Nitrates and Ph issues

[Ligs2k7]

I am hoping for some advice and ideas on how to solve ongoing issues with my reef tank, the first one is my Nitrate levels I have never been able to get them below 10, secondly is my PH I have a seneye reef and my avg PH is 7.76 and the highest I have managed to get is 8.07, lastly I have glass anemones and I treat the with the aptasia-x on a daily basis and I still have new ones every day.

So I have a 5x2x2.5ft tank which is 750-800 liters including the sump.
in the tank I have:
Live rock 50-60 KG
Sand about 30kg
I currently have had the tank fallow for nearly two months
I have a CUC in the tank
A refugium with chaeto
Equipment I have:
6000 LPH Jecod return pump
Fluval sea LED light as a sump light running reverse to the display lights
X3 AI primes
TMC Reef Skim 1000
V2 UV 600
Reactor running bio pellets
Jecod crossflow CP40
My last test results from yesterday are:
PH 7.82
Salt level 1.26
DKH 12
CA 450
MG 1500
Po4 0-0.03
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
I do a bi monthly water change of 100L
I have search the internet, read forums and tried to solve these issues for the best part of 6 months with no successes, I have asked at my LFS who told me to clean my live rock in old tank water with a power head which made no difference to the nitrate levels. I also tried to add an air pump to my sump pulling air from near an open window to help with my PH which has raised it slightly. I used the bio pellets to try and reduce the nitrates but this hasn’t changed anything. Anything that could help would be greatly appreciated

[Sk8r]

3 things.
For the nitrate, a better skimmer and weekly 10% water changes.
For the aiptasia, don't dose---get a matted file fish or a small flock of juvenile peppermint shrimp.
For the ph, it's not a disaster, but with all the aggressive attempts to solve problems, that may have kicked it low. Otherwise you might need to look at your furnace or other similar problem. Ventilation might help.

[Ligs2k7]

i had two skimmers in there i forgot to add, i had a bubble Mg curve 5 as well as the reef skim 1000. so combined they are rated at 1500 liter tank surely that's enough? also i have had no fish in there for nearly two months so if it was the skimmer wouldn't the nitrate level come down?

Sorry i don't understand what you mean by furnace?

[mcgyvr]

Salinity is a typo right? Should be 1.026 not 1.26..
alk is high.. What salt are you using?

Are you planning on corals or just a fish only tank?

and have you checked to see if your seneye is actually right/calibrated?

I wouldn't worry one bit about the PH.. Its something you really shouldn't chase and the level you have is totally acceptable with alk/cal at those levels..

[Ligs2k7]

Salinity is 1.026 that was a typo, the salt i use is Kent Marine reef but i have used red sea reef and some other type. i had a mixed reef with soft corals and a monti plus a bunch off fish but all the fish got white spot and died in a QT tanks. this is why the tank has been empty for nearly two months. i didn't know i could calibrate it to be honest i will look into it.

[Ligs2k7]

Just checked on the website and it is calibrated every time you change the slide which was today and it made no difference

[anthonys51]

If your sand is dirty it's possible that could be leaching nitrates out. Also try buying one mega rock. A big one about the size of a basket ball. I always put a few of these on the bottom of my tank raised off the sand with tongo branch. These big rocks are so dense they hold a lot of denitrifying bacteria. I tend to like to do things naturally. Also are you dosing. How are you keeping your levels so high. You can let those come down a little you don't need them that high. But that's on a side note. Nothing to do with nitrates


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