O nitrates

Lenett

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I never have 0 nitrates! Suddenly thats the case. I have had a bag of De-nitrate in return pump for a month. 17 gal Fluval tank. Cycled for over 4 months. Has multiple plants, 1 large sailfin blenny, 2 small clowns, 1 small acro, 1 Waving Hand Anthilia, (2 1/2 " when open), couple of snails and crabs, 2 peppermint shrimp, live rock, live sand. All have been thriving and still look happy! Having a little hair algae, but otherwise great. Checked ammonia and was a little. I never have ammonia! No nitrite. Getting new test kit. Dosed with Stresscoat and removed the de-nitrate Could it be causing the issue?
 

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What did you check ammonia with? Beware that the API kit commonly shows a reading of ~0.25ppm ammonia in saltwater even if you actually have 0.

Your nitrates bottoming out is to be expected with the De-nitrate product. Were you having high nitrate issues prior to adding it? With a tank that size it's generally easier to just control them via water change. The plants are also utilizing nitrate so you may want to consider dosing it to provide adequate nitrogen to your plants and corals.
 
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I agree, in that size tank, if you are struggling with nitrates, there is an issue you need to get to the bottom of instead of using de-nitrate.
 
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Lenett

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I never have 0 nitrates! Suddenly thats the case. I have had a bag of De-nitrate in return pump for a month. 17 gal Fluval tank. Cycled for over 4 months. Has multiple plants, 1 large sailfin blenny, 2 small clowns, 1 small acro, 1 Waving Hand Anthilia, (2 1/2 " when open), couple of snails and crabs, 2 peppermint shrimp, live rock, live sand. All have been thriving and still look happy! Having a little hair algae, but otherwise great. Checked ammonia and was a little. I never have ammonia! No nitrite. Getting new test kit. Dosed with Stresscoat and removed the de-nitrate Could it be causing the issue?
Thanks for the replys! That API kit has always been off. Same readings today. Did 3 gal water change this am. Do changes often because of a piggy sailfin blenny. My clowns barely get to eat. I think I crashed the bio filter. I have been fighting some hair algae and cleaning more. Just changed the bio pellets as per Fluval directions. I washed the sponge in same salt water when cleaning, but I wondered about changing the media. May have been just too much at the same time. Put my filter media from 17 gal into sump of 175 gal. and put a filter sponge from 175 into 17 gal. To re establish bio filter. Some plants are looking clear on outer 3rd of leaves, but waving hands still waving.
20201214_180520.jpg
 
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Quietman

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Looks like a pretty robust tank that can take some nitrates and be just fine. What were your nitrates before?

Generally, unless it's something drastic - it's best to try some gradual changes one at a time for a week or two or three (as long as everything looks healthy - as yours does to me).

Also, with plants and a 4 month cycled tank, you're not going to have ammonia problem - yeah something might die off and spike it, but unlikely it's gets toxic or lasts more than a day (assuming you take dead thing out).
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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I'm confused.

What problem are you trying to solve? Possibly low nitrate?

If real, first option is to just feed more.

A better kit may also be warranted.

If you cannot feed more for some reason, dosing sodium nitrate is cheap and easy.
 
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Lenett

Lenett

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Thanks guys!
Yes the tank was really doing well before!
My concern was suddenly no nitrates! That never happens in my tanks. Always the opposite trying to keep them down. Sailfin Sally, in the pic is a fat recycling machine!

Just to recap:
Day 1 = 0 nitrates tested 175 gal and this 17 gal. 175 No3 was 20, so test is good
Day 2 = still 0 No3, tested ammonia to be safe was .25. Removed de-nitrate pellets & gave 1/2 dose stress coat to be careful, ordered new ammonia test kit. 3 gal water change.
Day 3 = new Red Sea test shows No3, & Po4 are both 0 ! I think I crashed the bio
filter!
So, I moved sponges, bio balls and new filter media from 17 gal into my 175 sump hoping to repopulate biological filter, transferred bio balls & a sponge from 175 tank to 17 gal hoping to reboot bio.
Did all other testing:
PH 8.2,
KH 8.6,
Ca 500,
Mg 1520,
Ammonia is between 0 & .25 (better but no new test yet).
Day 4 = still no nitrates! I thought maybe too many plants absorbing No3 and Po4, with struggling bio filter, so removed some, (not all). Fish are a little jumpy,
(probably because I keep messing with the tank), but eating. Will retest, but think a water change might slow the process.

Let me know if you think this is all appropriate!
How fast will ammonia increase?
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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I suspect the ammonia is not actually elevated, assuming I am understanding correctly that you removed the filters AFTER the elevated reading. I'd keep meausring it, but I think it most likely it will not rise more and may not be high now.

Rising ammonia doesn't suddenly happen in a running tank unless there's a massive influx of ammonia from something dead.
 
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Lenett

Lenett

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Same readings today. Nothing dead. Ammonia was .50, but I 5hink I messed up the # of drops. Changed 3 gal water, so wi) test again tomorrow.
Thanks for your response! No nitrite, nitrates or phosphates is really unusual. Animals still eating and waving hands waving. Just scares me.
 
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