Beating a dead horse

[youtoo54]

So if my tank is cycling, any idea how long it will take for the nitrates to come down?

 

[wontonflip]

Nitrates do not go down on their own. They only go down with water changes (which you've had bad luck with) or if something uses it up like algae (most of us have either chaeto in the sump or built an algae scrubber).

 

[youtoo54]

Water changes do nothing for me because my tank is apparently "cycling". So what do I need to do now to get my nitrates down? I have stuff in my fuge.

 

[youtoo54]

By the way both LFS said ammonia and Nitrates are at 0.

 

[wontonflip]

By the way both LFS said ammonia and Nitrates are at 0.

Confusing, I know.

Correct me if I'm wrong....from what I recall, you got this tank used, w/ the sand and rocks live right? Then your nitrates then were at 150+ ppm. You did multiple partial water changes, to no avail...is this correct?

But now you're saying your LFS tested your nitrAtes are at 0ppm...that means you're good to go....I remember someone did say you were cycling. But it would seem you're not, if your sand was already live. When a tank is still cycling, it means that your tank is establishing the necessary bacteria to break down ammonia and nitrItes (with an 'i'). Once those numbers go up, then down to 0, then your cycle is complete. The only way to get rid of nitrates were as I said -- water changes or chaeto/algae scrubber.

If your home test kit is still detecting nitrates, but your lfs is not, then it's most likely your test kit is bad (even if you JUST bought it...I bought a never-been-opened API test kit....it kept detecting 20ppm nitrates no matter what I did (but yet my new saltwater tested at 0ppm). Took it to my LFS, did a side by side test with their kit and mine, and mine was off by 20ppm. Bought a new one, tests came back good.

 

[youtoo54]

Type o on the nitrates. Should be Ammonia and Nitrites are at 0 sorry

 

[bojangles93]

Technically, if both Ammonia and Nitrites are at 0 then your nitrogen cycle is completed. You can begin doing water changes to reduce the nitrates. Using macro algae will also reduce nitrates because they use it for food.

 

[wontonflip]

That makes more sense. If your ammonia and nitrites are 0, and you used live sand and live rock that came w/ the tank, then I doubt you're cycling. In your other post, you said nitrites were "low", which like prc said, means it is detectable, which means you might have had a cycle if your sand got stirred up.

Nitrates still up? Are you still using tap? I forget.

 

[youtoo54]

Nitrites are now 0. They were low last time I took it to LFS. Im using tap water but it reads 0 on nitrates after and before I put the salt in.

 

[sen5241b]

Water changes will NOT shorten a cycle.

 

[youtoo54]

Wasn't asking about shortening the cycle.

 

[wontonflip]

Nitrites are now 0. They were low last time I took it to LFS. Im using tap water but it reads 0 on nitrates after and before I put the salt in.

Ok, but what are you nitrAtes in your tank?

Ok, just IMO, I know you tested your tap and it reads 0 nitrates....but what else have you tried to lower it aside from water changes using your tap? You made a lot of posts, we're all trying to help, but you keep starting a new post and it's gotten confusing.

The most effective ways to lower nitrates is with water changes, chaeto, or an algae scrubber.

But I highly suggest you try doing all your water changes using just distiilled or RODI. I know you keep saying your tap has no nitrates, but I really think you should at least try using distlled or rodi. Or, like I said, get chaeto or make an algae scrubber.