Nitrates in Salt Mix

[bheron]

I've historically battled excess nutrients for years now. Am in the process of restarting my 220g reef tank. I'm being meticulous and measuring for both phosphates and nitrate throughout each step. Everything that gets put into my tank is cleaned, tested and then tested as a whole at each step. The DSB,fresh RODI, dead rock and new plumbing are all in place. Zero readings across the board the entire way.

Last step this week was to add salt. I went with what I've always used. B/c of such a large tank I've always gone with the cheapest option. For years have been getting this phenomenal deal on a 150g box of "Crystal Sea"marinemix ($22 per box). I'd get 6-8 boxes and be good for awhile.

Well I think sadly this cheapo salt has contributed, in some way, to my problems. Last night after aerating the salt in the tank for a few days I tested:

- Phosphate: 0.00
- Nitratre: 0.25 (approximately using a new Saliftert Low Level kit)

Amazingly its the same exact level I had in my tank previously with almost no bioload. Kept doing water changes and could never get it to go down!

I'm 99% sure this is the case. But this weekend I will do a better test. Will test a glass of pure RODI, then put some salt in, and test again.

Here's what I'm using - note the big callout "No Nitrates of Phosphates!"

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a290/bheron/cyrtsalsea2_zps2106126f.jpg (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/bheron/media/cyrtsalsea2_zps2106126f.jpg.html)

[overexposed]

0.25 is nothing to worry about.... when most people say they are "battling nitrates" they are having problems getting it down below 20-40 lol. Battling 0.25 would be a lovely problem to have! Many would say it's actually not a problem at all. Many corals look their best when nitrates are 1-5. I'd say as long as you can maintain 0.25 you're golden. :)

It is interesting, though, that it seems to be getting introduced via the salt mix.

[bheron]

thanks, good point about having "some nitrates". makes sense on my previous, established tank. but my alarm here is a brand new tank, just starting out, is already in the red.

[bertoni]

The nitrate might be from some ammonia in the salt mix. Most salt mixes will have some ammonia as a contaminant.

[disc1]

No, it's not in the red, it is actually below the recommended level. It is usually not good to have nitrates at absolutely zero, many corals don't like that. Most people try to keep it in the 1 to 5 ppm range. Your 0.25 is still well below that.

Even for a ULNS 0.25 would be very low. Not hardly something to call "in the red"

[CuzzA]

For that price, I'd gladly accept .25 nitrate and more importantly 0 phosphate. Many commercial salt mixes have too much phosphate. The label doesn't say what the other parameters are. ??? But it does say no nitrates or phosphates. Call the company and maybe they'll give you credit on a future purchase.

[wooden_reefer]

I've historically battled excess nutrients for years now. Am in the process of restarting my 220g reef tank. I'm being meticulous and measuring for both phosphates and nitrate throughout each step. Everything that gets put into my tank is cleaned, tested and then tested as a whole at each step. The DSB,fresh RODI, dead rock and new plumbing are all in place. Zero readings across the board the entire way.

Last step this week was to add salt. I went with what I've always used. B/c of such a large tank I've always gone with the cheapest option. For years have been getting this phenomenal deal on a 150g box of "Crystal Sea"marinemix ($22 per box). I'd get 6-8 boxes and be good for awhile.

Well I think sadly this cheapo salt has contributed, in some way, to my problems. Last night after aerating the salt in the tank for a few days I tested:

- Phosphate: 0.00
- Nitratre: 0.25 (approximately using a new Saliftert Low Level kit)

Amazingly its the same exact level I had in my tank previously with almost no bioload. Kept doing water changes and could never get it to go down!

I'm 99% sure this is the case. But this weekend I will do a better test. Will test a glass of pure RODI, then put some salt in, and test again.

Here's what I'm using - note the big callout "No Nitrates of Phosphates!"

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a290/bheron/cyrtsalsea2_zps2106126f.jpg (http://s13.photobucket.com/user/bheron/media/cyrtsalsea2_zps2106126f.jpg.html)

Did you buy online or locally?

[billsreef]

Prior to the existence of hobbyist test kit capable of testing down to 0.25ppm, that reading would have been undetectable on any typical test kit....undetectable equaling what most people call 0. From an aquarist standpoint, that 0.25ppm is interesting, but not of any concern. I'd consider it close enough to 0 to be 0 for practicable purposes.

[bheron]

Thanks all. Good to know that 0.25 is great to have. And I agree that some is good to have in an established tank (or At least have read that).

However my concern is, with absolutely no bioload in my tank I hate the idea of "starting" out with nitrates. Even though it's minimal it's just adding to whatever accumulates when I start adding life. Maybe I'm just hyper sensitive to the topic because of past experiences. And also always wondered if this salt mix was too good to be true. I do get it locally here near he Philadelphia area. It's been the one constant over 9 years of failed tanks (except for one brief 6 month period).

So am I being paranoid trying to start as clean as possible?

Bertoni - I didn't test for ammonia because the salt was in for like 48 hrs tops. With no cycle could ammonia convert to nitrate that quickly?

Anyway thanks for the great feedback. I'm gonna run a test with a container of fresh clean rodi and add the salt and test it right away. Just want to know for sure before I move to the next step of adding livestock and cycling.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

However my concern is, with absolutely no bioload in my tank I hate the idea of "starting" out with nitrates. Even though it's minimal it's just adding to whatever accumulates when I start adding life. Maybe I'm just hyper sensitive to the topic because of past experiences. And also always wondered if this salt mix was too good to be true. I do get it locally here near he Philadelphia area. It's been the one constant over 9 years of failed tanks (except for one brief 6 month period).

So am I being paranoid trying to start as clean as possible?
.

Yes, you are being paranoid, probably from lack of thinking through the whole issue. :D

Let's try a different analysis to put your fears to rest.

Each day that you feed an aquarium, you are adding sufficient nitrogen to boost nitrate by 0.1 to 0.5 ppm or so.

So that starting amount of nitrate is similar to only a day or two of feeding.

It is not a "bad start".

That said, the salt may be crappy for many other reasons, but not due to 0.25 ppm nitrate. :)

[bheron]

Much thanks Randy! That type of validation means a lot. Ok will accept it and keep moving forward. And yes I've decide that I will use this salt to get the tank cycled and established and then gradually switch to something different before I begin to add corals.

Still gonna test a clean batching for Ammonia and nitrate just to know.

Thanks all!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy Reefing. :)

[smatter]

Why switch salts?

[tmz]

FWIW, NO3 levels in my tanks run 0.2 to 1ppm . I wouldn't worry about 0.25 in the salt mix. I've seen some negative reports on that salt from years ago though. Perhaps it's ok now or it might still be crappy.