? Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk If your rock is leaching nitrate you might need to do both. Check out Daniel's ATS sometime. If you did one like his, I'd be shocked if it didn't help. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexinverts Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 You might try nopox for a while, until your rock stops leaching nitrate. Them I would recommend switching to somethIng else--an approach like Greg is taking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I might have to try that stuff. I just was hoping I could find the problem and fix it with changes. What's crazy is my sps look totally different from last week, but the nitrates are still crazy high. Thanks for the props on the tank Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk What's different about your sps? When my nitrates started spiking, the majority of the sps went brown. I guess this is a pretty normal response from some reading I did. Excess photosynthetic algae is created as a defense mechanism and that algae is brown. The ATS suggestion is probably a solid long term answer. Something like nopox is a short term answer but in my case is allowing a nitrate 'reset' so I can bring levels down and begin better husbandry practices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 What's different about your sps? When my nitrates started spiking, the majority of the sps went brown. I guess this is a pretty normal response from some reading I did. Excess photosynthetic algae is created as a defense mechanism and that algae is brown. The ATS suggestion is probably a solid long term answer. Something like nopox is a short term answer but in my case is allowing a nitrate 'reset' so I can bring levels down and begin better husbandry practices. My sps died, turned brown, and some wouldn't extend polyps now most have extended polyps and the browsing seems to be coming to a stop. Here is one of my pieces that made it through the entire swing I just ordered a bottle of nopox, and I'm going to build an ATS as soon as I can. I just want my sps happy. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youcallmenny Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 (edited) Good plan! I wish you luck with it. Andy warned me about the nopox and he was absolutely right. It's really, really effective. So effective that if you inadvertently slam your nitrates down so fast that your phosphates are higher (ratio-wise, po4 levels are obviously much less), you'll get to enjoy a cyano outbreak. Just be careful to dose the recommended amount and test every day or other day. Once our rock quits spewing nitrates, I think it'll be easier to take longer term steps. Your sps is doing exactly what mine is from the sound of it. It's looking happy so you're probably already on the right track! Edited January 31, 2017 by youcallmenny 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N70SJ Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I have a wholesale acct at Spectra Pure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 I have a wholesale acct at Spectra Pure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Nice! My Rodi is doing great. I have 0 nitrates coming out of my Rodi and 0 tds as well. It's gotta be something in the rock or sand or something. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N70SJ Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Gotch ya. Good luck! I got my ideas but all long term preventative. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Gotch ya. Good luck! I got my ideas but all long term preventative. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk What I should do is the huge sump and buy that big ol rock that you have! I just don't have space in the garage for anything bigger than my 40 breeder :( Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N70SJ Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Why do I doubt that. Priority #1 is the Reef Tank. Get rid of the old tires, boxes of crap, bikes that you don't ride etc and DO IT! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 Why do I doubt that. Priority #1 is the Reef Tank. Get rid of the old tires, boxes of crap, bikes that you don't ride etc and DO IT! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I agree! Haha but I'm buying jetskis this summer and I literally have 2 inches to spare after the trailer lol Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 How your sps are doing? Polyps out? Color retained after long term acclimation (2/6 months)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PowderBlue Posted January 31, 2017 Author Share Posted January 31, 2017 How your sps are doing? Polyps out? Color retained after long term acclimation (2/6 months)?Some of them are doing great, some of them are not happy, I'd say 4 pieces are doing good and 2 are pissed off. I'm doing another 30 gallon change tomorrow and will retest the following day. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadySaber Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 Following..... I have the same issue with my Nuvo 20. I only feed ever other day and only a small amount. Only 3 small fish and some coral I thinned out a lot of corals. Use a turkey baster every day to blow the rocks to keep everything clean change water ever Saturday. Use rodi water tested all good there. No algae no phosphates. Test regularly with salifert test kits. But just can't get that nitrates down. Oh yes I do clean/vacuum the sand every other week. I'm trying to fix this issue but a little hard considering the room on the sump. Oh and I don't really have a good skimmer just a air driven one. So suger or vodka is a no go to dose this tank. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted January 31, 2017 Share Posted January 31, 2017 I feel like as aquarists we rely too much on numbers. And this is even more true when it comes to Nitrates. I have read studies (about the effect of nitrates in reef aquaria and coral aquaculture) saying that they are terribly bad, some that say the opposite and some that were unable to get to a real conclusion. I have seen friends killing tanks for the quest of a specific number, while not seeing that the issue was elsewhere. Is-it really that number (which is provided by a consumer grade test) that is making part of your sps population not thriving? How about all the other factors, like positioning, flow, the history of each specimen? From what I can see your aquarium looks just great. All that said, if I read it well you have a lot of turnover. Water moving so quickly between display and sump generates O2 (mechanically). What does all that extra O2 do when it meets the nitrogen in your tank? Do you remember the so called trickle filters in the 90's? Slow it down (I run the water in my display only once per hour in my filtration system) and wait. Keep up with the rest of the routine maintenance and you will see NO3 going magically down ;-) I hope this helps 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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