Nitrate help!

[jhaggerty1990]

I had a major spike in nitrates. Maybe from 2 crabs dying. They had an altercation. I have done 4 or 5 20% water changes over the week and it doesnt seem to change the nitrates. Still looks like 10-20ppm. I dosed a little microbacter. What do I do? I removed anything that looked dead. Reduced feeding. Change filter fiber every 3 days. Sucked build up out of the back sump. 25 nuvo aio. Installed UV steralizer. Did have green hair algae pop up pretty quick but seems to be tamed or at least not spreading

 

[reeffish]

10-20 ppm nitrate isn't that bad. And UV is not going to help lower them. Water changes, reduce feedings, keep filter socks/material clean/changed are how to get them reduced. I personally think your freaking out over nothing.

The hair algae is more of a concern and I would wonder what your PO4 test result is?

 

[bluemon]

10-20 is a good place to be. I personally wouldn’t worry until 40-50 ppm

 

[Red_Beard]

10-20ppm is fine, but it is really odd they are still that high after 4-5 20% water changes though. Were they up around 100 before you started?

 

[bluemon]

10-20ppm is fine, but it is really odd they are still that high after 4-5 20% water changes though. Were they up around 100 before you started?

4 20% changes would mean that OP started at around 30-40 ppm nitrate which is still fine

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ll remove the emergency tag since these levels of nitrate are not an emergency,
Some great tanks have had 100 ppm nitrate without apparent issues.

I recommend 5-50 ppm nitrate for most tanks.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randy’s-thoughts-on-nutrient-target-ranges.1087/

 

[CHSUB]

Seems like you are using a color indicating hobby test kit which is hard to get anything of valve. Your no3 could easily be much higher. A properly set up and managed reef aquarium can easily maintain very low no3. I agree with you, something is not right. What you are doing should get no3 lower. During WC I would concentrate on detritus removal and blowing, scrubbing the rocks, not just removing water. More about your aquarium might help tackle your elevated no3?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

10-20 is a good place to be. I personally wouldn’t worry until 40-50 ppm

I could not agree more! Mine STAYS between 20 and 30!

 

[Lasse]

Two questions - what are you measuring with - which NO3 test - and have you measure NO2 too

If you use another brand than RedSea pro and Hanna checker (or marine master) - what´s are your NO2 concentrations? For me - it looks like you get a NO2 spike after the death of your animals or that it is a newly started tank. WC an no down going of NO3 makes me feel like it is a NO2 interference going on.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[reeffish]

Agree with the test kit comments; get a Hanna checker. The test kit you are using is very hard to tell the color differences. Also agree with the filter sock/media comments, if you’ve got high nitrates you’ve got keep them cleaned every couple of days. Your nitrate levels are ok as of now.

Also, what are your PO4 readings?

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

What is your phos at? I only ask because gha will consume phos and I noticed that when one nutrient such as phos lowers nitrate will rise. Also if you’re using api test try to get some hanna tests for your nitrate and phos. The api will give u about 60% accuracy