HELP LOWERING LEVELS

markyc123

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Hey guys. Still pretty new to marine tanks. My parameters have been solid for the past month. I was doing my tests and noticed that my Nitrite, Nitrate, and Phosphate levels are now very high. I have 2 Clownfish some snails and cleaner shrimp in my tank and i am worried i am not sure what my next step should be to lower them.

Parameters-- PH- 7.8 Nitrite 5.0 ppm (API Test), Nitrate 80 ppm (API Test), Calcium 454 ppm (Hanna Instruments), Alkalinity 9.2 (Hanna Instruments), Phosphate .96 ppm (Hanna Instruments). Please help open to any suggestions. This came out of no where.

THANKS AS ALWAYS
 

Codeblack88

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How much are you feeding? Using GFOs (Carefully) can help strip the phos.

If you lower your phos, you will also be lowering your nitrates as well
 

reefinatl

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It's a 13.5 fluval, right? Just mix up 10g of water and do two 50% waterchanges a couple days apart then get your feeding levels in check. Nanos are a blessing and a curse. Easy to make bad things and good things happen fast.
 

Jekyl

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It's a 13.5 fluval, right? Just mix up 10g of water and do two 50% waterchanges a couple days apart then get your feeding levels in check. Nanos are a blessing and a curse. Easy to make bad things and good things happen fast.
This, or skimmer, or sump and chaeto.
 

mdb_talon

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I would do multiple fairly large water changes to help bring them down, but that just helps reset to a lower level.

From there though you need to feed less(less nutrient import) or add some greater nutrient export ability (skimmer, refugium, carbon dosing(if have skimmer), etc).
 

mdb_talon

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If you lower your phos, you will also be lowering your nitrates as well

What makes you say that? Using gfo or lanthium chloride can quickly reduce phosphate, but it is not going to bring down nitrates with it. It can get phosphate so low that it is difficult to get the nitrates down though.
 

Codeblack88

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What makes you say that? Using gfo or lanthium chloride can quickly reduce phosphate, but it is not going to bring down nitrates with it. It can get phosphate so low that it is difficult to get the nitrates down though.
With my tank, I have found they tend to be caused by similar issues. (Like overfeeding, too many fish, too much reefroids etc). So by addressing the root cause of the higher phos as well as running GFOs in media bags, my nitrates have dropped as well. I could be wrong, but thats what I have experienced.

I should have added that GFOs should only be used when multiple water changes haven't worked because of quickly they can bottom out your phos.
 

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