Tank Problems

[wild_79_2000]

Balakoth and I have been having a Nitrate problem that doesn't seem to want to go away. We have done the water change thing we have done the make sure nothing is dead thing, and last but not least the doing nothing thing ( fish store said to give it a shot ). Yet it is still over 200, ouch huh!

Things that I notice but not sure if it means anything. Under our brain coral (that is somehow still alive) there is a white foam or film of some kind.

Thanks Torie

[TimBeR]

How about a little info on your tanks setup size substrate amount of LR and bio load type of fish and corals and equipment your using. this can help us try to give you a more educated guess as to what might be going on in the tank.

without knowing and just guessing if your using a wetdry with bio balls they could be your culprit. or maybe you don't have enough LR to handle your bio load. these are just some uneducated guess's untill we find out a little more about your system.
I would cut down your tank feedings to about 3 times per week for now tillyou can determine the source of the problem though. that may help some.

Clay

[balakoth]

Our Tank Specs

50 Gallon Glass Show, 80lbls LR, 3inch sugar sized Sandbed.

Tank has been up 7 Months. Before we were using a BakPak2, and water changed 20 percent every other week.

We have recently been recylcling the tank for about a month letting the bacteria grow again as per advice from our local aquarium store.

2 Fish, Maroon Clown and Lawnmower Blenny, Finger Leather Coral, Closed Brain and various snails. 2 Peppermint Shrimp, 1 Cleaner and one Serpent Starfish not to mention a Emerald Crab


For the last few months we have only been feeding once a week, and have no had any deaths.


We have had the nitrate problem for over 3 months now.

As of next week we will have a DSB Sump with 3 Mangrove trees with some Razor Caulpera and a Euro Reef CS 6 1 skimming.

Lighting is currently 300 Watts of PC.

I havent posted in awhile and have had the same nitrate problem since everyone here had tried helping us.

No Nitrites no Ammonia. PH Is a little low but im working on that.
Circulation consists of 2 MJ 1200s and 1 mj 900 to push behind the rock.

Like i said next week is our large upgrade which will include a closed Loop system of about 400 GPH and the Return which will be 350 GPH.

I have the best of them stumped currently on my situation We've tried large consistant water changes, to recycling, to carbon. and im hoping oh so very much our mangrove sump/dsb/euro reef will help out.

[Hermit]

Just out of curiosity, what are you using for water (tap or filtered)?

[cyberchef]

What test kit are you using and are you sure that the test kit is not at fault?

[balakoth]

RO/DI water

Well my LFS uses the same test kits for all their water and work just fine for all their customers water they test out. They are called Aqualab strips and Wardly tests prove to be high nitrates as well.


Also since my Hammer and Torch corals disinegrated when my nitrates shot up i figured that might be an indicator as well as the tests.

[TimBeR]

Man this is a tough one but it sounds as if your upgrades you have planned should help in removing some of the excess nutrients.
You stated you are using RO/DI is it a possibility that maybe one of the membranes in your RO/DI unit is faulty? I don't know if this could cause your problem or not or if you have even looked at this yet. but worth a shot.
Keep us posted this is a very interesting thread.

[cyberchef]

As Clay asked, have you tested your RO/DI water for Nitrates? What do you feed, flakes, frozen, blender mush? Have you ever tried any of the "chemical" cures for Cyano or any other problem? When you decided to recycle your tank to let the bacteria build back up did you add anything to reintroduce new/more bacteria? Are there any reffers in your area that might be able to give a cup or 2 of LS from a well established system to possibly help with beneficial critters that your SB needs?

What kind of skimmer are you running now and are you running it 24/7? If so you might try cutting it back to about 6-8 hours per day and only during the middle of the time while the lights are on. I know that this idea is not real popular with most people but cutting back my skimmer, in this same manner, did the trick for getting my system to turn around and beat the Cyano problem I had. There are beneficial bacteria and critters that this can possibly help to get them going. Skimming will remove excess wates and such (which contributes to nitrate buildup) but it will not remove the actual Nitrates themselves. My system is now running skimmerless and doing great.

Also when you run carbon what brand and for how long. Carbon can contribute to adding phosphates to the water column which in turn wil be converted to nitrates.

Just some more ideas...

[Doug1]

You might want to get a salifert test kit and retest but the tank water and the RO

[balakoth]

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Yes I have tested my RO Water (Forgot to mention that) for both nitrates and phosphates. Ive taken my water to other Fish Stores and have gotten teh same results. So i still feel its not the test kit. but the moment i can find a Salifert Test kit in my local area for nitrates I will do so.

Currently I am not skimming period. I had an accident with my Cuc and he decided to lodge himself into the rio which ended up burning it out. BLEH.

I have not added a single thing to my tank for several several months except for PH buffer, Calcium, and Alk Buffer.


Ive tested my tap water too even though I dont use it for top offs or water changes, but it doesnt seem to detect any nitrates period. Does that seem sort of wierd for city water?

Joe

[balakoth]

Oh yes to add on feeding. I alternate between Formula One/two and Frozen Freshwater Mysis Shrimp.

[cyberchef]

Originally posted by balakoth
Oh yes to add on feeding. I alternate between Formula One/two and Frozen Freshwater Mysis Shrimp.

I do occasionally feed Formula II and have not had any problems with it. At least one other TRT member that I know of feels that Formula I and II are both big contributors of Nitrates to the aquarium and recomend not using it. I suppose it's possible that your LR has become a nutrient sink and is now releasing, for whatever reason who knows, the nutrients it has absorbed.

[balakoth]

If this was the cause, how long would it take this so called "sink" to drain? Im so out of ideas it hurts. Id lov eto be able to work on my tank , but this Nitrate problem is keeping me at a dead standstill.


Thanks again.