High Nitrate

[Redskins]

It seems that no matter how many water changes I do and how often, my nitrates are at about 80 ppm. This is getting tiresome. I have a 72 gal reef tank with about 80-90 lbs of live rock.

Inhabitants: I have 3 Medium sized Tangs, 2 Tomato Clowns, A Royal Gramma, a Cleaner Goby, 2 Erchins, and a couple of snails. Other than that I have one large plate coral, and one much smaller plate coral (which is sick). I also have a medium Yellow Leather that is doing very well. I also have a Giant Clam, (Not sure which one yet).

Equiptment: I have a wet/dry with the bio-balls. I have a canister, (Fluval 404 with Chemi-Gard Ammonia and Nitrate Scavanging Media), UV Sterilizer, Phospahte Reactor, Protein Skimmer, and I do weekly maintainence on these and do a 10 gallon water change every 3 days and that nitrate won't budge. The water I am adding has a trace amount of Nitrate, (about .25 ppm). I also have 4 Maxijet 1200 powerheads hooked up to Red Sea's Wavemaster Pro.

I can't seem to get my hands around this problem. Any suggestions?

[leebca]

WELCOME TO REEFLAND!

Glad you posted.

The nitrate problem is as old as the hobby, so you are in good company. I don't see any means (other than water changes) for removing nitrates. As you have learned, removing nitrates through water changes is a bit like chasing your tail. Even if you do a 50% water change, you've only cut the nitrates by half and they will build up quickly. But doing a 10 gallon change every 3 days is doing about a 14% change frequently which doesn't have a big impact on the concentration of anything, unless the 'anything' isn't being renewed (and then, it will be slowly reduced).

It looks like you've done your homework and tried to track the source of any nitrates 'sneaking into' the system. Good!

The biological filter you are using is really great at harboring the bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrites and nitrites into nitrates. But, this system leaves the nitrates. One of the things that should be converting the nitrates to nitrates (removing them from the system) is the live rock.

The amount of recommended live rock is a bit of a challenge. If the rock is of 'average density' then you want about 2 pounds of live rock per gallon of water in the system. You don't mention have a sump or refugium so this means that you're about half the live rock you want to have AND/OR the live rock you have isn't really 'live rock.' See: What is Live Rock, Anyway?

If you had the right amount of live rock that is working properly, you could slowly reduce the use of the bio-ball wet/dry system and leave the ammonia conversion to nitrites then to nitrates to the bacteria on the surface of the live rock.

You don't mention substrate. A thick substrate can facilitate the denitrification process. See: Denitrification v. Nitrification

You can set up a refugium of macro algae, or add macro algae to a sump if you have either one or the other (or could setup up one or both). There are other things to think about with regards to the source of nitrates and their removal and/or reduction. Some threads here on Reefland go into more detail

[Redskins]

My substrate is crushed coral. I really wish I went with sand in the beginning! I didn't know better. So the Nitrification is not happeneing in my substrate, I guess I am depending on my live-rock and water changes.

I think it's live rock, I hope it is! LOL It is covered with coraline algae and has all sorts of "pusstuoles" growing on it where the "sun don't shine".

I have heard about the benefits of a refugium, but that is just something else to clean! Maybe I should read up on them some more.

Your recommendation would be to add another 80 lbs of live rock? Wow, no wonder most reef tanks look congested. Hmm. That is something to consider. At this point, I'll try anything to tackle the Nitrates.

How much do you think the Giant Clam will help out on reducing the Nitrates? He's a big guy, about 4-5 inches across. He has a brown "filter" with white lines in it. He's really beautiful under the HQ lighting.

[leebca]

The 'algae' associated with the clam will consume some nitrates, but nothing you'll probably notice.

Actually, if you do it right, a refugium doesn't need any routine cleaning. My latest one has been up and running three years and the only thing I do is harvest the macro algae once a month.

The surface of the substrate does harbor the nitrification bacteria. The denitrifying bacteria like the deep regions where oxygen is in short supply. For more on this you might want to read this thread:
Denitrification v. Nitrification

I'd recommend more live rock AND tracking down where the nitrates are coming from!

