Lowering nitrate

[Darkseid]

How to lower nitrate?
Mine go from 40-80 in three days I don't have much just a crab and copepod

Salinity at 1.024
pH 8.2
Kh 14 drop
Ammonia n nitrite never test. Since dude in Reddit said it's not necessary

Tried 80% water change.....well that reduce it back to 40ppm.....might be stuff on the rocks r still dying

 

[Quietman]

Water change is about it...assuming you're not overfeeding. You mentioned stuff on rocks. If your rock is still curing (dead stuff decomposing), it could be a couple weeks. That would occur if you're using previously used rock that was dried out.

 

[Azedenkae]

How to lower nitrate?
Mine go from 40-80 in three days I don't have much just a crab and copepod

Salinity at 1.024
pH 8.2
Kh 14 drop
Ammonia n nitrite never test. Since dude in Reddit said it's not necessary

Tried 80% water change.....well that reduce it back to 40ppm.....might be stuff on the rocks r still dying

You may want to test nitrite in this case. Going from 40 to 80 in three days is a lot, and the way the nitrate test kit works is that it converts a portion of nitrate to nitrite, then measure that as a proxy. So if you have nitrite present, that'll give off a falsely high nitrate reading.

Ammonia should definitely be tested at least during the cycle until one is sure that there are plenty of nitrifiers to handle any amount of ammonia produced. So yes eventually you don't really need to test ammonia, but there is a period that it would be important. I don't know the context of what transpired, so I don't know if you have already cycled or what, but just an fyi.

 

[Garf]

My guess also is you’ve got a nitrite interference.

 

[Adamantium]

Yeah, if it’s a new tank you should be testing ammonia and nitrite, as well. Could be falsely inflated by nitrite content.

Unless you’re throwing in absolute gobs of food, a crab shouldn’t be adding much nitrate at all. Like, almost nothing. And same for copepods, but even less.

 

[Darkseid]

4 reply ain't nobody mention nothing about seachem stability or other bacteria dosing.......those stuff doesn't work huh?

Could also be feeding cut squid.

I'm using live rock......love the idea of hitchhiker that's how I got my copepod colony

 

[Adamantium]

4 reply ain't nobody mention nothing about seachem stability or other bacteria dosing.......those stuff doesn't work huh?

Could also be feeding cut squid.

I'm using live rock......love the idea of hitchhiker that's how I got my copepod colony

You’re feeding fresh squid, cut up? How much?

Also, nothing wrong with those products, but they don’t actively lower nutrient levels.

 

[Darkseid]

You’re feeding fresh squid, cut up? How much?

Also, nothing wrong with those products, but they don’t actively lower nutrient levels

They wrote seachem stability contain bacteria that that help in control ammonia nitrite n nitrate. Ofcoz I'm wrong about that isn't it.

That seachem dont do ****

Vodka dosing, do those work?
Tried sugar didn't do **** other than clouded my water n murdered two of my fish

 

[Garf]

They wrote seachem stability contain bacteria that that help in control ammonia nitrite n nitrate. Ofcoz I'm wrong about that isn't it.

That seachem dont do ****

Vodka dosing, do those work?
Tried sugar didn't do **** other than clouded my water n murdered two of my fish

Don’t start dosing carbs for crying out loud.

 

[TCoach]

How to lower nitrate?
Mine go from 40-80 in three days I don't have much just a crab and copepod

Salinity at 1.024
pH 8.2
Kh 14 drop
Ammonia n nitrite never test. Since dude in Reddit said it's not necessary

Tried 80% water change.....well that reduce it back to 40ppm.....might be stuff on the rocks r still dying

More info on tank please.

How old is it?
What are the full params (Ca, Mg, Ammonia, etc)?
What test kit are you using?
Full tank shot, please.

 

[dhnguyen]

Wait what? You're feeding cut up squid when you only have one crab and some copepods? Why???
And as stated above we need more details about your setup.

And oh yeah maybe stop listening to "dude on reddit" testing for ammonia is absolutely necessary especially if you have a new tank that is still cycling. The presence of ammonia in an established tank also tells you something has gone wrong or died in your system so that you can react accordingly.

 

[Darkseid]

Wait what? You're feeding cut up squid when you only have one crab and some copepods? Why???
And as stated above we need more details about your setup.

And oh yeah maybe stop listening to "dude on reddit" testing for ammonia is absolutely necessary especially if you have a new tank that is still cycling. The presence of ammonia in an established tank also tells you something has gone wrong or died in your system so that you can react accordingly.

What's wrong with feed my crab cut squid.

 

[Darkseid]

Don’t start dosing carbs for crying out loud.

I need the nitrate gone to cultivate coralline algae. Desperation calls for desperate move......since water change didn't reduce the nitrate

 

[dhnguyen]

What's wrong with feed my crab cut squid.

how big is the crab and how much are you feeding? I suspect overfeeding being the cause of your nitrate spike.

 

[Darkseid]

From experience nuisance algae grow whether you want it or not.

My rock dont have algae even though my nitrate is at 80ppm.

There r feather duster and hard tube like thing growing on some rock

 

[Darkseid]

how big is the crab and how much are you feeding? I suspect overfeeding being the cause of your nitrate spike.

Bigger than a dollar coin

 

[MaxTremors]

From experience nuisance algae grow whether you want it or not.

My rock dont have algae even though my nitrate is at 80ppm.

There r feather duster and hard tube like thing growing on some rock

You’re not answering any of the questions asked. Nobody here can give you any advice without more information. How big is your tank. How old. What kind of filtration. What and how much and how often are you feeding. It sounds like you don’t have a real clear understanding of the nitrogen cycle in aquariums and are confusing that with nutrient export (which can be a multitude of things, water changes being one). Nuisance algae can be tamed and if you get your system balanced and matured, you won’t have nuisance algae. If your nitrates are going from 40-80ppm in a few days, you are either way over feeding or your rock (you said it was live uncured rock, correct?) is still processing die-off from curing, or more likely it’s a combination of both.

 

[Maximitsurugi]

How to lower nitrate?
Mine go from 40-80 in three days I don't have much just a crab and copepod

Salinity at 1.024
pH 8.2
Kh 14 drop
Ammonia n nitrite never test. Since dude in Reddit said it's not necessary

Tried 80% water change.....well that reduce it back to 40ppm.....might be stuff on the rocks r still dying

1. What test kit are you using? Something like API? If so, go get a Salifert and if you plan on being in this hobby a while, start getting proper test equipment like the Hanna High Range Nitrate Egg.
2. If tank is new and you are still producing Nitrates then stop feeding and test your tank for Nitrite. You might still be in a cycle.
3. Be kind and answer questions posted to help you. The team is here to help but you must respond in a timely fashion.

Good luck with the tank and stop putting nitrate in until you track its source. 1 point of ammonia will turn into something like 4 or 5 points of Nitrate. Remember this.