Water Chemistry gone wild!!!

[Chago09]

OK I have been battling this cyano bacteria issue for a while now. I know its not an algae although the same things feed cyano as they do algae.

I was thinking it could be a phosphate issue, I tested on the weekend it was undetected, which obviously shows its not an issue. Then I tested my nitrate.... for the first time in 18 months (obviously after cycle) I had a test come back as positive. Not only was it detected, it was detected at 40ppm!!! Nothing has changed in my tank the whole time. I have not added fish or corals for well over 6 months. Never once did I have a nitrate issue. I have never had a fuge before so I basically took some chaeto and through it in my sump. Put a light on for 24 hours so it grows like nuts.

Anyone know how I can bring this down, and what in the world could have caused this?? 40ppm although my corals are looking great. There all lps and softies but still they not effected at all.


Second thing, I tested my calcium and alk on the weekend. I dose my tank with B-Ionic every saturday. My readings were Calcium 380ppm and Alk 18!!!!!. I don't get it it. My readings every weekend are usually 380 ppm and alk is 11. Whats goinz on in my tank???

I need the expert panel here

[reefworm]

What test kits are you using [brand]? You may want to replace/upgrade, or take a water sample to your LFS and have them test it as a comparison to see if your kits have gone bad

[WaterKeeper]

Water Chemistry Gone Wild! Is that one of those movies they advertise on late night TV. :D

Nitrate does have a bad habit of sneaking up on one after 18 months. It is not an issue for the fish but it may cause problems with those corals. The best way to get it down quick is through water changes. I'd try about 20% each week this month. You didn't say if you run a DSB. If not then using macro is usually the way to go. Try adding some more to that sump and start harvesting it regularly. It also helps export phosphate too. Test kits only measure simple inorganic phosphates and a tank can be loaded with organic phosphate without one knowing it. Again the water changes will remove that too.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Agreed. How old are the test kits. Also, what is your maintenence routine like? Water changes - how much and how often? Filters - what kind, cleaning schedule?

[Chago09]

ok to answer a few of the questions

no I do not have a DSB, my substrate is like 1". I bought one 50 lb bag for a 90 gallon.

Filtration is nothing but 120-130lbs of live rock. The sump is a 30 gallon with nothing but my skimmer and my return pump in there. I just bought a couple handfulls of chaeto yesterday and added it to the sump.

I'm just curious can I leave the fuge light on 24 hours a day??? The section of the sump in which its in is about 20 gallons and there is only a few handfulls in there so I want it to grow like mad and fill the whole sump and start eating nutrients. How fast does this stuff grow??

Test kits.... my mag, calc and alk are all salifert. My ammo,trite and trate are all API. They are as old as the tank. Now that you said that, I do have hagen one as well(i know not much better) although I'll see if the results differ.

[WaterKeeper]

I'll hit the fuge lighting first. I'm not in favor of illumination of plants for 24/7. They need time to convert the sugars they produce into usable biomass. That happens when the lights go off. During the dark phase they burn those sugars and produce protein that they use to grow. That is why the pH drop on a tank at night. Sugar is consumed and carbon dioxide is produced. It is the way nature works. I would say lighting for 16 hours is plenty. Give things about 8 hours of leisure to enjoy the toils of their labor. :D

[Chago09]

waterkeeper, I just used both test kits and they were the same,so I assume they somewhat right. The worst part is they went up since yesterday!!! I tested and on both kits it was at like almost 80ppm???? the API its like a dark red and the Hagen its purple. Its basically the highest on the colour chart. I'm making ro water right now to get a wcgoing

what else can I do to stop this rise in trates

[Chago09]

oh by the way i ddin't feed all day yesterday and today to see if it would lower and the chaeto was added.

[Chago09]

anyone?