I took out to much macro algae and having a HUGE nitrate spike.

[SauceyReef]

I have a small fluval evo 13.5 nano mixed reef. I have been loving this tank but finding nutrient stability has been one of the hardest things for me. Just recently I took out a chunk of my macro algae in my FUGE as my nitrate readings were to low. The next day or two my nitrates are peaking at 75ppm on the Hanna. The tank/corals seem a little unhappy, but everything looks near normal.

Any advice how to comfortably lower this quickly? Increase my FUGE hours for the next week all night? Start re-adding MicroBacter7? Larger water changes?

 

[toxicshark]

A decent sized water change shouldn't hurt

 

[SauceyReef]

A decent sized water change shouldn't hurt

I am going to do that ASAP and also up the hours on my FUGE light in hopes to stimulate more macro growth the next few days.

 

[sixty_reefer]

I have a small fluval evo 13.5 nano mixed reef. I have been loving this tank but finding nutrient stability has been one of the hardest things for me. Just recently I took out a chunk of my macro algae in my FUGE as my nitrate readings were to low. The next day or two my nitrates are peaking at 75ppm on the Hanna. The tank/corals seem a little unhappy, but everything looks near normal.

Any advice how to comfortably lower this quickly? Increase my FUGE hours for the next week all night? Start re-adding MicroBacter7? Larger water changes?

Can you re test? A small chunk of macro algae would do the described nutrient issues.

 

[Lavey29]

I agree with the above post, trimming back your macro would not cause a huge nitrate spike so maybe a re test should be done. Did you do anything else like siphon your sand and maybe release nitrate that way?

 

[SauceyReef]

I just re-tested and again at 75ppm, but all the corals look pretty good besides the rock flower anemones. I just bought new reagents and everything as well for the hanna. I removed possibly more than half of the macro algae in my smaller fuge to give some to a local reefer and trim back. I don't see what else it could be besides the removal of the macro and maybe a combination of feeding to much at the same time. I have not disturbed the sand bed at all recently. Yesterday I did razor the algae off the glass. I will keep testing every day and see where my results go over the week.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Dan_P]

I have a small fluval evo 13.5 nano mixed reef. I have been loving this tank but finding nutrient stability has been one of the hardest things for me. Just recently I took out a chunk of my macro algae in my FUGE as my nitrate readings were to low. The next day or two my nitrates are peaking at 75ppm on the Hanna. The tank/corals seem a little unhappy, but everything looks near normal.

Any advice how to comfortably lower this quickly? Increase my FUGE hours for the next week all night? Start re-adding MicroBacter7? Larger water changes?

What was the nitrate reading before algae removal?

 

[SauceyReef]

What was the nitrate reading before algae removal?

Typically averaging 20-40ppm, but as I mentioned earlier I just bought new reagents. I had a post earlier about my Hanna swinging and I was told mine were possibly bad.

 

[SauceyReef]

Even after a 40% water change and having the macro light on all night the past few days I am reading 75ppm.. I just looked it up and 75ppm is the highest my Hanna High range nitrate checker can go so for all I know this could be 100ppm +. The surprising this is nothing seems unhappy in the tank.. I dont think water changes and macro algae is going to bring this down I think I need some other mechanical filtration.

 

[Garf]

Even after a 40% water change and having the macro light on all night the past few days I am reading 75ppm.. I just looked it up and 75ppm is the highest my Hanna High range nitrate checker can go so for all I know this could be 100ppm +. The surprising this is nothing seems unhappy in the tank.. I dont think water changes and macro algae is going to bring this down I think I need some other mechanical filtration.

Can you check nitrite, it may be messing with your nitrate test.

 

[Tamberav]

Even after a 40% water change and having the macro light on all night the past few days I am reading 75ppm.. I just looked it up and 75ppm is the highest my Hanna High range nitrate checker can go so for all I know this could be 100ppm +. The surprising this is nothing seems unhappy in the tank.. I dont think water changes and macro algae is going to bring this down I think I need some other mechanical filtration.

water changes are the best way to lower nitrate in a small tank.

If you had 100 nitrate and did a 75 percent sent water change, you would be left with 25 nitrate.

I change 90 percent at a time on my pico.

 

[SauceyReef]

Can you check nitrite, it may be messing with your nitrate test.

Honestly I dont even have a functional nitrite tester. I just tested ammonia/nitrite at my LFS and once it hit 0 after cycle I never bothered again. Are these not lethal if measurable? How would nitrite be messing with my Nitrate tester? I can run over to my LFS and get a reading. They use Hannas also. The tank seems pretty fine other than a few RFAs are unhappy. Recent photo below.

water changes are the best way to lower nitrate in a small tank.

