High nitrates

[Jimmyneptune]

I am having an issue with high nitrates in my reef and I am trying to lower them. It was round 100 about 3 weeks ago. I changed my filters and resin on my RODI and have 0 TDS. I did a 30% water change. I also cleared out some old sponges and detritus that was in my sump. That brought my nitrates down to 80. Next I added a marine pure plate that was cycled in a tank with only cycled live rock. I also noticed that my Chaeto in my refugium was not brown but dark green and not growing. I started dosing iron two weeks ago. Currently it looks like some new growth lighter green chaeto is happening additionally I added some ulva lettuce algae and two small Mangrove Propagules. At that Time I also added a new out of the box marine pure plate next to my other plate of marine pure in my sump. All this brought my nitrate down to 50. Looking for suggestions on how to lower my nitrate even further shooting for 10 or under.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I am having an issue with high nitrates in my reef and I am trying to lower them. It was round 100 about 3 weeks ago. I changed my filters and resin on my RODI and have 0 TDS. I did a 30% water change. I also cleared out some old sponges and detritus that was in my sump. That brought my nitrates down to 80. Next I added a marine pure plate that was cycled in a tank with only cycled live rock. I also noticed that my Chaeto in my refugium was not brown but dark green and not growing. I started dosing iron two weeks ago. Currently it looks like some new growth lighter green chaeto is happening additionally I added some ulva lettuce algae and two small Mangrove Propagules. At that Time I also added a new out of the box marine pure plate next to my other plate of marine pure in my sump. All this brought my nitrate down to 50. Looking for suggestions on how to lower my nitrate even further shooting for 10 or under.

With what you have done, they will drop. Patience is key here. Also, what is your PO4? If it is undetectable, it can slow down consumption by the macros.

 

[Jimmyneptune]

po4 is .08

 

[Jimmyneptune]

wow! I have not done a po4 test for years because they always were reading 0 to .02 . I had started high capacity gfo but turned it off my reactor had a slow leak, bad o-ring leaking 4 cups of water every 24 hours.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

wow! I have not done a po4 test for years because they always were reading 0 to .02 . I had started high capacity gfo but turned it off my reactor had a slow leak, bad o-ring leaking 4 cups of water every 24 hours.

In my opinion, others will disagree lol, .08 is not bad. You should see a nice steady drop in nitrates as time goes on. The bacteria has to reproduce and consume it, so it takes time.