Help with high nitrates

[mfaso24]

My tank has always had nitrates practically undetectable using the Api test kit. I decided to get salifert just to compare and the test seemed a little high. This was earlier this week. Now Saturday comes around and I'm doing my testing again and my nitrates again seem high using salifert so I double check with api this time and it's time, Api reads nitrates about 40. My phosphate had also risen to a little over 0.8. Double and triple checked. Now the only thing I did differently between my undetectable and 40 ppm nitrates was pick up a few things at reefapalooza last weekend. One of which was a bunch of zoas that came on a decent sized rock. The only thing I can think of, is it possible the rock somehow leached some nitrate or phosphate into the tank?
Even though my nitrates are high I haven't noticed any adverse effects, sps or lps. As a matter of fact, believe it or not it's actually SLOWED the film algae growth on my glass. I also added a clam, anemone and a torch which has been on its way out after getting stung by another torch but I don't think these would add to the high nitrates/phosphates....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SaltyMember]

I doubt that a small rock your coral came with would cause nitrates to rise. Is there a chance something died in the tank? Do a good size water change, vacuum sand, etc. and check in a day or two and see what you get.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mfaso24]

I doubt that a small rock your coral came with would cause nitrates to rise. Is there a chance something died in the tank? Do a good size water change, vacuum sand, etc. and check in a day or two and see what you get.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



No deaths as far as fish go. The gangs all there. The dead/dieing torch wouldn't cause that either right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mfaso24]

4 days before RAP nitrates were 0-2 and 2 days after RAP they were 25-40. I feel like that's not just a coincidence though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

Nitrate can't leach from rock the way that phosphate can, but the rock might have had a lot of debris, I guess. Did you check the nitrite level? A small amount of nitrite can confuse nitrate test kits.

[Mr.Fishtank]

I would send some water to Aquamedics testing lab or Triton. I was shocked to see my results. I thought I had high NO3 because all my test kits read 20-30ppm. Got my test results back and it was only at 1ppm. You would be amazed on how far off hobby kits really are.

[bertoni]

How do you know that the Triton tests are more accurate? There have been problems noted with their results. There's at least one article on the subject:

http://packedhead.net/2015/triton-lab-icp-oes-testing-of-a-certified-artificial-saltwater-standard/

In addition, the Triton method can test total nitrogen, but not nitrate, due to the methodology.

[mfaso24]

Nitrate can't leach from rock the way that phosphate can, but the rock might have had a lot of debris, I guess. Did you check the nitrite level? A small amount of nitrite can confuse nitrate test kits.



Yeah I tested for ammonia and nitrite as precautions and they both were 0.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

Okay, I'd probably do some water changes, on general principles, but if the animals are okay as is, which seems to be the case here, you could wait to see what happens. If the problem was the added rock, the nitrate level should drop over time.

[mfaso24]

Okay, I'd probably do some water changes, on general principles, but if the animals are okay as is, which seems to be the case here, you could wait to see what happens. If the problem was the added rock, the nitrate level should drop over time.



So I actually fragged up the zoas and placed them around my tank and discarded the rock. Will test tomorrow afternoon and the next few days and see if there's any difference


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mfaso24]

Update: after fragging off the zoas and discarding the rock, I also did 2 10 gallon water changes and a 15 gallon water change. Nitrate still hung around 20ish. Tested yesterday and they seemed to have dropped to 6-7ppm. I still have no clue what may have caused the spike but we seem to be better now and no adverse effects at all happened.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bertoni]

Well, that sounds like good progress! I'm glad your tank is looking better.

[Timfish]

Here's a theory for you: Corals remove ammonia and urea excreted by fish to feed their simbionts before bacteria can convert it into nitrates. They will also take up nitrates if they can't meet their nitrogen needs with either of those or amino acids. So between the addition of new corals the damaged torch feeding processes for all the corals was disrupted* The ammonia was then available to converted into nitrates by bacteria and once feeding resumed ammonia was no longer available and nitrates started dropping.


*The mucus production of corals is a surprisingly complex and very dynamic. The chemical composition can be changed very quickly to help defend a colony. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't taste good to it's neighbors.

[bertoni]

That's possible, but 40 ppm is a large increase in nitrate. I haven't seen spikes like that due to tank disruption, but every tank does respond differently. I agree that at least part of the increase could be due to the problem with the torch.

[mfaso24]

That's possible, but 40 ppm is a large increase in nitrate. I haven't seen spikes like that due to tank disruption, but every tank does respond differently. I agree that at least part of the increase could be due to the problem with the torch.



I don't know if you're familiar with melevsreef on YouTube. I remember his nitrates back in the winter he said had shot up to 160! He suspected something within his Refugium though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk