EMERGENCY nitrate help needed

inwha · 05/26/2013, 06:08 PM

OK I apologize in advance if this gets wordy i just want to be thorough and explain whats going on so i can get the right help!

OK over about the past 8 weeks it seems(maybe 6 weeks) my nitrates have been steadily creeping up on me. Im currently in the 70-80 range with my nitrates. I almost always ran nitrates in the 0-20 range up until this last little bit. I have no idea why my nitrates are moving up on me. I would love to have an explanation on why this has happened. My tank has been up right at a year now and honestly have never had the first problem with it.

I have not added any new live stock or changed anything that I do with my tank(im going to add tanks specs below) in the last probably 4 months. I religously do bi-weekly water changes of 10 gallons as well as change all filtration pads when I do my water changes.

I need some help figuring out how to lower my nitrates for about the next two weeks. As you can imagine my fish/corals are not happy at all. Everyone is still eating and so far the only casualty ive had is a astrea snail. The reason I say for the next two weeks is that im about to put up a 75 gallon tank with a 40 breeder sump. I just have to have this much time before it goes up to finalize my plumbing and sump setup not to mention get a day set aside to set it up and transfer tanks. I know once my new tank goes up i wont have these problems with my sump / filter sock / skimmer / fuge but im afraid im going to lose fish / coral before i do the move.

Is there anything I can do in terms of dosing or just anything in general anyone has done in the past to drastically reduce nitrates. I tried dosing amquel for about three days but my coral got really mad and it didnt help at all. By the way I dont have a quarantine tank I can move the fish into.

SHould I do a massive water change like 50%? Is there anything I can dose? PLease help from you experience reefers on what to do and why this has happened?

Tank Specs

55 gallon
HOB filter - Its a dual chamber HOB and I run Nitrate reducing and phospate reducing media in each side as well as another just straight filter pad in each side.
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 70-80 currently
Salinity 1.026
PH - Normal
Calc / Alk / Mag - Normal
Ammonia - None

Justin

secrest · 05/26/2013, 06:30 PM

You could start with a large water change and go from there. Do you ever take the hob filter off and clean it? If not that would be a good idea. Have you stirred up the sand lately?

Poolman21 · 05/26/2013, 06:35 PM

Do you make your own water or buy it from a store?

Alex · 05/26/2013, 07:47 PM

I would say the HOB filter is probably the main cause. I would check the water you are using for the tank first to be sure but if new water has 0 Nitrates look at the HOB. The reason I will blame the HOB filter is probably the media you have in it combined with the filter pad. HOB and canister filters with media and pads provide a great place for bacteria to grow that process waste into nitrates. In fact they are to good at it and the results are huge amounts of nitrates that are not easily removed. I fought this battle for years in my first tank. I would do a large water change 30-50%. Remove both medias from the HOB filter and replace the filter pad. If you only rinse out the filter pad you will not remove the excess bacteria from the tank. I would swap out filter pads often rotating between a couple of them. I would take the dirty ones out rinse them and then let them sit out in the sun for a few days before reusing. If this fails to turn it around and the new tank gets the problem I would make a nitrate removing filter. I really hope you can get this turned around. If you have anymore questions let me know.

inwha · 05/27/2013, 05:14 AM

Thanks for the replies

I buy my water from my LFS so I know the water is good when I get it. I'm going to try a 50% water change on Tuesday as well as clean my HOB filter.

That's one thing I've never done is clean the HOB. I hope this will take care of it for at least the next two weeks. I also never reuse my filter pads, I always put new ones in.

NeilFox · 05/27/2013, 05:54 AM

I agree with the HOB. I think that your fish wouldn't even notice nitrate at 80 and most of your corals should be OK for now. PaulB keeps his nitrate at 50 and his reef is 35 years old. I don't think he loses corals. Not advocating that you do that, just saying that so you don't worry.

shifty51008 · 05/27/2013, 07:12 AM

have you tested the LFS water for nitrates that you buy?

dkeller_nc · 05/27/2013, 09:49 AM

Does this HOB filter include a skimmer? If not, then the only place for nutrients to go in your tank is either exporting with water changes, or conversion to nitrates. Assuming you feed your fish daily, then there's no way for water changes to keep up with nitrate production.

It's possible to convert the nitrates to nitrogen via anoxic bacteria living in a sand bed and/or live rock. To encourage this, a lot of floks do "carbon dosing" by adding vodka or vinegar to their tank water on a daily basis. This technique does work, but it's tricky to get the dosage right and not cause a massive bacterial bloom. And most of us that do it are using carbon dosing in addition to using a skimmer.

FlyPenFly · 05/27/2013, 11:53 AM

Don't buy water, make your own and always check with tds meters. Nobody cares about your water as much as you and lfs water can't be trusted long term. Employees and policies rotate.

inwha · 05/30/2013, 10:40 PM

Just wanted to follow up with a success story and say thanks for some advice I received.

I did a 50% water change and deep cleaned my HOB and in turn decreased the nitrates by over 50%, I'm currently in the 30 range days after the cleaning. I feel like the dirty HOB was the culprit. Even the flow in the HOB has greatly increased.

Thanks for all of the input!

