Help High Nitrates

EMX002 · 03-02-2007, 05:50 AM

Same here. My Nitrates have gone from 0 to 20ppm. First thing I did today was a water change. I suspect ive been over feeding Ive got 2 Xenia which are flourishing lovely 1 green star pollop soft coral and also somthing else a kinda mushrom soft coral. 1 yellow tang and 6 green chromis.

Been feeding them 3 times a day 1 tablet of froxen brine shrimp and also 1 tablet of frozen cyclops.

I think Ill half this maybe even just 1 tablet of each a day or possibly split the tablet into 2 batches 1 morning feed one afternoon feed.

Might even turn my skimmer on today. Tank is only 8 weeks old

Juan

Tim224DT · 03-02-2007, 05:55 AM

You can cut back to feeding once every other day and your fish will still be healthy. What size tank do you have?

Tim

creativereasons · 03-02-2007, 08:30 AM

first off way to much feeding i made the same mistake on my first reef tank i was so use to freshwater fish that i would feed everyday until the nitrates started to go up and up till it got to about 120ppm (talk about high)but lesson learned but i had help i ahd a fluval canister filter that now that i know harvest nitrates so i feed fish everyother day and the corals i feed 2 to 3 times per week.

partobe · 03-02-2007, 08:44 AM

yeah cut way back on your feedings. Do you have Bio balls? If so they will also cause your nitrates to go up. Also any sponges aor pre filters will cause the nitrates to go up

Brent Cone · 03-02-2007, 09:13 AM

You can bump up your water changes to that will help keep them down.
Brent.

Geoff · 03-02-2007, 10:56 AM

OK, nitrates are not nearly as bad as you think. tanks crashed not because of nitrates but because of phosphates. these tend to go hand in hand. as long as your nitrates are below 20 you are more than fine. we are finding ways to controll each now.

G~

EMX002 · 03-03-2007, 03:23 PM

Very interesting,

A 35 litre water change over just 3 days has brought the nitrate reading right down to 0PPM.

I agree with creativereasons in a fresh water tank you can easily feed 3 times a day well maybe 2 with frozen food.Ie 2 tablets a day.

I guess just starting out with marine im just eager to keep everyone happy and top notch. But For me personally it was good to see the nitrate reading go high and now its dropped due to the water change

ChrisPrusha · 03-03-2007, 07:01 PM

Beautiful pic! And I am glad the nitrates are down!

reefermike1 · 03-03-2007, 07:04 PM

very nice aquascaping, welldone!!