Super High Nitrate Help

[455Cutlassdave]

Just bought a new to me tank and moved it 6 days ago. It is a fully established tank several years old. I expected a nitrate jump due to the move but it's off the chart and I can't get it down.

Parameters are
PH 8.0
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 160+ maxed out test
Phosphate 3
DKH 12
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1320

When I set it up I used the original sand with a new layer of fresh sand over top. Existing live rock in DT and sump, I'm skimming and running a fuge with light. On setup day I used 25% new water. I have also done 2 25% changes yesterday and today. Also have carbon sock in sump and as of last night denitrate in a sock.

Everything seems fine but I don't want to start effecting the fish and corals. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Idech]

I think the mistake was keeping the original sand. @brandon429 can probably help.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

Yeah I knew I should have tossed it and have likely caused old tank syndrome. I just can't believe after changing that much water that it's still maxing the test. I have no clue how high it really is or if I'm even making progress.

 

[EakTheFreak]

Just bought a new to me tank and moved it 6 days ago. It is a fully established tank several years old. I expected a nitrate jump due to the move but it's off the chart and I can't get it down.

Parameters are
PH 8.0
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 160+ maxed out test
Phosphate 3
DKH 12
Calcium 480
Magnesium 1320

When I set it up I used the original sand with a new layer of fresh sand over top. Existing live rock in DT and sump, I'm skimming and running a fuge with light. On setup day I used 25% new water. I have also done 2 25% changes yesterday and today. Also have carbon sock in sump and as of last night denitrate in a sock.

Everything seems fine but I don't want to start effecting the fish and corals. Any help is appreciated.

The ammonia is more concerning than the nitrates since this is toxic to your livestock. I would do a very large water change matching your parameters and even add PRIME to ensure you have no ammonia.

I would consider adding some Live bacteria like Fritz Turbo Start almost treating this like a brand new tank.

Then once that Ammonia is in check you could add some NoPox to get bacteria to bring down the Nitrate and Phosphate down.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

I'm making up another 50 gallons of water now and will change in the morning. The ammonia on the test was kinda in between 0 and .25 on the api scale so I went with the higher. Any guesses as to how long this hopefully mini cycle should last?

I don't want to be changing 50 gallons a day for a month.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You sure the kit is working right?

 

[455Cutlassdave]

I've tried the regents from both the saltwater and reef kits with the same results. Also used my other tank as a control and got low Nitrate readings with both kits regents. I was hoping it was just a expired test.

 

[brahm]

I’d consider removing the sand with your next water change.

 

[attiland]

I’d consider removing the sand with your next water change.

Remove wash and reuse is even better.

by the way the way if there was an ammonia spike that comes with a no3 spike later. I have a feeling it is not the sand but who knows.

 

[Jekyl]

Larger water changes and locating the source are your best options.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

Tomorrow's water change I will vacuum the sand really good. Perhaps that will better pull out what has been stirred up.

Interestingly I just found a cooler that had some of the original water that I had I a cooler for transport of the inverts and fish. I tested that an it is at least 80ppm and that was pulled before the sand was stirred.

I also just cleaned his skimmer which was very undersized and filthy. I have a feeling this has nothing to do with the move.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Nitrite interference may be part of the explanation for high nitrate test results, despite a zero reading for nitrite (not sure how low it reads or how accurate it is), but if you want to lower nitrate quickly, water changes are the way. If you want to go more slowly, organic carbon dosing is a good way.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

After today's change the Nitrate is at least in a readable range. It is somewhere between 40 and 80ppm. Going to wait 48 hours to see if it is going up, down, or holding.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

Update and still needing help.

Tested this morning
Temp 77.5. SG 1.026
Ph 7.9. Ammonia .12 (between 0 & .25)
Nitrite 0.
Nitrate 160 (possible between 80 & 160)
Phosphate 2.0. This has climbed from 0 last week.
Calcium 440
DKH 12
Magnesium 1350

I started dosing NO3 PO4x 4 days ago.

Incase it helps my fish list is as follows

Purple, Yellow, Scopas Tang
3 chromis
Melinarus wrasse
3 damsels
2 grammas
2 cardinals
2 gobies
2 clownfish

All these came with the system. I'm only feeding a 2-3 cubes of brine a day and a sheet on nori. There is also a well stocked CUC.

Doing a 100 gallon water change in the morning.

Everything looks happy and healthy but those numbers have to come down.

 

[brahm]

A whole sheet of nori like the size of a page of paper? Replace the sand bed. Anything else will be a slow battle, and even then you’ll have to contend with what’s coming off the rocks.

You could try throwing money at it. No3 bricks, bacteria supplements w/carbon dosing, or setup a fugue/ algae scrubber.

I pretty much exclusively buy people’s tear downs to setup my tanks. Been doing it for decades. Everyone of them the sand gets trashed. It’s not worth the headache to save 40$ in sand; more so when you’ve already saved a few grand going used on everything.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

Your not kidding on the headache for sand. I wish I had gone that route. Heck I've spent more then that for salt on water changes and additives now.

Is there any way to vacuum the sand out without emptying the entire tank?

Yes a whole sheet. The sheets are smaller like maybe a 1/4 sheet of paper.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

Double post

 

[brahm]

Your not kidding on the headache for sand. I wish I had gone that route. Heck I've spent more then that for salt on water changes and additives now.

Is there any way to vacuum the sand out without emptying the entire tank?

Yes a whole sheet. Is that too much for 3 tangs?

You can siphon it out in sections when you do your water change put the hose or if your using a gravel vac down into the sand and it will pull it out.

to me a full sheet seems excessive those tangs don’t look huge. I feed maybe 2-3” piece and it takes my tangs a while to eat that.

 

[455Cutlassdave]

The sheets are 6x7 inch

 

[Jekyl]

The sheets are 6x7 inch

I have only 8 fish in my 90g and feed 1 cube a day. Have for years and haven't lost a fish. Nori I just remove a small 1x1 piece for my tang, he still doesn't eat all of it. I don't feed nori daily either.