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ynot65
09/27/2013, 12:25 PM
My tank is 1 1/2 years old 55gal LPS and soft corals. About 3 weeks ago I was having my water checked and my nitrates were >160, nothing has died and the only thing that has changed was metal halides in place of compact fluorescents.
I have since done 4/ 15 gal water changes and yes I use RO/DI water. Any suggestions on what else I can do or look for? I'm doing another 15 gal tonight
damonbrodie
09/27/2013, 12:43 PM
My tank is 1 1/2 years old 55gal LPS and soft corals. About 3 weeks ago I was having my water checked and my nitrates were >160, nothing has died and the only thing that has changed was metal halides in place of compact fluorescents.
I have since done 4/ 15 gal water changes and yes I use RO/DI water. Any suggestions on what else I can do or look for? I'm doing another 15 gal tonight

who tested your water? If your LFS tested it, I'd buy a kit and test it myself. If you tested it, I'd get a second test kit as a second opinion
ninjamini
09/27/2013, 12:49 PM
Check your test kit. Have someone else test it.

User error???

20% water changes how often?

What is your nutrient export schedule?
ynot65
09/27/2013, 12:50 PM
I did my own tests after them and since w an ATI, same results!
ynot65
09/27/2013, 01:03 PM
Reef Octopus Bh1000 skimmer cup cleaned every 3-4 days, no sumps after changes have been every 3 days for the last two weeks
Anthrax15
09/27/2013, 01:45 PM
You might wanna buy some higher end test kits or see if anyone in your area has some that can test your water for you.

If Nitrates were that high, most stuff would be dead including sensitive coral.
terrypercula
09/27/2013, 03:28 PM
I doubt it is that high ...get a retest
RA
09/27/2013, 03:34 PM
Do you have bio balls? How much live rock do you have?
ynot65
09/27/2013, 06:12 PM
About 50lbs of LR, no bio-balls, no sump
Eric45
09/27/2013, 07:03 PM
do you have a deep sand bed?
Clam guy
09/27/2013, 07:10 PM
That almost sounds impossibly high. I would try a different test.
Craigdillman
09/27/2013, 09:08 PM
when was the last time you tested the water before? Tough to just see a spike of that without noticing it in weeks/months before.

And if you are having no fish coral problems at all (i.e. polys closing inverts dying) then I would question the reading
ynot65
10/01/2013, 11:01 AM
I'll admit that I got complacent on testing for the last couple of months, but I was doing water changes every 2 weeks of at least 15%. I don't have any algae per say but I do have some coin algae that nothing wants to eat and I pluck that out when it gets in the way of lighting or encroaches any corals.
Sugar Magnolia
10/01/2013, 11:29 AM
Do you even syphon your sand bed? It's amazing how much gunk gets trapped in the sand bed over time.

Are you running any other mechanical filtration other than the skimmer? When was the last time you pulled out the skimmer and gave it a thorough cleaning?
ss30
10/01/2013, 01:29 PM
Have you tested your freshly made salt water?
BrianB421
10/02/2013, 05:23 AM
Something seems off. Nitrates that high should wipe everything out or at least cause stress in the livestock. I'm get a second opinion on the test. If it's accurate, I'd try to bring the levels down slow and steady. 20% water changes once a week for a few months.
anbosu
10/02/2013, 05:56 AM
What fish do you have in your tank? A friend has an overstocked tank with sky high nitrates because of the fish but most softies are fine.
ynot65
10/02/2013, 09:26 AM
3 perc clowns, 3 firefish, 1 foxface, 1 lawnmower blenie' 1 mandarin goby, 1 flame angel, and 1 yellow watchman goby. However I also have 100 to130 heads of sun coral that I feed nightly and LPS and softies
reelfishy
10/02/2013, 09:47 AM
Funny how I stumbled on this thread. I found an old API No3 test kit last night and I tested it vs my Salifert No3 Test Kit.

API showed 100~160PPM
Salifert showed 25PPM

Ditch the API Kit.
arnoldrew
10/02/2013, 09:59 AM
Funny how I stumbled on this thread. I found an old API No3 test kit last night and I tested it vs my Salifert No3 Test Kit.

API showed 100~160PPM
Salifert showed 25PPM

Ditch the API Kit.

The problem was probably that it was old, not that it was API. They've always worked fine for me for the main three (ammo, nitrite, nitrate), and that's with LFSs double-checking my results with fancier test kits.
reelfishy
10/02/2013, 10:40 AM
I used the word "old" in a wrong context. I bought it 3~4 months ago and was replaced with the Salifert and since I don't use it anymore, it is old. 3~4 months old test kits should still be accurate or close to it.
reelfishy
10/02/2013, 10:47 AM
The problem was probably that it was old, not that it was API. They've always worked fine for me for the main three (ammo, nitrite, nitrate), and that's with LFSs double-checking my results with fancier test kits.

I'm giving my API No3 kit away if you want it. Only used 4 times.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2336569