nitrates help??

[MISTERFIXIT]

Hey guys and gals,

I need some help.My nitrates are rising on my tanks,I'm doin the water changes etc,but to no avail,any suggestions?????



Marc

[patsfan1130]

Is it a newly setup tank? How much are you feeding? Are you using tap water or RO/DI? What type of filtration are you using?

Need a little more info

[MISTERFIXIT]

Is it a newly setup tank? How much are you feeding? Are you using tap water or RO/DI? What type of filtration are you using?

Need a little more info

55 gal closed system filter/ skimmer/pwr heads.I am using tap water/Tested at 0 ppm nitrates treated etc.90 gal 30 gal sump,skimmer,filter media batting.Tanks have been running 16 months and 8 months respectively.Awesome coraline algae and several corals and sponges,but I am concerned.I have zenia and green star pollips doin well in the 90 but not so well in the 55.Water test are about equal in both.??Feeding all they can eat in about 5 minutes in the 55/7 fish---in the 90 I have 1 large panther grouper and a neon goby he eats 1 large shrimp and the neon get the bits,anything else I remove.

[Reefland]

What are the 7 fish in the 55? That is quite a few and could be the cause in itself. When you say you tested your tap water for nitrates, how was the tap water tested? What is the TDS of the water?

Scott Z.

[MISTERFIXIT]

What are the 7 fish in the 55? That is quite a few and could be the cause in itself. When you say you tested your tap water for nitrates, how was the tap water tested? What is the TDS of the water?

Scott Z.

Hey Scott,
The fish are 5 clowns/1 hippo tang and a raccoon butterfly.2 false percs/2 maroons/1 black perc.I tested the tap water w/aquarium pharm test kit.The tds I had never heard of untill now and I found some references--total dissolved solids?

Marc

[Reefland]

Yup, Total Dissolved Solids.

What kind of "closed system filter" and skimmer do you have? Do you utilize any type of bio media in your system?

Scott Z.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Yup, Total Dissolved Solids.

What kind of "closed system filter" and skimmer do you have? Do you utilize any type of bio media in your system?

Scott Z.

I'm running a penguin 330 and a skilter 250 with pwr heads pushing about 900 gals per/hr the pwr heads only!I've got green star polyps and 1 button polyp/single--aquired on a live rock from a friend.Any more info I can give ya?

Marc

[Reefland]

Do you run any media in either the penguin or the skilter?

Honestly, those are probably your culprit. The skilter is not a good protein skimmer; something more along the lines of a prism, CPR or AquaC remora would definitely be beneficial to your system.

Scott Z.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Do you run any media in either the penguin or the skilter?

Honestly, those are probably your culprit. The skilter is not a good protein skimmer; something more along the lines of a prism, CPR or AquaC remora would definitely be beneficial to your system.

Scott Z.

Hey Scott,

I'm using the filter cartriges in both,with/carbon media pads as well.The skilter seems to work well--maybe not as well as needed?

Marc

[RayPollett]

Hey Scott,

I'm using the filter cartriges in both,with/carbon media pads as well.The skilter seems to work well--maybe not as well as needed?

Marc

What no one has asked " what are your nitrate readings?"

Ray

[MISTERFIXIT]

What no one has asked " what are your nitrate readings?"

Ray

Hey Ray,
The 55 was at about 130 ppm w/10% water changes weekly!I've done a 50% and then 10% weekly and has dropped to 80 ppm.I'll do the 10% every other day and see what happens!

Marc

[Drummer]

When is the last time you cleaned/replaced those pads in the filters?

They could very well be the culprit in this reef crime scene.

[MISTERFIXIT]

When is the last time you cleaned/replaced those pads in the filters?

They could very well be the culprit in this reef crime scene.

Hey Drummer,

They are replaced at least twice a month,more if they foul or clog.I keep an eye on them daily.

Marc

[tonyb]

i wouild start rinsing those pads every other day... 2 weeks is quite a long time to go. i usually change my media once a week. but i just use the filter media, not the cartridges. and i rinse out 2-3 times a week. this has helped me drop my nitrates from a constant 50 down to the 10-20 area.

[MISTERFIXIT]

i wouild start rinsing those pads every other day... 2 weeks is quite a long time to go. i usually change my media once a week. but i just use the filter media, not the cartridges. and i rinse out 2-3 times a week. this has helped me drop my nitrates from a constant 50 down to the 10-20 area.

Hey guys and gals,

Nitrates down to 20-40 ppm---but I don't think that's where my problem was/is.I believe something got into the water that didn't belong.My 90 is running high nitrates and all is good---trying to reduce them of course---but the 55 I lost 4 fish and some of my polyps are just now coming back.My girlfriends daughter has a tendancy to spray Lysol---germ control she says!!! Bad thing happened I thinx,but can't blame her for the germ feeling thing (ocd maybe).