05/26/2013, 06:08 PM	#1
inwha Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Columbia, TN Posts: 136	EMERGENCY nitrate help needed OK I apologize in advance if this gets wordy i just want to be thorough and explain whats going on so i can get the right help! OK over about the past 8 weeks it seems(maybe 6 weeks) my nitrates have been steadily creeping up on me. Im currently in the 70-80 range with my nitrates. I almost always ran nitrates in the 0-20 range up until this last little bit. I have no idea why my nitrates are moving up on me. I would love to have an explanation on why this has happened. My tank has been up right at a year now and honestly have never had the first problem with it. I have not added any new live stock or changed anything that I do with my tank(im going to add tanks specs below) in the last probably 4 months. I religously do bi-weekly water changes of 10 gallons as well as change all filtration pads when I do my water changes. I need some help figuring out how to lower my nitrates for about the next two weeks. As you can imagine my fish/corals are not happy at all. Everyone is still eating and so far the only casualty ive had is a astrea snail. The reason I say for the next two weeks is that im about to put up a 75 gallon tank with a 40 breeder sump. I just have to have this much time before it goes up to finalize my plumbing and sump setup not to mention get a day set aside to set it up and transfer tanks. I know once my new tank goes up i wont have these problems with my sump / filter sock / skimmer / fuge but im afraid im going to lose fish / coral before i do the move. Is there anything I can do in terms of dosing or just anything in general anyone has done in the past to drastically reduce nitrates. I tried dosing amquel for about three days but my coral got really mad and it didnt help at all. By the way I dont have a quarantine tank I can move the fish into. SHould I do a massive water change like 50%? Is there anything I can dose? PLease help from you experience reefers on what to do and why this has happened? Tank Specs 55 gallon HOB filter - Its a dual chamber HOB and I run Nitrate reducing and phospate reducing media in each side as well as another just straight filter pad in each side. Nitrites 0 Nitrates 70-80 currently Salinity 1.026 PH - Normal Calc / Alk / Mag - Normal Ammonia - None Justin

05/26/2013, 07:47 PM	#4
Alex Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 211	I would say the HOB filter is probably the main cause. I would check the water you are using for the tank first to be sure but if new water has 0 Nitrates look at the HOB. The reason I will blame the HOB filter is probably the media you have in it combined with the filter pad. HOB and canister filters with media and pads provide a great place for bacteria to grow that process waste into nitrates. In fact they are to good at it and the results are huge amounts of nitrates that are not easily removed. I fought this battle for years in my first tank. I would do a large water change 30-50%. Remove both medias from the HOB filter and replace the filter pad. If you only rinse out the filter pad you will not remove the excess bacteria from the tank. I would swap out filter pads often rotating between a couple of them. I would take the dirty ones out rinse them and then let them sit out in the sun for a few days before reusing. If this fails to turn it around and the new tank gets the problem I would make a nitrate removing filter. I really hope you can get this turned around. If you have anymore questions let me know. __________________ What would the world be like with out MANTIS SHRIMP??? Current Tank Info: New 120 reef build in progress

05/27/2013, 07:12 AM	#7
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	have you tested the LFS water for nitrates that you buy? __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

05/26/2013, 06:30 PM	#2
secrest Tired Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 1,148	You could start with a large water change and go from there. Do you ever take the hob filter off and clean it? If not that would be a good idea. Have you stirred up the sand lately?

05/26/2013, 06:35 PM	#3
Poolman21 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Waterford CA Posts: 133	Do you make your own water or buy it from a store?

05/27/2013, 05:14 AM	#5
inwha Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Columbia, TN Posts: 136	Thanks for the replies I buy my water from my LFS so I know the water is good when I get it. I'm going to try a 50% water change on Tuesday as well as clean my HOB filter. That's one thing I've never done is clean the HOB. I hope this will take care of it for at least the next two weeks. I also never reuse my filter pads, I always put new ones in.

05/27/2013, 05:54 AM	#6
NeilFox Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: DuPont, WA Posts: 947	I agree with the HOB. I think that your fish wouldn't even notice nitrate at 80 and most of your corals should be OK for now. PaulB keeps his nitrate at 50 and his reef is 35 years old. I don't think he loses corals. Not advocating that you do that, just saying that so you don't worry.

05/27/2013, 09:49 AM	#8
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	Does this HOB filter include a skimmer? If not, then the only place for nutrients to go in your tank is either exporting with water changes, or conversion to nitrates. Assuming you feed your fish daily, then there's no way for water changes to keep up with nitrate production. It's possible to convert the nitrates to nitrogen via anoxic bacteria living in a sand bed and/or live rock. To encourage this, a lot of floks do "carbon dosing" by adding vodka or vinegar to their tank water on a daily basis. This technique does work, but it's tricky to get the dosage right and not cause a massive bacterial bloom. And most of us that do it are using carbon dosing in addition to using a skimmer.

05/27/2013, 11:53 AM	#9
FlyPenFly SPS Killer Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,490	Don't buy water, make your own and always check with tds meters. Nobody cares about your water as much as you and lfs water can't be trusted long term. Employees and policies rotate.

05/30/2013, 10:40 PM	#10
inwha Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Columbia, TN Posts: 136	Just wanted to follow up with a success story and say thanks for some advice I received. I did a 50% water change and deep cleaned my HOB and in turn decreased the nitrates by over 50%, I'm currently in the 30 range days after the cleaning. I feel like the dirty HOB was the culprit. Even the flow in the HOB has greatly increased. Thanks for all of the input!