Nitrate spike

[Teemingtank]

Had a huge nitrate spike, about 60 ppm. Everything else is in check.


My tank is 30 gallons, been running for almost 5 months. Have about 20# of live rock. Recently added some bare rock, maybe 30# give or take. I’m running a canister rated at 595 gallon/hour and a Walmart powerhead, no skimmer...Did some research on bio balls and ceramic rings, both of which I’m running in my canister. Removed all the bio balls and replaced with Purigen, removed half the ceramic rings and plan on removing the rest and adding another filter bag of carbon on Friday. Have a little bit of nuisance algae, mostly from sunlight from my living room window. Fish stock is okay, have 2 clowns, 1 sixline, and 1 scooter blend. Mostly worried about my Nems, they’ve been looking a little slimy! Mixing a new batch of water now, planning on a water change tomorrow. Any ideas on what could be going on? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Teemingtank]

Had a huge nitrate spike, about 60 ppm. Everything else is in check.


My tank is 30 gallons, been running for almost 5 months. Have about 20# of live rock. Recently added some bare rock, maybe 30# give or take. I’m running a canister rated at 595 gallon/hour and a Walmart powerhead, no skimmer...Did some research on bio balls and ceramic rings, both of which I’m running in my canister. Removed all the bio balls and replaced with Purigen, removed half the ceramic rings and plan on removing the rest and adding another filter bag of carbon on Friday. Have a little bit of nuisance algae, mostly from sunlight from my living room window. Fish stock is okay, have 2 clowns, 1 sixline, and 1 scooter blend. Mostly worried about my Nems, they’ve been looking a little slimy! Mixing a new batch of water now, planning on a water change tomorrow. Any ideas on what could be going on? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[acabgd]

Well, I suppose you've answered your question yourself - removing all the bio balls and half the ceramic rings means removing most of the bacteria processing the nitrogen cycle, hence your sudden jump in nitrate.

Running a canister filter with a saltwater tank is not the best of ideas unless you are very meticulous with your maintenance and cleaning. If left alone a canister filter will sooner or later become the famous "nitrate factory".

In this case, however, I don't believe there's anything wrong with your canister filter itself, but rather that you "destroyed" the bacterial population.

I'd also say you have too much LR which also looks pretty dead, i.e. new. How long has the tank been running?

 

[Teemingtank]

Well, I suppose you've answered your question yourself - removing all the bio balls and half the ceramic rings means removing most of the bacteria processing the nitrogen cycle, hence your sudden jump in nitrate.

Running a canister filter with a saltwater tank is not the best of ideas unless you are very meticulous with your maintenance and cleaning. If left alone a canister filter will sooner or later become the famous "nitrate factory".

In this case, however, I don't believe there's anything wrong with your canister filter itself, but rather that you "destroyed" the bacterial population.

I'd also say you have too much LR which also looks pretty dead, i.e. new. How long has the tank been running?

Re read the post

 

[KrisReef]

I have to add nitrates to my tank. I do this by feeding or by dosing chemical nitrate.
If you are not getting your spike from feeding, perhaps it came with the new rock you added?

 

[acabgd]

Re read the post

Yeah, you're right - missed the part where you've said you added some more rock. Making such a drastic change (removing bioballs and ceramic rings all at once) certainly contributed to the spike you're seeing.

 

[rkpetersen]

Lots of added rock for this size tank means that your actual water volume is much lower, so all effects are magnified. No skimmer allows organics to build up in the water more, some of which will eventually be degraded into smaller components including nitrate and phosphate. Cannister filters also tend to accumulate organics as they are typically not maintained as often as for example filter socks, and this also contributes to nitrate build up. And as mentioned, if you did have any denitrification capability in that cannister before you may have crippled it by removing some of the ceramic rings (not the bioballs, they're strictly aerobic and removing them a good idea.) Also recommend a head check to make sure nothing has died in there recently, but you've probably already thought of that.

 

[Teemingtank]

Lots of added rock for this size tank means that your actual water volume is much lower, so all effects are magnified. No skimmer allows organics to build up in the water more, some of which will eventually be degraded into smaller components including nitrate and phosphate. Cannister filters also tend to accumulate organics as they are typically not maintained as often as for example filter socks, and this also contributes to nitrate build up. And as mentioned, if you did have any denitrification capability in that cannister before you may have crippled it by removing some of the ceramic rings (not the bioballs, they're strictly aerobic and removing them a good idea.) Also recommend a head check to make sure nothing has died in there recently, but you've probably already thought of that.

To be more specific, I removed half the rings today and replaced the bio balls with purigen after I cleaned my media. I’m in the process of making a 10 gallon sump to ditch the canister! I was confident I cleaned up the new dry rock pretty well, but it’s hard to get in all the nooks and crannies. I actually have a suspicion that my 2 nassarius snails died... I haven’t seen them in a couple feedings.

 

[Teemingtank]

so the spike occurred before the removal of media.

 

[acabgd]

So if your spike occurred before removing the ceramic rings, did it occur before or after adding the new rocks? Where did the rock come from, do you know?

 

[Teemingtank]

So if your spike occurred before removing the ceramic rings, did it occur before or after adding the new rocks? Where did the rock come from, do you know?

I had 20 lbs of my own before I added it, completely cycled. Got the dry rock from a LFS.

 

[acabgd]

No, I mean if the nitrate spike occurred before or after you added the additional rock?

 

[Teemingtank]

No, I mean if the nitrate spike occurred before or after you added the additional rock?

Oh, after!