Rubber maid tub throwing chemistry off?

Reef keeper

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Messages
900
Reaction score
43
Location
Earth
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Okay if this is the wrong section for this then please move. I have a 400 gallon with a Rubbermaid tub as a sump, theirs 2 eels and 4 clownfish, lawnmower blenny and 4 monos.
This is my issue theirs barely any bio load what so ever, I have a skimmer rated up to 750 gallons but my nitrates are astronomical. They are 100 on the salifert kit. My phosphate is .16 if I don’t change the GFO every couple days it sky rockets to .4-.5+

mag is 1280
Calcium 430
Alk 7.8

My RO goes through 9 stages 3 sediment, 3 carbon and 3 DI and tds is 0.

I’ve been doing 50 gallon water changes 2 times a week and haven’t even touched the nitrates. Their are nitrites that keep coming up to. I feed once a day Flake for the fish, 3 shrimp feed directly to the eels. The tank has been setup for 9 months now.
The only thing I can think is the Rubbermaid is leaking something in. It was brand new when I got it.

looking to see if anyone else is having issues with these tubs
 

mehaffydr

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
1,866
Reaction score
5,552
Location
Harvest Alabama
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can't imagine that a Rubbermaid tub could possibly put Nitrates in your water but lets see what others say. I do use a Rubbermaid 150 gallon for my sump and have low Nitrates to the point I have to dose.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,915
Reaction score
64,341
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What tub exactly?

It is highly unlikely that any plastic is pushing nitrate super high.

"I’ve been doing 50 gallon water changes 2 times a week and haven’t even touched the nitrates. Their are nitrites that keep coming up to."

How much nitrite?

A little nitrite (say, 1 ppm) can read as 100 ppm nitrate, depending on the kit.

The tank may just not be able to deal with that much food every day.
 

Ingenuity against algae: Do you use DIY methods for controlling nuisance algae?

  • I have used DIY methods for controlling algae.

    Votes: 20 54.1%
  • I use commercial methods for controlling algae, but never DIY methods.

    Votes: 10 27.0%
  • I have not used commercial or DIY methods for controlling algae.

    Votes: 6 16.2%
  • Other.

    Votes: 1 2.7%
Back
Top