High nitrate...help

[BoneXriffic]

Thats a good one... see we are full of great ideas here lol

 

[Marinevrablic]

Sorry - I missed your phosphate readings in post 1.

What do you use for testing nitrates and phosphorus? Are you using any nutrient limiting method?

If you repeat the water changes for a couple of days and take nitrate and phosphorus readings before and around 1 hour after the change. I think its important to be rather sure that the test results are reasonable. if you do a 20 % change - the result should lower with around 20% of the first reading.

To test nitrate in saltwater - it is a challenge.

Sincerely Lasse

I got an api test kit with the tube I drip the chemicals in it to test. Forgot what it's called. Most accurate my LFS had. I scrubbed my rocks. But I'm hoping it's just the uglies. My turbos seem like they are just chilling in the same spot I got them 3 days ago lol. And had to fix my refugium with more flow.

 

[Marinevrablic]

Or throw a sheet over it and tell people theres a dead body in it

Not giving up that easily. Instead of having a service dog I chose the saltwater hobby lol. I been mainly fresh water for 20 years so I wanted to go big with saltwater finally since I got done with active duty.

 

[BoneXriffic]

Not giving up that easily. Instead of having a service dog I chose the saltwater hobby lol. I been mainly fresh water for 20 years so I wanted to go big with saltwater finally since I got done with active duty.

Oh i didnt mean forever lol. Just during the ugly stage.... i battled with it for a year... still some remnants of it... but as a tank matures, with a little hard work of course it will stabalize. Time is probally the most underrated part of building a tank.

 

[Marinevrablic]

Yea I never ever had problems with my 120gal and 90 gal freshwater. No algae ever. Monster fish a couple ich attacks but that was my mistake. But the saltwater is a beast lol keeping me on my toes lol. Oh I think I found out why my chaeto wasn't growing the first time and turned all loose....I didn't have enough flow in the refugium. Now I do but made my DT all cloudy from the sand bed stir up lol. Hopefully it won't look milky tomorrow.

 

[FishOfHex]

I have a nitrate problem. It's around 60. Got a new test kit and that's what it showed. The LFS I go to says it's fine. I don't think so because it's making my tank look brown now and my fish are acting weird. I have done 20% water changed for the last 3 days. My tank is a 60 gallon high with a 40 gallon sump/refugium. In the refugium I have cheato and mangroves. Just got the mangroves. I have a 1800 gallon return pump so eater flow mid to high is nice. Lower I have a wide spread power head to circulate. A hob with carbon. I don't know....my tank is 3 months. But my cheato doesn't seem to grow and turns brown also. Any help would be awesome......phosphate I have is at 1.5. I'm at a loss where I went wrong.

 

[harryball69]

I have a nitrate problem. It's around 60. Got a new test kit and that's what it showed. The LFS I go to says it's fine. I don't think so because it's making my tank look brown now and my fish are acting weird. I have done 20% water changed for the last 3 days. My tank is a 60 gallon high with a 40 gallon sump/refugium. In the refugium I have cheato and mangroves. Just got the mangroves. I have a 1800 gallon return pump so eater flow mid to high is nice. Lower I have a wide spread power head to circulate. A hob with carbon. I don't know....my tank is 3 months. But my cheato doesn't seem to grow and turns brown also. Any help would be awesome......phosphate I have is at 1.5. I'm at a loss where I went wrong.

you say your tank is 3 months old, still very young, more likely it wasnt completly cycled, and now your having a breakout, you need to let it sit and cycle, you need a good skimmer, very imporant,, let it go a week and check water chemestry,