[mad_dog01]

I'd like to add something here......it is a possibility your test kit is bad or outdated. Have you had your LFS test your water to see if your test kit is acurate?

[dabossinokc]

One suggestion for ya, Take it or leave it...I always keep a good amount of red macro algae in my tank for reducing nitrates and it gives the omnivores something to munch on that is live. You can never go wrong with adding it to your tank. I have actually seen set ups where you keep quite a bit of it in your sump with a grow light above. I have not done this personally because honestly I don't have a problem with Nitrates but I do have 220 lbs of live rock in a 110 tank. So I followed the 2lbs per gallon rule and have never had a problem. Another word of advice, If you add new live rock make sure it is cured or cure it yourself outside of that tank because if not you are going to have a much bigger problem on your hands. Oh and what kind of test kit are you using? Some of them out there are very broad and can really give a false reading, I found this out from experience.

[Redskins]

The test kit I am using is from a company called: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Actually, all of my test kits are from this company, except my Calcium kit. I looked through the kit and I don't see any dates, just lot#'s. I bought the kit a month ago, but that doesn't say how old it is. I guess I could call and inquire how old that lot # is.

I was going to bring water in and have them test it. I wanted to do this for PH because I had a Cleaner Shrimp stuff himself under a rock and die after 24-28 hours in my tank. I hear that a slight PH difference could do this, (and i'm sure the Nitrate's didn't help, although I have all sorts of people telling me that high Nitrates are not a big deal....)

Besides a lack of water changes, which is definately not the problem here, what are some other areas to investigate as the source of the Nitrates? My Substrate is very clean, and I have been cleaning out my canister weekly.

[leebca]

Detritus is a source of nitrates. It's where bacteria 'go to town' processing the decaying matter. Anything that dies and isn't removed from the aquarium is a source of ammonia which leads to additional nitrates.

Think about everything you put into your aquarium. Read ingredient labels closely. Are you putting in additives? trace elements? anything? Think about the foods you are feeding. Do they contain excess nitrates or phosphates? Do you remove uneaten food?

Nitrates can be put directly into your aquarium from some, all or even more than the following sources:
foods
additives
source water
artificial salt

Nitrates are produced in the nitrification process starting with ammonia. Ammonia can be produced from some, all, or even more than the following sources:
rotting flesh
dead marine life (snails, fish, shrimp, crabs, clams, corals, etc.)
rotting food (putting in food that goes uneaten)
decaying matter (fish fecal matter)
excess organics (some additives have organics in them)
live rock die-off or curing
uncured coral skeleton
rocks and/or substrate that isn't suitable for a marine aquarium
rock and/or substrate that wasn't cleaned (containing wood, paper, dirt, or other organics that will slowly decompose)
detritus (a combo of some of the above in 'clumps' or lose aggregates)
filters that have trapped waste in them and not cleaned often enough
areas of the tank/system where detritus and wastes accumulate
an excess of marine life in the tank (too many fish)
overfeediing fish or feeding fish too much at one meal (their fecal matter should not look like it did when eaten)
feeding improper foods that the fish don't digest
using a biological filter that produces an excess of nitrates
decorations made from materials unsuitable for use in a marine aquarium

Then consider if in your system you have the things that would naturally or artificially reduce the nitrate concentration, such as:
macro algae
refugium
deep sand bed
nitrate reactor
active live rock at 2 pounds per gallon of system water

Look for the above and similar sources of nitrates and those things that turn into nitrates (e.g., decaying organic matter).

Hope this list helps. It should get you started.

[dabossinokc]

First thought. Have you actually taken your water to be tested at your LFS? If not I would go do that ASAP and see what the test results are there. If you can get your hands on a Tetra test they are pretty acurate for PH-, Nitrite, KH,Nitrate. I would really suggest putting more live rock in there and I think you will find your problem solved and be able to keep your nitrates under 20ppm. Also you might consider digging that crushed coral out of the tank and dumping live sand in there. Its much better substrate IMHO. I know thats easier said than done but just a suggestion