High Nitrates - Bane of my existence

[PaulieReef]

Any alternatives to lowering Nitrates than what I have already tried? I am kind of stuck and not sure how to proceed.

Things Attempted:
Refugium - Cheato is growing, nothing to crazy exciting, not pulling out a ball a week, but its growing.
BioPellets - Been running for little over 2 months with zero reduction in nitrates
Lower Feeding - Moved from a sheet of nori a day for 8 tangs and tdo chrono boost, to feeding a half of sheet of nori every other day and feeding much smaller portions of chrono boost (duration about 3 months lower feedings)
Waste Away - Used for 3 weeks no noticeable changes
Phosphate Dosing - Raised phosphates slowly up to .12, phosphates lowered back down to .10 in 2 days
We Skimming

Nitrates are 42, Phosphates are .06

Wanted to attempt NoPox, but little terrified, but feel its my last option. Is it possible maybe to many inhabitants?

375g Tank, 100g sump

Tangs
Vlamingi
Purple Tang
Hippo
Sailfin
Tomini
Powder Blue
Koi
Bristle Tooth

Wrasses
Yellow Corris
Malenarus
Mystery Wrasse
Cleaner Wrasse
Others
3x Clowns
Tailspot
Clown Goby
Blenny
Dragon Goby
Emerald Crabs
Cleaner Shrimp
CUC

Disregard Text: just showing size of fish and latest picture I have of the tank.

 

[w8lifts]

Terrified of Nopox why? I have mine on a dosing pump and have to remind myself to check on it once in awhile

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Any alternatives to lowering Nitrates than what I have already tried? I am kind of stuck and not sure how to proceed.

Things Attempted:
Refugium - Cheato is growing, nothing to crazy exciting, not pulling out a ball a week, but its growing.
BioPellets - Been running for little over 2 months with zero reduction in nitrates
Lower Feeding - Moved from a sheet of nori a day for 8 tangs and tdo chrono boost, to feeding a half of sheet of nori every other day and feeding much smaller portions of chrono boost (duration about 3 months lower feedings)
Waste Away - Used for 3 weeks no noticeable changes
Phosphate Dosing - Raised phosphates slowly up to .12, phosphates lowered back down to .10 in 2 days
We Skimming

Nitrates are 42, Phosphates are .06

Those parameters look perfect to me. If you're not having a problem with algae and your coral is happy, why change anything??

 

[PaulieReef]

Those parameters look perfect to me. If you're not having a problem with algae and your coral is happy, why change anything??

The 50 dead sps frags, lol.

 

[PaulieReef]

Those parameters look perfect to me. If you're not having a problem with algae and your coral is happy, why change anything??

I did 1/2 a dose and killed 6 fish.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The 50 dead sps frags, lol.

I'm sorry to hear that. It's difficult to keep a true mixed reef tank. The photo you posted seems to show healthy LPS... you might need to focus on corals with similar nutritional needs.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I did 1/2 a dose and killed 6 fish.

What is this a reply to? I never said to dose anything.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Last thought - how often do you do water changes, and how much do you change? WC's are probably the easiest way to reduce nitrates.

 

[PaulieReef]

Last thought - how often do you do water changes, and how much do you change? WC's are probably the easiest way to reduce nitrates.

Was told water changes wouldnt help much as nitrate binds to rock and sand.

 

[Rugops]

Was told water changes wouldnt help much as nitrate binds to rock and sand.

If it binds to rock and sand, how would you get a measurement of how much NO3 is in your tank by testing your water? What they told you isn't true;

FWIW, N and P may get trapped in pores between sand grains as organics break down, but nitrate has no affinity to bind to sand, while phosphate has a well studied affinity to bind to calcium carbonate surfaces.

Do water changes. Did you do higher lighting in your refugium?

 

[PaulieReef]

If it binds to rock and sand, how would you get a measurement of how much NO3 is in your tank by testing your water? What they told you isn't true;



Do water changes. Did you do higher lighting in your refugium?

Have 75g ready for a water change. Did water changes in the past weekly 75g and the nitrates would drop to 30 or so and jump right back up.

But guess I’ll do some more water changes.

I have two lights in my sump currently.

 

[PaulieReef]

What is this a reply to? I never said to dose anything.

W8lifts response.

 

[Rugops]

You could just make it an lps tank. Seems a lot more catered to them.

 

[DarkReefer]

I second the waterchanges.
How often do you usually do them ?

I stopped doing them frequently for a while and I had high nitrates, they were bouncing from around 50 to high 30's constantly.
Weekly changes of about 60L in a 262L-ish tank helped drop them right back to something more reasonable but it did take a bit of time (like several months). I'm currently sitting around 16ppm now, but it was a couple of weeks since before I last did a change too as I was running low on salt.

 

[PaulieReef]

You could just make it an lps tank. Seems a lot more catered to them.

