High nitrates and nitrites, due to prime?

[Caito]

Need some advice,
I have no ammonia but high nitrites (1 on a redsea kit) and high nitrates (between 20-50) 32gal tank with clean up crew and 2 clowns. 8 weeks since start of cycle
Adding bacteria and prime (using tap water for top offs)
I know nitrates aren’t dangerous for saltwater but ideally I’d like to get them down, any ideas as to why they’re so high?
i know high nitrites can affect the nitrates but still learning about everything.
thanks!

 

[MNFish]

Have you checked you tap water for nitrates? If you are topping off with a water that has nitrates they will go up pretty quick.

 

[Caito]

Have you checked you tap water for nitrates? If you are topping off with a water that has nitrates they will go up pretty quick.

I haven’t! But I’m dosing with prime, wouldn’t that get rid of them?

 

[Caito]

I haven’t! But I’m dosing with prime, wouldn’t that get rid of them?

Nope it won’t - just checked. I might have to invest in an RODI

 

[MNFish]

RODI is a very worthwhile investment in my opinion. My tap runs up to 4ppm nitrates.... I think prime claims it binds the Nitrates to make them safe but I have no idea how to prove it works or does not work....

 

[Caito]

RODI is a very worthwhile investment in my opinion. My tap runs up to 4ppm nitrates.... I think prime claims it binds the Nitrates to make them safe but I have no idea how to prove it works or does not work....

Just tested it, it’s showing between 0 and 2 on a redsea kit.
So I don’t think it would be that

 

[Uncle99]

Your nitrates don’t seem overly high for the 8 week mark.
You can start to lower them through, water changes but RODI of 0 TDS, carbon dosing, adding more surface area, AKA marine pure type, and a good steady skim.

Macroalgae is fab at soaking up those nutrients, but at times, is too good and can zero them out, which can trigger the bad guy blooms like Cyano and Dino.

Good guy bacteria’s processing nitrates, are slow to populate so you must intervene (refuge, carbon, water change) until they mature.

 

[Caito]

How do I carbon dose?
what’s a marine pure and I have a protein skimmer already

 

[Uncle99]

How do I carbon dose?
what’s a marine pure and I have a protein skimmer already

The manual dosing of carbon like Red Sea Nopox feeds the good guy bacteria so they increase their population, surface area like Marine Pure blocks, balls or gems create an amazing amount of area for which they live. The bacteria consumes some nutrients then get pulled out by skimming, in essence an export of wastes.
Some use Vodka or vinegar, I’ve only used Nopox and once my tank cycled, I reduced nitrates from 50ppm to 10ppm in about 12 weeks. It stayed at 10ppm for years now.