Nitrate Problems Help How do i get rid of them forever?????????????

gotscreensprinting

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Ive been in the hobby for about a year started with a 30 gallon nano and upgraded to a 70 gallon tank and 30 gallon sump.I have in my sump a protein skimmer,meadia reactor for nitrates,carbon pad,bio balls,filter sock.I just cleaned my tank yesterday cleaned up the sand and replaced 20 gallons of water.My nitrates are off the charts now i need help quickly.I have 2 powerheads in the tank right side is in the middle facing the middle.And the left powerhead is at the top middle facing a bit down.My tank has a big overflowbox return is i think 2"
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Makena95GT

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Water changes. Dont overfeed. Clean out your filter sock religiously or itll harbor nitrates.

If you stirred up the sand it could also have released nasties that raised nitrates.
 
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gotscreensprinting

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Ive always stirred up the sand and tank has cleared up rite away and would only do 10 gallon water change.I did a 20 gallon and my nitrates were off the chart scary??// I found my sea slug in my sump dont know how he got down there threw the overflow down the drain into filter sock and then in my sump do you think he could have been stressed and was releasing toxins.I also had a carbon filter under my bio balls chamber at bottom of sump collecting crap my lfs sump is full of life and dirty i dont know what i did.
 

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+ 1 to getting rid of those bioballs quick smart. Thats probably your problem right there.
 

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Do a water change to lower the nitrate level. Make sure for top off water it is RODI and your salt water for water changes does not contain any nitrates. Think about getting rid of the bio balls but that should not have jumped your levels off of the chart.
 
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I have this green looking sea slug i couldnt find him for like 2 days hes usually very active so i had just did a 20 gallon water change and i still hadnt found him so for some reason im looking in the sump and there he is do you think he could have been stressed and realeased a toxin that raised the nitrates he ok and hes in the main tank for now i got an escape artist on my hands.Bioballs are now out of my tank in the space were the bioballs were at should i add live rock or what about some nitrate eating plants.
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since i did 20 gallons yesterday should i do 20 more i normally only change 10 gallons every friday and everything was fine but my seaslug was not in the sump could he have been the cause?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
 
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I have this green looking sea slug i couldnt find him for like 2 days hes usually very active so i had just did a 20 gallon water change and i still hadnt found him so for some reason im looking in the sump and there he is do you think he could have been stressed and realeased a toxin that raised the nitrates he ok and hes in the main tank for now i got an escape artist on my hands.Bioballs are now out of my tank in the space were the bioballs were at should i add live rock or what about some nitrate eating plants.
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My sea slug was in the circle chamber in the 2nd picture hes alive and good besides my valentini picking at hime i hope taking out the bioballs works.
 
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QUESTION ABOUT PROTEIN SKIMMER THE INLET AND OUTLET BOTH GO INTO THE FIRST CHAMBER OF MY SUMP WITH THE FILTER SOCK SHOULD IT DRAIN INTO THE CHAMBER WITH MY RETURN PUMP.i HAVE MY MEDIA REACTOR IN THE LAST CHAMBER WITH RETURN PUMP.I ADDED A HOSE TO THE SKIMMER OUTLET AND IT GOES INTO THE LAST CHAMBER WITH RETURN PUMP SHOULD I TAKE IT OUT.
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fishroomlady

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I might not have removed all of the bioballs at once......they are a biological filter although if you have plenty of live rock, it should be ok. You could put some live rock in that chamber or you could put a ball chaeto (plant) that can help absorb nitrates. I really don't think your sea slug was the cause of your nitrates - if it's still alive and doing fine, it shouldn't have released anything

When you say that your nitrates are off the charts, exactly how high are they?
 
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I took some water to my local lfs who checks it for me to double check my parameters.My ph is always fine about 8.2 salinity was 2.5 amonia o ppm good and nitrates o ppm.I think for some odd reason my test kit went bad.When i test with my kit the nitrates are off the chart meaning the water goes red past 160.I just did a cleaning of the tank and did a 20 gallon water change i usually only do 10 gallons and always been fine my test kit is api has anyone had this problem with api test kits.My water for some odd reason is a bit cloudy.I also noticed my clown are not together no more.The male stays behind some rocks in a back corner and he stays there all day the female clown is very big.
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I also wanted some input for my plant in the sump i have a flourescent fixture for the lighting its for aquariums i read some 8hrs of lite is good for the plant.
 

fishroomlady

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I've used api before and it could be that your nitrates are very high. One thing to keep in mind is that it will take some time to get them down. Are you using RO/DI water? that is critical - that you've removed a potential site of them accumulating (bioballs) should help as well. Did you add in the green plant? that can help as well - water changes is the best method to remove them in addition to maintaining good husbandry (cleaning your filter sock, good flow, blowing off your rocks where detritus can build up - just use a turkey baster, vacuuming sections of your sand with each change if your sandbed is not a deep one) I'd suggest doing a 30% water change every other or every three days to bring them down. One thing to keep in mind is the percent of water change you do is the percent you will bring down nitrates - change 30%, nitrates should go down that amount. I wouldn't panic because evidently your livestock are used to that level - or at least can tolerate the higher amount. What type of livestock do you have?
 

fishroomlady

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you'll want to run the light in the sump on the opposite schedule as your main tank

what was your LFS's results on nitrates?
 
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fishroomlady

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oh, I just read your edit and you said they found 0 nitrates. Yes, test kits can go bad but that is quite a discrepancy :neutral:
 
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I have blue tang,foxface,neon green gobby,paired yellow gobby with shrimp,2 blue chromis,a pair of osc clowns,valentini puffer,coral beauty angel,2 blue cleaner wrasse.My corals consist of flower pots coral 3ea,watermelon coral,palys, zoas,kenya trees,mushrooms,sand sifting sea star,hermits,and cleaner shrimp.
 

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