If you had 100 nitrate and did a 75 percent sent water change, you would be left with 25 nitrate.

I change 90 percent at a time on my pico.

Hey thank you for chiming in. I have always been scared to do more than 50% water changes. Would it be okay to do a 90% water change with inverts, commensal shrimp, clam, fish, and all the corals (seeing the temp/salinity is matched of the new water) in my Evo? I did a 30%-40% the other day, re-tested yesterday with my high range checker, and still at 75ppm

 

[BanjoBandito]

Yeah, you are gonna have to dial up the water changes until it settles down.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Honestly I dont even have a functional nitrite tester. I just tested ammonia/nitrite at my LFS and once it hit 0 after cycle I never bothered again. Are these not lethal if measurable? How would nitrite be messing with my Nitrate tester? I can run over to my LFS and get a reading. They use Hannas also. The tank seems pretty fine other than a few RFAs are unhappy. Recent photo below.



Hey thank you for chiming in. I have always been scared to do more than 50% water changes. Would it be okay to do a 90% water change with inverts, commensal shrimp, clam, fish, and all the corals (seeing the temp/salinity is matched of the new water) in my Evo? I did a 30%-40% the other day, re-tested yesterday with my high range checker, and still at 75ppm

I would honestly try and do smaller, more frequent changes than do a big 90% change.

 

[Tamberav]

Honestly I dont even have a functional nitrite tester. I just tested ammonia/nitrite at my LFS and once it hit 0 after cycle I never bothered again. Are these not lethal if measurable? How would nitrite be messing with my Nitrate tester? I can run over to my LFS and get a reading. They use Hannas also. The tank seems pretty fine other than a few RFAs are unhappy. Recent photo below.



Hey thank you for chiming in. I have always been scared to do more than 50% water changes. Would it be okay to do a 90% water change with inverts, commensal shrimp, clam, fish, and all the corals (seeing the temp/salinity is matched of the new water) in my Evo? I did a 30%-40% the other day, re-tested yesterday with my high range checker, and still at 75ppm

corals don’t mind it.

What type of clam?

You can always do a series of 50 percent over a few days. Just take ya a little longer to get it down.

People keep reefs in cookie jars and do large water changes to maintain them easily. I did it with my SPS pico. Best secret ever.

I probably would not try to tick off a clam this way though. Exposing to air can get it trapped inside.

 

[SauceyReef]

I would honestly try and do smaller, more frequent changes than do a big 90% change.

I will keep doing 30-40% every few days. Does that sound like a solid percentage/timespand? I think I am going to get some floss in my first chamber per suggestion of others with fluval evo reefs, and maybe add a prettier macro in the display tank.

 

[SauceyReef]

corals don’t mind it.

What type of clam?

You can always do a series of 50 percent over a few days. Just take ya a little longer to get it down.

People keep reefs in cookie jars and do large water changes to maintain them easily.

I probably would not try to tick off a clam this way though. Exposing to air can get it trapped inside.

4-5" blue/gold squamosa ! I got it more than a year ago and it has about doubled in size. Probably will have to get a bigger system soon or rehome it. Only photo I have right now you can really see the clam.

 

[Tamberav]

ya that’s fine but I would also verify your test kit works correctly before getting too crazy.

 

[SauceyReef]

ya that’s fine but I would also verify your test kit works correctly before getting too crazy.

I just bought a new one with new reagents after everyone told me the last one could be off. I really hope this one is not off. I know this may sound like a dumb question, but can I test my RO/DI water to make sure it comes out at 0? I also have another Mangrove tank setup that is 4-5 months into cycling with nothing added into it so nitrates should be very low I rarely feed the tank. I can test that also and see if the other readings check out.

 

[Garf]

Honestly I dont even have a functional nitrite tester. I just tested ammonia/nitrite at my LFS and once it hit 0 after cycle I never bothered again. Are these not lethal if measurable? How would nitrite be messing with my Nitrate tester? I can run over to my LFS and get a reading. They use Hannas also. The tank seems pretty fine other than a few RFAs are unhappy. Recent photo below.



Hey thank you for chiming in. I have always been scared to do more than 50% water changes. Would it be okay to do a 90% water change with inverts, commensal shrimp, clam, fish, and all the corals (seeing the temp/salinity is matched of the new water) in my Evo? I did a 30%-40% the other day, re-tested yesterday with my high range checker, and still at 75ppm

Without a confirmation that nitrite is zero, or almost zero, most nitrate tests used will give false high nitrate reading. Seems odd that removing macro, which uses ammonia directly, would give an instant nitrate high. This could be accounted for by a nitrite reading (probably not harmful) which is then multiplied by a massive amount (sometimes x100) in the nitrate test.