High Nitrates - Bane of my existence

[Jedi1199]

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.

You hit the nail on the head here. 3 weeks is not enough time to tell if anything is making a realistic change to your system. Patience is key in reefing. It may take months to achieve the results you are hoping for.

I have no experience with any of the products you are using so I will refrain from any advice about that other than just be patient.

 

[biom]

The 50 dead sps frags, lol.

I doubt 40-50 ppm NO3 would kill 50 SPS frags, the reason is somewhere else, it could be pathogen or not sufficient light. Did you try to put some SPS frags in this Clams refugium with higher PAR?
I see you are using Ozone reactor - it could lower the effect of bacteria dosing and nopox.

 

[Lasse]

How much do you feed every day?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Nano_Man]

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

Phosphate binds to sand and rock and when you lower it the next couple of days creeps back up due to leaching out of the Rockand sand . I found water changes did next to nothing with phosphate. Anyway we are talking nitrate regular water changes should help lower it if for some reason it doesn’t then start thinking of methods of dosing or nitrate removal resins ect . Randy is the Man never let me down with his advice. Good luck

 

[Dan_P]

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.

Something to consider. Nitrate is continually being created. The methods you are using might not be large enough to consume the nitrate being produced everyday plus the 42 ppm that has accumulated. For example, the amount of Cheato might be too small and the light could be brighter.

Adding bacteria might be a waste of time. Your system has plenty of bacteria.

NOPOX will not likely be a quick fix either and will be expensive for the amount you need. Consider vodka or white vinegar.

 

[Nano_Man]

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.

There is I am currently just starting dosing vinegar after watching what Randy had to say . Bottle of white distilled vinegar cost me 35p a litre and with your volume of water maybe the way to go but I am no expert you would need to talk to @Randy Holmes-Farley he will sort you out .

 

[PaulieReef]

I doubt 40-50 ppm NO3 would kill 50 SPS frags, the reason is somewhere else, it could be pathogen or not sufficient light. Did you try to put some SPS frags in this Clams refugium with higher PAR?
I see you are using Ozone reactor - it could lower the effect of bacteria dosing and nopox.

Sps we’re getting 350 par. It was sufficient. The clams are getting 650. They would bake. It was not a light issue.

 

[PaulieReef]

There is I am currently just starting dosing vinegar after watching what Randy had to say . Bottle of white distilled vinegar cost me 35p a litre and with your volume of water maybe the way to go but I am no expert you would need to talk to @Randy Holmes-Farley he will sort you out .

Tried vodka dosing in the past but was worried of long term effects, I’ll look into vodka dosing

 

[PaulieReef]

Something to consider. Nitrate is continually being created. The methods you are using might not be large enough to consume the nitrate being produced everyday plus the 42 ppm that has accumulated. For example, the amount of Cheato might be too small and the light could be brighter.

Adding bacteria might be a waste of time. Your system has plenty of bacteria.

NOPOX will not likely be a quick fix either and will be expensive for the amount you need. Consider vodka or white vinegar.

Did vodka dosing in the past and thought it did good. Still go the bottle under my stand .

Buddy gave me nopox for free so I’ll try that and maybe once nitrates are at a maintainable level switch to vodka

 

[PaulieReef]

How much do you feed every day?

Sincerely Lasse

Half a sheet of nori every other day about about 1 teaspoon of chrono boost daily

 

[Jedi1199]

For vodka dosing, I recommend 3 oz to 12 oz of cranberry juice over ice. It helps me when dealing with aquarium issues....

 

[PaulieReef]

For vodka dosing, I recommend 3 oz to 12 oz of cranberry juice over ice. It helps me when dealing with aquarium issues....

Same brotha. Same.

 

[Dbichler]

I’ve been using diy nopox for years no issues you just have to watch phosphates and make sure you don’t go low on them and nitrates will fall but it takes 4-6 weeks before you’ll notice anything unless you overdose and get a bacterial bloom. Just make sure to skim really wet and have good aeration.

 

[Tahiti]

For vodka dosing, I recommend 3 oz to 12 oz of cranberry juice over ice. It helps me when dealing with aquarium issues....

Why did I think you meant putting cranberry juice into your tank?

 

[zoomonster]

Nitrate/phosphate issues have dogged every aquarist at some point. With high nitrate and phosphate my 10yo tank usually does well regardless (well most stuff). Much the same I run refugium, biopellet reactor and GFO to keep things in reason. I decided to try a new tact and starting using Tropic Marin elimi-np (hard to find now). It does very well at reducing nitrates and to a lesser degree phosphate. So dosing elimi-np and still running GFO trying to get the two back to a proper ratio where the Tropic Marin products work best. Hopefully soon (test this weekend) I can switch over to their NP-Bacto. The NP-Bacto actually adds small amounts of nitrates and phosphates along with the carbon source and the K+ elements. The whole process of course requires a good skimmer as lots of bacteria is produced that will also feed the corals.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

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

That's phosphate, not nitrate

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

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.

Nopox is just vodka and vinegar, IIRC, so if you've already tried vodka with no ill effects nopox will likely be fine.
(I've never used it though)