Rising Nitrates

[staceyfenea]

About three months ago I puchased a complete system from someone. The tank is 150 gallon, wet dry sump setup, protein skimmer, UV Steralizer and 5 gallon refugium. It has about 150 to 200 lbs of live rock in the display and the following fish: (1) Sailfin Tang, (1) Blue Hippo Tang, (1) Yellow Tang, (1) Black and White Clown and (1) Manderin. The substrate is sand. The guy I purchased it from said it had been up and running for 5 years. I had never run the UV steralizer because I was unsure about the effects it would have on not only the bad bacteria but also the good. I started getting some bubble algae so I plugged it in. I would like to get rid of the bio balls in the sump so I started taking those out. I have taken about two handfuls out over the last two weeks. I had been rinsing the pads every week. They were in pretty bad shape so when I did my maintenance last weekend I threw them away. I have not replaced the pads yet. When I tested for nitrates on Saturday they were at 5 but when I checked them again yesterday they had risen to 20. I am doing a water change today. I turned off the UV Steralizer. I am trying to determine the cause of the increase in nitrates. I feed every other day and I try not to over feed. Is it possible removing the bio balls and pads and running the UV Steralizer is causing the rise in nitrates?

 

[ErinCahir]

I know taking out the bio balls can do that at first... but I don't know enough about the rest of the stuff to help you out. Sorry.

 

[lilduud]

bioballs can be a huge ntirate trap id replace them with liverock.... it would be bes tto cure it in a bucket outside of the tank before adding it... but with a tank that size you can liklely add it uncured,

 

[lilduud]

how often do you do changes? and also how much do you feed every other day? that may be too much.

 

[staceyfenea]

how often do you do changes? and also how much do you feed every other day? that may be too much.

This is my third water change in three months. I have been changing about 15%. I try not to over feed but I probably could cut back.

 

[lilduud]

This is my third water change in three months. I have been changing about 15%. I try not to over feed but I probably could cut back.

I'd try cutting back on feeding and doing a 10 percent change every week or two. More frequent water changes will help stabilize your levels. Especially nitrates.

 

[staceyfenea]

Ok, Thanks

Should I replace the pads? Am I removing the bio balls at an appropriate rate?

 

[Jmck]

1 or 2 bioballs at a time is the right amount to remove. They would be the most likely probability of where your nigrates are coming from. I think you should just do a couple of 30% water changes over 1 week and take out a handfull more of the bioballs. Add in live rock there or even add some more algae in there to help filter the tank.

How much and how often do you feed? at the moment, just for my fish im putting 1 cube in about every 4 days and my mandarin also eats frozen food (I do have a healthy pod population though). I would be feeding your tangs algae sheets every 2 days and putting some meaty foods in there every three or 4 days. but thats my opinion

 

[tankedchemist]

Just a note, addition of live rock will have a very minimal (nearly undetectable) effect on nitrates. Live rock will support the bacteria responsible for converting ammonia to nitrite, and nitrite to nitrates, but the nitrate to nitrogen (gas) step isn't very efficient in our systems.

There are two ways to get rid of nitrates:
1. consistent small water changes, as suggested above
2. grow macroalgae in your fuge. I suggest chaeto. Biff has some for sale in the classifieds area if you can't find it locally.

 

[dcantucson]

Gosh Amanda. It's so nice having you back. You have a great way of explaining things so that we understand it and not just know someone said it was that way. :bowdown:
Thank you.

 

[sen5241b]

Get a big ball of cheato going in a fuge with strong light. This will dramatically bring down 'trates.

 

[staceyfenea]

Get a big ball of cheato going in a fuge with strong light. This will dramatically bring down 'trates.

Thanks,

I have some growing in the fuge. It is growing but maybe I need a stronger light. Do you leave your light on all the time? Currently the light is on in my fuge when the lights are off in the display. Should I maybe leave it on all the time?

 

[Bifferwine]

Chaeto doesn't need strong light. A regular 23 watt CFL bulb will do the trick. You can either leave it on 24/7 or opposite your tank lights, like you are doing. I don't think it makes a big difference.