High nitrates?

[JACK50REEF]

Hello everyone. Hope someone can clear this out for me.

Salinity 1.024

PH 8.1
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates 15-20

Calcium 420
Magnesium 1300
Alkalinity 8.5

Since my water parameters are somewhat decent, are nitrates being in the 15-20 range bad? Keep in mind its only 10 gallons. There is a limit on how many water changes i can do. Last one was done Saturday, about 40%.

Is there any negative effect in having nitrates in those ranges?

 

[Tahoe61]

Really depends on what corals or sensitive inverts you're keeping. Is there unwanted algae growth?

In a nano tank dominated by soft corals and hardy stony corals than I would not be too concerned.

Are you running a skimmer? Are you overfeeding? Is this a new tank? Are you using a good water source?

If the coral coloration is good, no unwanted algae growth and noticeable coral growth than I would not worry much about a 15-20 value.

 

[JACK50REEF]

Its mostly lps, softies, and a few montis. Have to scrub the walls once a week.

I do have a protein skimmer. Im also running chemipure blue and a ton of biomax.

I feed once a day.. Sometimes miss it by a day.

Coloration is fantastic. My acans started off as 3 heads, now 6, in 6 months. My lps have been growing great as well.

Using 0 tds water. Im using reef crystals as my salt mix. I guess its going great. There is such a huge debate on nitrates. My buddies tank is running at 50 for his nitrates without an issue. So its never clear to me. Different opinions from different ends.

 

[Bdog4u2]

Super low nitrates are overrated on most tanks. I've had them as high as 180 and nothing bad happend heck my bta tripled in size. I'd be more concerned with phosphates it can mess with sps calcification and some browning. My opinion is with a lot of today's corals have been fragged for so long they've basically got used to nutrients in the water and can handle it better than their Wild counterparts