Desperate for Advise

[Big Rev]

Starting out with fresh Hanna Nitrate HR reagent. One part tank water, nine parts ro/di. Results 443ppm (multiply 10x). The fish are active and feeding like crazy and the corals are open and colorful. Its interesting to note that NoPox or Elim NP are having no affect.

 

[Tidal Gardens]

Starting out with fresh Hanna Nitrate HR reagent. One part tank water, nine parts ro/di. Results 443ppm (multiply 10x). The fish are active and feeding like crazy and the corals are open and colorful. Its interesting to note that NoPox or Elim NP are having no affect.

Carbon dosing can take a few weeks to build up the bacteria populations that are feeding off the carbon you are dosing into the tank. Be careful overdoing this because you can make a mess with bacterial blooms. Make sure your skimmer is running at full capacity and if you can dial it in to wet skim, that would be ideal. Try to skim enough to fill the collection cup once a day.

 

[BryanM]

I'm following along to see if there's an eventual answer. The reported numbers are wild.... If true, and I was intent on fixing it, I think I'd be going down the water change route, 10-20% every other day, likely would take months, but at least it wouldn't be a major shock to the system.

 

[bubbgee]

Starting out with fresh Hanna Nitrate HR reagent. One part tank water, nine parts ro/di. Results 443ppm (multiply 10x). The fish are active and feeding like crazy and the corals are open and colorful. Its interesting to note that NoPox or Elim NP are having no affect.

I actually didn't have any success with Nopox until I have a skimmer and added bacteria to feed on the carbon. Are you dosing Microbacter7 or Dr Tim's one and only?

 

[Big Rev]

Carbon dosing can take a few weeks to build up the bacteria populations that are feeding off the carbon you are dosing into the tank. Be careful overdoing this because you can make a mess with bacterial blooms. Make sure your skimmer is running at full capacity and if you can dial it in to wet skim, that would be ideal. Try to skim enough to fill the collection cup once a day.

I was using NoPox for a month with no movement then switched to Elim NP. No difference. My skimmer is "wet" skimming and dumped daily.

 

[Big Rev]

I actually didn't have any success with Nopox until I have a skimmer and added bacteria to feed on the carbon. Are you dosing Microbacter7 or Dr Tim's one and only?

Yes, but not continuously dosing , but weekly adding Microbacter7, now Microbacter Purple.

 

[lwien01]

Fellow reefers, I've recently transitioned from a FOWLR tank to Reef Tank in January. I've struggled with high nitrates and now that I've invested considerably in corals, LPS mostly, my nitrates are still high despite carbon dosing, Nitrate Reactor (i had on FOWLR). I'm asking for some clarification about my SUPER HIGH nitrates and why the corals seem to be doing great...to me...but I want them to last and be the best they can be. My April Fauna Marin ICP: Nitrate:434, Phos:11, Cal:678, Alk:10.5, MAg:1260, PH:7.9 and my ORP via Apex was 264. As of this message, my ORP has now tanked to 40! During this time I've switched from filter socks to Fleece Roller Filter and upgraded my skimmer to Octo 200ext. Question: Am I just being paranoid or what suggestions (I've done multiple water changes 265g tank) and I've been pouring money into this for months now (5 figures!) and I need help advise, talking off the ledge! I wish I had a local "buddy to help, but I don't, so I'm relying on youtube videos (I know...) or LFSs that are little help other than selling me more stuff. I'm turning to this group of experienced reefer for advise. Appreciate your responses!

 

[lwien01]

I would invest your money in an RO/DI WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM from Spectrapure. The reason your nitrates are off the charts is because you are importing water loaded with a ton of nutrients. Carbon dosing will help but not if the water you are using is not 100% pure and has a zero total dissolved solid ratio. call spectrapure they will help you big time!

 

[Big Rev]

Yes - I couldn't tell if that was your point - but that was mine - though you technically may not 'need' to do them the average FOWLR tank probably needs them more than others

I've been keeping fish since the days of metal framed aquariums. As retired military, every location I was stationed at I had aquariums, both salt and freshwater. I love keeping fish. Corals fascinate me thus I want to venture there.

 

[Big Rev]

I would invest your money in an RO/DI WATER PURIFICATION SYSTEM from Spectrapure. The reason your nitrates are off the charts is because you are importing water loaded with a ton of nutrients. Carbon dosing will help but not if the water you are using is not 100% pure and has a zero total dissolved solid ratio. call spectrapure they will help you big time!

