Question about Nitrates...?

[Stege_saurus]

Within the past month my Nitrates have dropped from 10-20ppm to 0ppm...I don't know why?

Tank is 120 gal with 30 gal sump
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

The only new things I have added in the past month are a few Zoa polyps, a couple mushrooms, 1 cleaner shrimp, and a few nassarius snails...
Any reasons as to why my Nitrates have dropped?
Is it bad thing?
A sign of some sort?

 

[nereefpat]

How old is the tank?

Most likely the tank/rock has matured and can process nitrate. Or do you use a fuge or algae scrubber? ...or maybe testing error. My guess is a combination of the first two.

 

[Stege_saurus]

4 months, but the live rock was 2 years when I put it in this tank and I do have a Refugium with chaeto algae, but I think it's dead. Unless it's finally coming back perhaps?

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'd take a look at the test kit/method you are using to measure. Nitrates need to be exported (water changes/algae consumption/carbon dosing, etc.) with virtually none converted from nitrate to nitrogen. This nitrate to nitrogen can be accomplished, but typically under low oxygen environments with specific bacteria.

Have an LFS or some other reefer test your water.....again, I suspect the test kit/method. Nitrate just doesn't disappear.

 

[Stege_saurus]

I'd take a look at the test kit/method you are using to measure. Nitrates need to be exported (water changes/algae consumption/carbon dosing, etc.) with virtually none converted from nitrate to nitrogen. This nitrate to nitrogen can be accomplished, but typically under low oxygen environments with specific bacteria.

Have an LFS or some other reefer test your water.....again, I suspect the test kit/method. Nitrate just doesn't disappear.

Like i said, it's taken at least a month, and it could be my eyes. Im using the API Master Saltwater Kit, since it was the only one available in my area. I did recently add carbon to my sump, could that be taking it out?

 

[bar|none]

If your nitrates are truly 0 then yes it is bad. Same thing happened to me and your coral will suffer as well as it being a trigger to get Diatoms and Cyano. I ended up getting Diatoms which is no fun and my coral started to show stress. I didn't have a test kit at the time that could test below 1ppm so I assumed wrongly that I still had detectable Nitrate levels.

A fuge is completely capable of taking nitrates to 0. Also look at your phosphate level. The Hanna ULR Phosphorus is a great tester that can read down to parts per billion.

Do you have a test kit that can read sub 1ppm nitrate like the Red Sea Nitrate PRO kit or Salifert?

There are a few things you can do.

1. Can reduce the light period in your fuge.
2. Feed heavier and you can turn off skimmer for an hour or so after feeding
3. Get a Nitrate dosing product like Brightwell NeoNitrate
4. You can also pull the top off your skimmer and just let it aerate without actually skimming for a bit, like a day and see if it raises your levels.

You only need to have detectable Nitrate like 0.25 ppm but its safer to probably be higher. I'm now keeping mine using the techniques above at between 1-2 ppm.

 

[Stege_saurus]

If your nitrates are truly 0 then yes it is bad. Same thing happened to me and your coral will suffer as well as it being a trigger to get Diatoms and Cyano. I ended up getting Diatoms which is no fun and my coral started to show stress. I didn't have a test kit at the time that could test below 1ppm so I assumed wrongly that I still had detectable Nitrate levels.

A fuge is completely capable of taking nitrates to 0. Also look at your phosphate level. The Hanna ULR Phosphorus is a great tester that can read down to parts per billion.

Do you have a test kit that can read sub 1ppm nitrate like the Red Sea Nitrate PRO kit or Salifert?

There are a few things you can do.

1. Can reduce the light period in your fuge.
2. Feed heavier and you can turn off skimmer for an hour or so after feeding
3. Get a Nitrate dosing product like Brightwell NeoNitrate
4. You can also pull the top off your skimmer and just let it aerate without actually skimming for a bit, like a day and see if it raises your levels.

You only need to have detectable Nitrate like 0.25 ppm but its safer to probably be higher. I'm now keeping mine using the techniques above at between 1-2 ppm.

My corals don't seem stressed or show signs of stress at all, they all open up and look great. I fed a little more last night to try and bring it up, but my fish all looked so fat after doing that so im a bit afraid they might over eat and have health issues. I don't run a skimmer currently. The way I have my tank designed it shouldn't need a skimmer in my opinion...I'll have to order those test kits online because my LFS doesn't carry any besides the API, plus in a bit disgruntled with them recently...

