Can't get my Nitrates down - Red Sea Max e170

[kevin318]

Need a little advise, I can't seem to get my Nitrates down, 17.7. I have a Max e170 AIO, the tank has been up for 1 year, I've had the live rock for over 20 years, 4 fish, 10 snails, 10 hermit crabs, 20 or so mixed corals zoas, SPS, and LPS. I'm dosing 9.5ml of soda ash and 9.0ml of Calcium and all my parameters are good except Nitrate, dKH=8,5, Phos=0.04, Salinity=1.026, Calcium=430ppm, Mag=1390ppm, PH=8.15 I do 5 gallon water changes faithfully every week and 10 gallons a week for the last three weeks. I have a Red Sea carbon bag, poly filter, and recently added a nitrogen sponge gravel to my filter, with two pieces of filter felt that I change weekly. I have about 3/8 substrate in the bottom, stirred up sweeped every week. I feed the fish very small amount of Pellets from Disciae Energetics, some green seaweed once a day 1 inch by 1.5 inch, I was dosing Reef Energy A&B 3ml a week but I stopped that 3 weeks ago. My skimmer is kicking out a medium to wet skim that gets empty and cleaned weekly. I have plenty of flow, two Jabao OW-25's running at 40%.
Everything seems to be growing great and I know that I'm not supposed to chase the number but I'm at a loss. Any thoughts to share?

 

[MERKEY]

Your tank seems to be doing great, don't go throwing chemicals in it.

Your nitrate number is not that out of place at all considering your other numbers. Nitrates should be 10-20x phos.

The level Your nitrates at won't do any harm to your corals.

If you want them lower I'd go the natural route.

As I agree less food will be the main stay going further do a 10-20% water change every 3 days and your nitrates will come down fast. Especially at the number you have and you don't want to bottom it out.

We actually run our tank to almost the same numbers you posted....heres how mad everything is

 

[kevin318]

Congrats! What was the source?

The Red Sea Max e-170 in the back filter area there is a black sponge about 6 in. long by 3 in. wide by 5 in. deep on the return pump side. It on the clean water side of the filter tower so I never thought to give it weekly maintenance. The last time I did was 4 months ago when I cleaned my return pump. When I pulled it out to clean it, I realized just how negligent I have been. It was unbelievably dirty and no doubt the source of the high Nitrates in my tank. I will be cleaning it weekly from now on.

I have 40 gallons of water in the system after displacement for rock, so 30 gallons at a time until I get it under 10.

Your tank seems to be doing great, don't go throwing chemicals in it.

Your nitrate number is not that out of place at all considering your other numbers. Nitrates should be 10-20x phos.

The level Your nitrates at won't do any harm to your corals.

If you want them lower I'd go the natural route.

As I agree less food will be the main stay going further do a 10-20% water change every 3 days and your nitrates will come down fast. Especially at the number you have and you don't want to bottom it out.

We actually run our tank to almost the same numbers you posted....heres how mad everything is

They look really mad.....LOL

I absolutely plan to try the water changes, I bought the NoPox but don't plan to use it unless I have to. Natural is always the best.

 

[JCM]

Your tank seems to be doing great, don't go throwing chemicals in it.

Your nitrate number is not that out of place at all considering your other numbers. Nitrates should be 10-20x phos.

The level Your nitrates at won't do any harm to your corals.

If you want them lower I'd go the natural route.

As I agree less food will be the main stay going further do a 10-20% water change every 3 days and your nitrates will come down fast. Especially at the number you have and you don't want to bottom it out.

We actually run our tank to almost the same numbers you posted....heres how mad everything is

I agree with this. 20 ppm isn't something I'd be concerned with. Especially if everything looks good.

 

[kevin318]

Clean the behind the tank filter and skimmer area today, completely. Cleaned the return pump and the skimmer pump while I had them out. There are 40 gallons in my Max e-170 after the rock displacement and I change out 28 gallons today. Reduced my nitrates from 21.5 to 15.3, can't say that I'm jumping up and down happy but I'm under 20 so I'm pleased. I expected when I change 70% of the water out to reduce the Nitrates at least 50%, not the case.
Does anyone have a source for the big black filter sponge that sit over the return pump behind the aquarium? I haven't been able to locate it in a block. It's about 6 x 6 x 4 black bubble sponge. I cleaned it thoroughly for the second week in a row and I think that it should probably be replaced.

 

[kevin318]

Here I am weeks after a massive water change 75% and now started dosing NoPox. Still can't bring them down. I can not possible feed my fish any less, they will starve. I'm starting to not like the AIO unit. The hermit crabs were starting to eat my zoa's and snails so I gave them to my LFS. Skimmer is going crazy, emptying it every three days. I don't know what the source of nutrients is coming from. I have crushed coral, i was vacuuming it weekly, I was told to not disturb it. That's not working it seems to be getting worst. GSP, Xenia, and my kenya tree are not showing their polyps now.