Nitrates

[dawhits]

Hi,
I have had a 55g saltwater tank since the beginning of september, Originally I had some damsels in it but in december I caught them and took them back to the petstore so I could get community fish. Unfortunately during this process, the container of fish food got knocked into the tank which caused a nitrate spike. I got most of it out but obviously I couldn't get it all out. Since then my nitrates have been around 40, although today I tested and got 30. My question is, even after 3 months of water changes why haven't the nitrates gone down. I have 25lbs of live rock and a aquaclear 500 hang on back filter for now until I have enough live rock, I also use this for extra water circulation. Is there any other way of making the nitrates go down any faster?
-Erik

 

[steelhealr]

Several possibilities:
1) inadequate volume of LR and lack of denitrification
2) Do you have a refugium? Lack of nutrient export by macroalgae
3) What's in your AC500? Do you have sponges, ceramics or bioballs in there? They are nitrate traps.
4) Do you have a protein skimmer? Lack of nutrient export

A start. SH

 

[dawhits]

thanks for the replies, I have sponges in my ac, I am planning on buying some more live rock hopefully soon. Or would a refugium be more beneficial? I don't have one but I like some of the macroalgaes and mangroves that I could put in them. whichever works best. Eventually I hope to have atleast 60lbs of liverock and a refugium, but for now I am kind of stuck for money becuase I'm only 13. I have about $60 to spend, but I should have about $50 more by next week, is this enough for a refugium?

 

[Aquascaper]

As SH said but also (a biggie )

5) What water do you use for your water changes? Tap or RO/DI?

You may find that its the HoB filter that's pumping Nitrats back into the water and/or the water you're using (if it's not RO/DI). You really need to look to increase your live rock to around 55lbs (general rule is 1lb per gallon) as this will be the best way to reduce Nitrates.

 

[dawhits]

I used special filtered water from Puget sound, All of the water is ran through filters and boiled to be sterilized, then it is tested for salinity, nitrates, nitrites, and ph before it is added. My dad was a shellfish culturer and farmer, and my uncle is a marine biologist and they designed the filter process. My uncle got the idea from some of his colleagues in his office who did this with water from Juneau Alaska.

 

[Dragonscales]

Personally I would get rid of the hang-on filter and stock more live rock (make sure it is cured) asap and perhaps look into getting a protein skimmer. Don't take out the hang-on filter until you get the live rock into the tank though as whatever bacteria is there will be helping.

Aside from SH's comments I can really only think of a couple of other things:

What type of substrate do you use? If any? Sand is better at colonising bacteria than a hang-on filter or gravel ever could.

What sized water changes were you doing? Perhaps you should consider doing an 80-100% one and then see how things go for a few days.

Are you still adding food to the tank? I am unsure from your post if there is any fish in the tank but if there isn't, don't put any food in. If there is then cut feeding back to a bare minimum every other day.

From the sounds of it your bacterial colonies are unable to deal with the extra dose of ammonia the tank has endured. The best ways to combat this is by providing more habitation for bacteria to grow (fine sand and CURED live rock), supplementing the tank with mechanical filtration until it grows (I.E: protein skimming) and waiting. Perhaps buying some bottled bacteria from an lfs may help too, I dunno how well they work as I've never used them personally and have heard mixed results, but in your case it can't hurt to try.

 

[dawhits]

I have a very small yellow tang(like 2 inches long) a blue velvet damsel, a tomato clown, and a banggai cardinal. I use a fine gravel as a substrate, I have wanted to switch to sand, but the tank came with the brand new gravel already in it, and I put my live rock in without thingking about it. I wasn't sure if I could put sand over the rocks maybe? I was doing about 40% water changes every 3 weeks or so. When I test there is no ammonia at all though. its just the nitrates, everything else is normal.

 

[Wolflife]

I have a very small yellow tang(like 2 inches long) a blue velvet damsel, a tomato clown, and a banggai cardinal. I use a fine gravel as a substrate, I have wanted to switch to sand, but the tank came with the brand new gravel already in it, and I put my live rock in without thingking about it. I wasn't sure if I could put sand over the rocks maybe? I was doing about 40% water changes every 3 weeks or so. When I test there is no ammonia at all though. its just the nitrates, everything else is normal.

what kind of filter do u have?? and what kind of media ur using?

 

[dawhits]

I have an aquaclear 500 with just the sponge in it, I rinsed it out very thouroghly last night. I also have 25lbs of live rock. I am going to go to the lfs this afternoon and possibly get some lr or macroalgae if they have any. Can I get macroalgae and then keep it in like a breeding net that hangs over the side of the tank, so my tang doesn't eat it? or should I just put it in the tank. Also if I bought some live sand, would it be ok to put it over the gravel? and would I have to remove the lr before doing this?

 

[Wolflife]

I have an aquaclear 500 with just the sponge in it, I rinsed it out very thouroghly last night. I also have 25lbs of live rock. I am going to go to the lfs this afternoon and possibly get some lr or macroalgae if they have any. Can I get macroalgae and then keep it in like a breeding net that hangs over the side of the tank, so my tang doesn't eat it? or should I just put it in the tank. Also if I bought some live sand, would it be ok to put it over the gravel? and would I have to remove the lr before doing this?

Ok do u mean a Undergravel Filter if so dont use it coz it'll rise ur Nitrates
and dont use sponge more than few days
just but a live rock in ur filter any u'll see the different

 

[dawhits]

No, its a hang on back filter, so your saying I should just put some lr rubble in it?

 

[steelhealr]

Even if you wash out the sponge, it may still trap stuff. Some people convert the AC HOB into a small refugium, or, remove the sponge and keep media in there...phosphate binder, ChemiPure, etc.

If 'psychologically' you can't be without a sponge, you can switch it out with filter fiber and toss it in the garbage 1-2 times a week to keep detritus from building up.

SH

 

[dawhits]

I really don't care if I have the sponge in there, I just want my nitrates down. I bought a really nice 6lb peice of liverock. It has green coraline algae almost completely covering it on one side and a dark red coraline on the other side, as well has atleast 20 small copepods. Maybe petco isn't so bad sometimes. I also put some rubble from the bottom of the tank in the AC hob. I was also talking to the lady at petco, who is actually very knowledgable and has been keeping reef tanks for 12 years, and she reccomended a website
http/www.garf.org/
which supposedly has a very good grunge sand mix which is used for starting off live rock but is also good rubble for refugiums and what she reccomend I put in my AC HOB but for now I just have some peices fo lr rubble that have been sitting in the bottom of my tank in there.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yup, that site has great instructions on building your own rocks. Just make SURE you follow the curing process BEFORE putting them in your tank or your pH will flip onyou

 

[Wolflife]

Hi,
I have had a 55g saltwater tank since the beginning of september, Originally I had some damsels in it but in december I caught them and took them back to the petstore so I could get community fish. Unfortunately during this process, the container of fish food got knocked into the tank which caused a nitrate spike. I got most of it out but obviously I couldn't get it all out. Since then my nitrates have been around 40, although today I tested and got 30. My question is, even after 3 months of water changes why haven't the nitrates gone down. I have 25lbs of live rock and a aquaclear 500 hang on back filter for now until I have enough live rock, I also use this for extra water circulation. Is there any other way of making the nitrates go down any faster?
-Erik

use this http/www.waterlife.co.uk/waterlife/bacterlife.htm
i used it my self