 

[ScottB]

I second both suggestions:
- Confirm nitrate with another kit.
- Get a Hanna Phosphate ULR. $50 on Amazon.

Your corals are a great (best?) indicator, but I would not mess around with 0/0 for nitrates and phosphates. That is begging for a 4 month battle with dinoflagellates. We have ample means of reducing nutrients if nuisance algae develops but Dinos are a world of hurt.

Leave skimmer running but dump the skimmate back in the sump. And/or dial back refugium light schedule. And/or dump in some phyto or just more food in general.

If you think your fish are getting fat, crank up the flow so they can work it off. Like being on a treadmill 24 hours a day.

 

[Stege_saurus]

I second both suggestions:
- Confirm nitrate with another kit.
- Get a Hanna Phosphate ULR. $50 on Amazon.

Your corals are a great (best?) indicator, but I would not mess around with 0/0 for nitrates and phosphates. That is begging for a 4 month battle with dinoflagellates. We have ample means of reducing nutrients if nuisance algae develops but Dinos are a world of hurt.

Leave skimmer running but dump the skimmate back in the sump. And/or dial back refugium light schedule. And/or dump in some phyto or just more food in general.

If you think your fish are getting fat, crank up the flow so they can work it off. Like being on a treadmill 24 hours a day.

Will do! Hopefully I just have a bad test kit.

 

[nereefpat]

Will do! Hopefully I just have a bad test kit.

Or you just have nitrates that are "below detectable limits" due to mature live rock and algae scrubbing.
My tank has near zero nitrates, due to only to those two things. I don't carbon dose and barely change any water.

Activated carbon doesn't reduce nitrates. Carbon dosing with vodka, vinegar, sugar, etc is a different process that does reduce nitrate and phosphate.

Start dosing nitrates? Come on....That's ridiculous in the scenario.

 

[rock_lobster]

Healthy tank should always deplete nitrates. It can be difficult to keep it elevated in a mature tank without dosing.

 

[saltyhog]

If you have ever had dinoflagellates you will do anything to not have them again. Get a better test kit (Red Sea, NYOS or Salifert for nitrate, Hanna for PO4) But don't hesitate to dost sodium nitrate (a 1lb pharmaceutical grade bad is about $10 on Amazon) if your NO3 is truly zero!

For multiple reasons I think sodium nitrate dosing is superior to over feeding.

 

[Stege_saurus]

Healthy tank should always deplete nitrates. It can be difficult to keep it elevated in a mature tank without dosing.

I am starting to grow Coraline algae, have been for about a week now. Off that, would I be able to assume my water chemistry is good?
Im going to order a new test kit when I get home.

 

[rock_lobster]

I am starting to grow Coraline algae, have been for about a week now. Off that, would I be able to assume my water chemistry is good?
Im going to order a new test kit when I get home.

Yes coraline is a very good sign that your tank is doing well. It will also consume a fair amount of nitrates on its own.

 

[Stege_saurus]

Yes coraline is a very good sign that your tank is doing well. It will also consume a fair amount of nitrates on its own.

I was unaware it would consume nitrates. That's good to know.

 

[bar|none]

For multiple reasons I think sodium nitrate dosing is superior to over feeding.

do you mind explaining further? Im curious and in a situation where I only have 1 fish due to a velvet incident. So i feed more than that fish can eat. My phos is only .05 regardless.

 

[saltyhog]

do you mind explaining further? Im curious and in a situation where I only have 1 fish due to a velvet incident. So i feed more than that fish can eat. My phos is only .05 regardless.

Because you're not adding any extra organics which can fuel some types of nuisance problems, especially dinos. I have noted it to not increase algae growth as much as over feeding and you don't end up with detritus in your rock work/sand bed.

 

[Stege_saurus]

In case anyone was wondering, I found a test kit in my "cabinet of many fish things" that I forgot it had. It tests for Nitrates and it turns out my Nitrates are at or below 20ppm. Not bad, but not necessarily where I want them at. Guess my normal kit is faulty...

 

[ilikefish69]

In case anyone was wondering, I found a test kit in my "cabinet of many fish things" that I forgot it had. It tests for Nitrates and it turns out my Nitrates are at or below 20ppm. Not bad, but not necessarily where I want them at. Guess my normal kit is faulty...

what kind of test kit is it?