Super hi nitrate levels

WhoaTangs Clan

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I have a 125gal reef with a 75gal sump. Been up and running for about 5 years now. Never had issues, but now my nitrates show at 100 or so with 3 different test kits. It's been like this for 2 or 3 weeks since I've noticed it. Tank looks healthy and no fish loss or coral loss. In fact my sps homewrecker still has crazy polip extension as other sps. Everything else is happy too. I've done three 30gal water changes a week for the last 2 weeks but even after a 30gal water change nitrates don't budge at all. I'm at a loss..... any advice why? Phosphates are at 1.0 or less according to test kits too. All other parameters are at normal levels. Any help will be appreciated thanks.
 
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WhoaTangs Clan

WhoaTangs Clan

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what tank looks like right now.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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100 ppm nitrate and 1 ppm phosphate does not necessarily mean a tank isn't going to look great. But I personally would be looking to lower those levels.

What nutrient export methods do you currently use?
 
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WhoaTangs Clan

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I've been trying to get them down but nothing I try works. I have a eshop s300 skimmer, I use filter floss between baffles, carbon, gfo, I've been dosing bactro balance, vinegar, vibrant you name it. And I did 30gal water changes every other day for a week but after each water change they don't even budge one bit. I have a refugium with a lot of green hair algae like a scrubber and I just recently added chaeto algae.
 

blasterman

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Get a jar of biopellets, throw them in a media bag and toss them in your sump. That will lower nitrates after about a month. Reactors are a waste of money.

I've seen a lot of mature SPS tanks with sky high nitrate. The coral has long ago adjusted to low metabolic zooanthalae in its tissue and ignores the high nitrate levels.

I would get a second test kit though to confirm its 100. I also wouldn't drive nitrate down to fast, but at least aim to cut it in half.
 

Uncle99

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Water changes as you described should have dropped nitrates proportionally when completed, that’s very strange IMM and while three tests performed, it weird that you didn’t get any effect from your water change, unless, there’s nitrates in the change water.
 
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WhoaTangs Clan

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I'm going to try the biopellets cause that's the only thing I haven't tried. That's why I'm so confused because different test, no matter how many water changes or vinegar or any of that stuff I've tried puts a dent in it. It's a 5 year reef with a deep sand bed, maybe something is leaching but I don't want to have to take all the sand out. I'm gonna go with the pellets and see what happens for now. And keep doing water changes. Thanks @blasterma. And thanks @Uncle99 .
 

Dolphins18

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If you can, get a large media reactor and stuff it full with seachem denitrate, ensure the flow is <50gph. Should be a long term nitrate reduction. Really good method ime.
I use a phosban 550
 

KTTX

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If one doesn't work I'll try that too, thanks for the info

If you can, get a large media reactor and stuff it full with seachem denitrate, ensure the flow is <50gph. Should be a long term nitrate reduction. Really good method ime.
I use a phosban 550

If you can, get a large media reactor and stuff it full with seachem denitrate, ensure the flow is <50gph. Should be a long term nitrate reduction. Really good method ime.
I use a phosban 550
You think this work in a bag sitting under filter sock of sump instead of reactor? No room for reactor...
 

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