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02-14-2007, 05:47 PM
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#1
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Keep on truckin'
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 316
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Nitrates off the chart
I have been using the Mardel 5 in 1 test strips to test with. On my 10g that has been running for more than 2 years, the nitrate level was near 200. Everything else was within spec.
I test the tank once a month. It hasnt been this high ever. What would cause this spike? Nothing else has changed in more than a year.
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__________________
Steve--
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02-14-2007, 06:06 PM
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#2
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 122
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Some sort of bacteriologial bloom... Maybe something big died? What kind of substrate do you have?
Another place to look on the nanos would be in the filter system. If you are using a filter sponge or other such media, it could have turned into a big ole nitrate generator... but the food for the bacteria had to come from somewhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinderville
I have been using the Mardel 5 in 1 test strips to test with. On my 10g that has been running for more than 2 years, the nitrate level was near 200. Everything else was within spec.
I test the tank once a month. It hasnt been this high ever. What would cause this spike? Nothing else has changed in more than a year.
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02-14-2007, 06:10 PM
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#3
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Keep on truckin'
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 316
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I have 20lb live sand and 15-20 live rock. I am using an HOB filter and an extra PH. Im sure that filter is due for a change.
I will give that a try first.
Thanks
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Steve--
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02-14-2007, 06:13 PM
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#4
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: kentucky
Posts: 173
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i had the same problem but i finally figured out what it was the test strips was badly out of date and i used the same kind to
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02-14-2007, 06:13 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 122
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Oh yeah, I am sure you already know, but some deep water changes over the next couple of days will pull the nitrates back down.
Reefmo
24 Gallon Aquapod Blog
Tank Specs |
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02-14-2007, 06:34 PM
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#6
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Little fish in a big pond
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Canton, GA USA
Posts: 5,890
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Test strips are notoriously innaccurate. Before you do anything major, double check the result with a decent test kit (NOT Aquarium Pharmaceuticals!). Then if you do have an issue, take measures.
It's unlikely for a tank to go from less than 20 ppm to 200 just like that even in a short time frame unless there's been a major catastrophe - and you'd have noticed that *g*... doubt the test strips first, take drastic measures later...
Jenn
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Member of the "J" Crowd & the BRW Crowd!
LFS Owner: Imagine Ocean
Just keep skimming, just keep skimming, just keep skimming, skimming skimming! What do we do? We skim, skim, skim!
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02-14-2007, 06:46 PM
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#7
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Keep on truckin'
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 316
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I did a water change a week ago. Im sure I can do another. I use the strips to keep me close. When ever im in my LFS i take in a sample to test.
creativereasons, these strips are new. If that matters.
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Steve--
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02-14-2007, 07:46 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: West Cobb, GA
Posts: 224
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinderville
I did a water change a week ago. Im sure I can do another. I use the strips to keep me close. When ever im in my LFS i take in a sample to test.
creativereasons, these strips are new. If that matters.
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By "new", do you mean you just bought them "new" or do you mean they were manufactured recently?
If it's the former, then that doesn't mean anything. I was in my LFS a week or so ago and was looking for Ph solution and saw the bottles they had for sale expired in June of last year.
Just wanted to verify that.
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02-15-2007, 06:50 AM
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#9
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Keep on truckin'
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL
Posts: 316
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These are dated May 2008.
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Steve--
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02-15-2007, 11:17 AM
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#10
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Shark
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Andover, KS
Posts: 3,499
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Steve,
My nitrates are also off the charts...I had been lulled into a false sense of good water quality since I have never had any nitrate problem before...even though I have been in this hobby over 3 years... always still learning and making silly mistakes...
on one of the other maijor reef sites there is a big discussion going on about this subject and the use of sugar dosing to bring down nitrates. I am not endorsing this method just wanted you to have the info.
Everyone, please don't flame me for mentioning another site or this info...I don't think after the week I have had that I could take that...
__________________
Jenni AKA "Reefmama"
180 gallon AGA RR mixed reef inwall, 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank sump, 10 gallon hex fuge, Quiet one 5000 return pump, PCI PS-3000 skimmer with Octopus needlewheel pump, 72" Constellation from Aquactinics, 2 Triton Aquatics GS2 maxijet mods, 2 250 watt heaters, 200 lbs live rock, 200 lbs pulverized limestone
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02-15-2007, 12:09 PM
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#11
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It can be rebuilt.
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Pittsboro, NC
Posts: 19,158
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how does the tank look?
nitrates are not nearly as toxic as everyone things. it is not the nitrates that cause tank crashes it is the phosphates. nitrates and phosphates tend to go hand in hand. nitrates are much easier to test for so they got the blame for most tank problems.
if the tank is working fine, looks good, you are doing water changes, do not worry about it.
i would definately double check the reading somewhere else though.
G~
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