I like sticks unfortunately, only have LPS because it’s all I can keep currently.

 

[ShoalSister]

I used to have nitrate issues too, but much better now with waste away. I used the liquid form first, using half a dose and gradually increasing every 2 days with skimmer running but cup removed to keep oxygen high while not removing bacteria. When the water was slightly cloudy, I ceased adding more liquid. Then nitrates dropped some, not dramatically, but enough. I then switch to waste away gels which release a constant low dose for a few weeks. I replace every 3 weeks, not 4 as per instructions, but that's likely because they say to place in low flow areas, and I don't have easy to reach low flow areas, so likely using them up faster. Anyway, waste away for me is needed full time, not one and done. The gels are always in all of my set ups now and my nitrate levels are stable and acceptable.

Be careful with the liquid form. When water gets cloudy with it, its a sign of a bacteria bloom. Thats good news for lowering nitrate, but some have reported low oxygen that stresses or even kills livestock. Thats why I dose up gradually, run skimmers without cups (keeps o2 up without removing needed bacteria), and stop dosing at first sign of cloudiness.

Hope this helps! Sounds like you are on the right track and nearly there )

 

[PaulieReef]

I second the waterchanges.
How often do you usually do them ?

I stopped doing them frequently for a while and I had high nitrates, they were bouncing from around 50 to high 30's constantly.
Weekly changes of about 60L in a 262L-ish tank helped drop them right back to something more reasonable but it did take a bit of time (like several months). I'm currently sitting around 16ppm now, but it was a couple of weeks since before I last did a change too as I was running low on salt.

Yeah was just more hoping since the tank is 1582 liters including sump there was another way.

Guess I will start back up some water changes and then maybe try some nopox or go back to vodka dosing since biopellets still doesn’t seem to do anything.

 

[PaulieReef]

I used to have nitrate issues too, but much better now with waste away. I used the liquid form first, using half a dose and gradually increasing every 2 days with skimmer running but cup removed to keep oxygen high while not removing bacteria. When the water was slightly cloudy, I ceased adding more liquid. Then nitrates dropped some, not dramatically, but enough. I then switch to waste away gels which release a constant low dose for a few weeks. I replace every 3 weeks, not 4 as per instructions, but that's likely because they say to place in low flow areas, and I don't have easy to reach low flow areas, so likely using them up faster. Anyway, waste away for me is needed full time, not one and done. The gels are always in all of my set ups now and my nitrate levels are stable and acceptable.

Be careful with the liquid form. When water gets cloudy with it, its a sign of a bacteria bloom. Thats good news for lowering nitrate, but some have reported low oxygen that stresses or even kills livestock. Thats why I dose up gradually, run skimmers without cups (keeps o2 up without removing needed bacteria), and stop dosing at first sign of cloudiness.

Hope this helps! Sounds like you are on the right track and nearly there )

Maybe I’ll try waste away for a little longer. Maybe 3 weeks just wasn’t enough or possibly didn’t dose enough since my water never got cloudy.

 

[PeterEde]

Any alternatives to lowering Nitrates than what I have already tried? I am kind of stuck and not sure how to proceed.

Things Attempted:
Refugium - Cheato is growing, nothing to crazy exciting, not pulling out a ball a week, but its growing.
BioPellets - Been running for little over 2 months with zero reduction in nitrates
Lower Feeding - Moved from a sheet of nori a day for 8 tangs and tdo chrono boost, to feeding a half of sheet of nori every other day and feeding much smaller portions of chrono boost (duration about 3 months lower feedings)
Waste Away - Used for 3 weeks no noticeable changes
Phosphate Dosing - Raised phosphates slowly up to .12, phosphates lowered back down to .10 in 2 days
We Skimming

Nitrates are 42, Phosphates are .06

Wanted to attempt NoPox, but little terrified, but feel its my last option. Is it possible maybe to many inhabitants?

375g Tank, 100g sump

Tangs
Vlamingi
Purple Tang
Hippo
Sailfin
Tomini
Powder Blue
Koi
Bristle Tooth

Wrasses
Yellow Corris
Malenarus
Mystery Wrasse
Cleaner Wrasse
Others
3x Clowns
Tailspot
Clown Goby
Blenny
Dragon Goby
Emerald Crabs
Cleaner Shrimp
CUC

Disregard Text: just showing size of fish and latest picture I have of the tank.

I was over dosing NOPOX and think it may have contributed to losing 3 nems and euphyllias.
If you stick to the program NOPOX is fine.

 

[ShoalSister]

Maybe I’ll try waste away for a little longer. Maybe 3 weeks just wasn’t enough or possibly didn’t dose enough since my water never got cloudy.

Just make sure you have a way to oxygenate the water and add slowly, stopping at first sign of cloudiness.

Then try the waste away gels after the liquid to keep the bacteria levels at needed levels to be effective. That is what has worked for me.