Nitrates Help!!!

[ghandidawgg]

MY nitrates are high.
Just did a 5gal water change on saturday the 24th.
I have a 40 gal tank.
how do I reduce my nitrates.
Also just bought a cured live rock from my LFS and put it in my tank.
would that make my nitrates go up?
Does high nitrates make green algae grow?

[Reefland]

Nitrates can be a cause for algae growth. What is your nitrate reading? How often do you do water changes? What kind of equipment do you run and what kind of livestock do you have?

[leebca]

You may want to take a look at this thread:
Nitrates - Origin & Controls

[ghandidawgg]

right now nitrates are about 70 yesterday they were at 80ppm.
As far as livestock i have 1 painted angler and 2 damsels.
The Damsels get food once a week because they are feeders for the angler.
1 large feather dusters.
Couple blue legged crabs
Some snails. Snails had babis so lots of little ones all over...
I have lots of live rocks; unsure of how much weight.
3 maxi jets power head. (2) 198gal/hr (1) 295gal/hr
1 aqua clear power filter rated at 50 gal for 200gal/hr.
I feed the feather duster phytofeast live every 1-2 days.
I add purple up daily.
water change done once a week. sometimes every 2-3 weeks because i stay busy a lot with work.

[weez1959]

I think 10 gallon water changes every couple of days until it drops below 20 would be helpful. At the rate of one change every 3 days you would have it down in a bit over 2 weeks.

[leebca]

I'd suggest to get rid of the crabs. I'd also suggest stop adding the Purple Up. Save your money.

[returnofsid]

STOP the Purple Up. Are you using RO/DI water? The source of your nitrates could be the water you're using. Cut back on the phytofeast as well. You have enough fish in your tank that their waste and associated bacterias will feed your featherdusters. If the live rock was experiencing any die off, that could also be the cause of your nitrates. The media in the AquaClear powerfilter will also contribute to Nitrates. Either remove the media or plan on cleaning it at least once a week. Media in Powerfilters becomes nitrate factories very quickly.

[ghandidawgg]

The media in the AquaClear powerfilter will also contribute to Nitrates. Either remove the media or plan on cleaning it at least once a week. Media in Powerfilters becomes nitrate factories very quickly.

If I remove the media in the filter what do I run in it? put carbon or what?
I did a water change on sunday and my nitrates are slowly coming down.
I was at 80 ppm when I posted this message, 70 the next day, and today at 40ppm.
Why is purple up so bad? couple people told me to stop....

[returnofsid]

It has a tendency to build up bad things over time. LOL I don't remember exactly what it builds up though. I'll look for the info and get it to you. You can run carbon in your Aqua Clear but you'll still need to remove and rinse the filter bag on a regular basis. You can also turn AquaClears into mini-refugiums very easily. Let me find you a link. I've built 2 of them and it only takes a few minutes to build it and then over night for the silicone to cure.

My DIY AC500 refugium - FishForums.com

The link may not work unless you sign up...not sure. If it doesn't work, do a quick google search for DIY AquaClear refugium. It'll bring up a lot of very similar results. The only thing I added from the one in the link is a clamp on lamp I purchased at Walmart for under $7.00. Make sure you get one with a plastic clamp.

[ghandidawgg]

so what do you put in the mini refugium?
I seen one at my lfs with a small live rock in it.
My tank is full of live rocks as it is. I don't understand how a small rock in the filter will help.I understand the microalgae. Where do I get that from though? what kind?
The purpose of my filter right now is to trap the bigger particles. not a biological filter.

[leebca]

If your filter is acting as a mechanical filter rather than a biological filter, then don't change it.

Did you read the link I previously provided? Have you been through all the possibilities?

Make a list of all the places that nitrates can come from based upon the previously provided link. Then go down through the list one by one and verify the nitrate as being a source or not.

How many pounds of live rock do you have? Where did you get it from? How long have you had it?

If all the other things on the list check out, then it could be that the live rock isn't doing its job for you.

Purple UP like many additives sold, is not necessary. If you're trying to encourage the growth of Coralline Algae, then just provide the things it needs to grow: some initial presence of Coralline, light, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, pH at 8.0 to 8.2, circulation, and good water quality.

[dibenni]

I run an aquaclear 500 on the back of my tank with no media - just for extra flow. Never thought of turning it into a refugium - but I don't have a sump, so this may be a good idea.

I could get to the text in the DIY link above but I think there were pictures that I could not see. Can you post a pick of your refugium with a quick description of how you set up the inside - what you put on under and on top of the grill that the DIY link suggests to use as a barrier.

What would be ample lighting for something like that? Did you just clip a desk lamp type light to it with regular flourescents? And do you leave the cover off?

[returnofsid]

I put Chaeto in mine...nothing else. No sand, no rock. Chaeto absorbes nitrates, then as you prune the chaeto, that removes the nitrates from the system. It also gives mico-fauna a great place to multiply.

[returnofsid]

Let me find some pics of mine.

http://s81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...t=100_3956.jpg

[dibenni]

returnofsid,

thanks for the pic! what type of bulb is in that lamp? also, how do you clean it - or as mentioned above - do you just have to trim the chaeto (and how often)?

i am pysched about this - think it will be very beneficial for my tank! thanks again!

[dibenni]

ghandigawdd,

any luck with those water changes - what are your current readings?

[ghandidawgg]

well let's see. I did a water change on sunday. I am so busy with work, I'm an HVAC tech and in Arizona so I don't stop working.
The day I started this post I was at 80. The day after dropped to 70. After the water change I was down to 40 and was happy to see the levels descending. today did the test for my aquarium log to find out I was back at 80. HEHE just realised I put too many drops in the test tube. I'm still at 40. Planning on doing another water change this weekend.

[ghandidawgg]

Where do u find Chaeto?
I dont think my filter works great as a mechanical filter. Every time I take it out to wash it, its not even dirty. I have a freshwater tank as well and the filter letterally gets crapped out.
At one point I even had strange sponge looking things growing on my filter pad.
I have about 40lbs of live rock. purchased between may 2006 and september 2006. with a recent addition 2 weeks ago.
I think that the live rock is doing well because it has a lot of life emerging from it.
my only worry is that the rock is not directly on the glass. The crushed coral was laid 1st then rocks were put in maybe creating anaerobic spots

[returnofsid]

The light is one of those compact fluorescent bulbs that are made for more energy effecient lighting in household light fixtures. The curly ones...lol. Chaeto is usually pretty easy to get from other local reefers in your area. If not that, try LFS...and if that doesn't work, you can find it online real cheap. You can get a quart sized ziplock bag full of it for around $12.00 shipped.

[dibenni]

ghandidawgg,

we my have found your problem. how long has your tank been set-up?

i ask because over time - crushed coral can act as a nitrate trap, they build up under your bed of crushed coral and eventually you have a nitrate bloom. that is why most use live sand or even just a bare bottom. do a quick search on here for live sand vs. crushed coral and you will see what i mean.