I have dedicated ro/di systemwith TDS meter that reads zero. I use Aquatic Life System VS BRS because swapping out specific cartridges are more convenient.

 

[MnFish1]

I have dedicated ro/di systemwith TDS meter that reads zero. I use Aquatic Life System VS BRS because swapping out specific cartridges are more convenient.

I would just use the Hamza Effectiveness of water change calculator - and figure out how much you want the nitrate to drop - and how quickly. If indeed your tests are correct (and I'm still not sure - unless you've tried multiple (3) confirmatory (different brand) tests - What are you diluting your tank water with - if its RODI - that may be causing part of the issue. Second - if indeed at these levels your fish are doing fine, with no problems there is no emergency in multiple large water changes - which may do more harm than good - since the fish have adapted to the current conditions.

I would triple check the test results first. It’ll be worth the cost of multiple ICPs to be sure because, if the nutrients are that high, you’ll end up taking some fairly significant measures to get them down.

If they are that high, before embarking on serial water changes, you need to thoroughly clean the system. Vacuum the sand bed. I’d start doing so regularly and would remove some sand each time. You can replace it with new sand that you thoroughly rinse before adding. But don’t pull out more than about 30% of your sand in a given week.

Vacuum the sump out. If you can, pull out your live rock in sections to vacuum under it. While doing so, rinse the rock in clean saltwater to get any detritus out. While not necessary, running a canister filter while doing all of this will help pull out detritus you kick up before it settles back to the substrate.

You might want to mix up a small container of saltwater with a heater and small power head. Test nitrates to make sure they’re at or near zero and then soak one of the rocks from your tank in it for a few days and retest. That’ll give you an idea of how much nitrate your rock is leaching into the water and then you can assess how much work you have to get them under control.

You might also add a large refugium to start taking up nutrients. I would think chaeto will grow like a weed in that water and you’ll have to harvest it by the fistful very quickly once it grows. I think that’ll be a lot more manageable than a turf scrubber.

I wouldn’t add any corals until you get the levels down. And I’d be quick to remove anything that’s dying.

Lastly, are you using RODI water to mix salt? If not, that could be part of the problem.

ICP'S do not measure nitrate

 

[Big Rev]

OK...so I also have a Salifert Nitrate test kit with exp of 7/2026. Reading was between 50 and 100 leaning more towards 50! Go figure!

 

[lwien01]

I have dedicated ro/di systemwith TDS meter that reads zero. I use Aquatic Life System VS BRS because swapping out specific cartridges are more convenient.

 

[lwien01]

add chaeto to sump with miracle mud; lots of healthy bacteria and a competing algae to suck up those nutrients.

 

[bubbgee]

OK...so I also have a Salifert Nitrate test kit with exp of 7/2026. Reading was between 50 and 100 leaning more towards 50! Go figure!

Looks like it’s heading in the right direction. Do test your RODI water for phosphates and nitrates to eliminate that as a potential problem. TDS is about solids, and I’m not sure if it’s a great indicator for phosphates and nitrates concentration.

 

[MnFish1]

Looks like it’s heading in the right direction. Do test your RODI water for phosphates and nitrates to eliminate that as a potential problem. TDS is about solids, and I’m not sure if it’s a great indicator for phosphates and nitrates concentration.

Phosphate and Nitrate are part of TDS.

 

[MnFish1]

OK...so I also have a Salifert Nitrate test kit with exp of 7/2026. Reading was between 50 and 100 leaning more towards 50! Go figure!

I think your problem is the RODI you were diluting with. 50 is somewhat high - but not horrible. Certainly better than 443:)

 

[Big Rev]

After I contacted Fauna Marin about my test results and Nitrate/Phosphate question, they informed me that what I purchased went beyond ICP and they tested using other means to include my RO/DI which read undetectable for a long list of elements with the exception of [email protected]/[email protected]/[email protected] & [email protected]. I will note that they didn't test for nitrate/phosphate in ro/di.

 

[Big Rev]

I wanted to send a thank you to everyone for their input and expertise. I believe I'm headed in the right direction now. I have setup the tank, in conjunction with a water change, with an Apex DOS that is set to turnover the water 100% in 6 months using the Hamzareef calculator. I also got a Geos Reef Algae reactor w/Cheato to run on the tank as well. I'll check back afterwhile with updates....for anyone who might be interested in the tank's progress.