High Nitrates!...What could be causing this?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I could try testing and dosing for Iodine. I never have before. I have also had the same piece of chaeto in the fuge for over a year. Maybe I need to trash can that piece and start with a new fresh piece. As far as my water change schedule I usually do a 20-30 gallon water change once a month. I know that's probably not enough, but I have a fairly lightly stocked tank, so I was hoping I could get away with that. I have heard of people that do no water changes and have great results. Just to be clear my fish are all totally fine. The higher nitrates do not seem to phase them whatsoever. Also, my soft corals seem to love it. I have seen some awesome growth on my zoas since the higher nitrates starting occurring. It's the other corals that aren't doing too well. My lobos are receding from their skeletons, my Acans completely died, and a plate coral I have is also retreating from its skeleton. I also notice that I NEVER have to dose calcium in my system. I test calcium once a week and it does not move. It stay solid at 425ppm. I dose 14.5ml of alk each day which keeps it at 8.5dkH and magnesium holds strong at 1350 all the time. The high nitrates, I believe, are causing my skeleton based corals to die slowly which is why my calcium is not reducing. I am hoping that lowering the nitrates which help my corals to calcify and grow. Soft corals are cool, but I want to get nitrates down so I can do LPS corals.

The sand bed is about 1.5 to 2 inches deep. Some areas are deeper than others. It's 120 pounds of live sand in the system. Also, I guess the miracle mud could be leaching. The manufacturer states that 50% of the miracle mud should be changed each year. I changed 50% about 6-8 months ago, but the idea with the mud is to kind of just let it be.

To answer you question about the power heads. I was thinking of buying another, but I have not. I still currently have 2 Hydro Koralia power heads. I could add a third or fourth to the back of the tank to increase flow or I could upgrade to two more powerful heads.

IMO, it is unlikely iodine will help. It did not help in my studies of macro algae growth, and is not known in the scientific literature to have such an effect.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How deep is your sand bed? Disturbing deeper beds can release badness. Could the miracle mud be leaching?

I do not think your overfeeding by any stretch, perhaps under feeding, but I feed two to three times a day when I'm able.

I had a problem with cheato not growing until I dosed Iodine, then it exploded! You may consider a simple iodine test kit before dumping something in.

Before you spend money and complicate your system you must find the source of your problem. First of all, don't panic over a Nitrate of 50! You've tested RODI/salt mix and tested 0. You have reduced green water. If after reducing green water nitrates are still 50, then thats not your problem. I would like to know more about vacuuming the sand bed and miracle mud. If your vacuuming the bed because there is junk settling then vacuuming is not the solution, rather flow. You purchased a new powerhead, making three. Has this helped with anything? How long has miracle mud been in the system?

It is extremely difficulty but try and make one simple change at a time, wait a week maybe even two before you retest.

Adding carbon dosing and reactors at this point is like trying to lose weight or get into shape by buying "fitness and weight loss supplements." You've gotta learn to eat healthy and if sedentary learn to move your body. Supplements are not going to do the work for you! So, if you were shooting for Nitrates of 0 (I wouldn't) and they were 7, you could then consider "supplementing," your already successful husbandry. But you don't try and fix Nitrates of 50 by adding supplements when there is very likely an easy solution/explanation. This of course is only my opinion! Just remember, look at your inhabitants, if they look healthy then remind yourself you have time to fix this slowly!

What exactly did you dose? I carefully tested iodide dosing on chaeto and caulerpa racemosa growth rates and detected no significant differences.

 

[McMullen]

Interesting, I think I've seen you post that before. The Red Sea color kit.

Maybe it was not iodine, rather iron that made the difference. I assumed it was iodine because my LFS suggested this as the cause/effect.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That would make more sense to me.

 

[McMullen]

Thanks for the call out Randy!! I hate simply repeating wrong information!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sure. Happy Reefing.