High Nitrates (140)

[jfitz78]

I have very high nitrate levels (140) for the last 5 year. I have a 90 gallon tank and a 10 gallon sump.
I have 60 pounds of live rock I am running Bio pellets with a Reef Octopus skimmer, added MarinePure High Performance Biofilter Media. I do 20% water changes every week with reverse osmosis water and no my towns water has no nitrates in it. The tank is 5 years old now. I have 2 clowns, 1 Blue Velvet Damsel, 1 Yellow Tank, 1 Copper Line Butterfly and a Chocolate Chip Star with some snails and hermit crabs.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[lapin]

What negative effects are you seeing?

Howdy and welcome

 

[Spare time]

How long have you had the biopellets up?

 

[laverda]

If you have no corals it really is not problem. BTAs and some soft corals will handle those levels as well.
If you are using any kind of mechanical filtration, like filter socks, floss, sponges, or canister filters, clean them weekly at a maximum. Cleaning twice a week should help reduce nitrates. If your not using any I would add something to help remove detrus from your system. Make sure you do not have detrus building up in your sump or tank.
Make sure you not over feeding your fish. If you really want to drop your numbers I would increase the size or frequency of water changes. Although as you can see the effect is minimal. It will take time to reduce nitrates no mater what you do.
I think the fastest way is using a ATS . I have had very good results reducing nitrates and phosphates using my diy ATS. See my thread Under $30 ATS for some ideas.

 

[jfitz78]

What negative effects are you seeing?

Howdy and welcome

Just red slim on my rocks that will not go away

 

[jfitz78]

How long have you had the biopellets up?

About 3 months

 

[Spare time]

About 3 months

You could try seeding them with something like dr tim's waste away or other scavenging bacteria. Prodibio, brightwell, seachem, etc. all have bacteria that should work for that purpose.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

Are you testing with an API kit? The reason I ask is because my nitrates measured up to 160 using the API kit but at the same time measured 50 with Salifert's and 25 with the Nyos test.
(Or maybe you have a spouse that feeds the fish every time they walk by but don't tell you, like mine did!)

 

[Courtney Aldrich]

Did you test your freshly made saltwater for nitrates?

 

[lapin]

I have very high nitrate levels (140) for the last 5 year. I have a 90 gallon tank and a 10 gallon sump.
I have 60 pounds of live rock I am running Bio pellets with a Reef Octopus skimmer, added MarinePure High Performance Biofilter Media. I do 20% water changes every week with reverse osmosis water and no my towns water has no nitrates in it. The tank is 5 years old now. I have 2 clowns, 1 Blue Velvet Damsel, 1 Yellow Tank, 1 Copper Line Butterfly and a Chocolate Chip Star with some snails and hermit crabs.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

If in fact your nitrates are high you can do a number of things to help bring them down. Not all will apply to your tank but one or 2 might help.
Vac the sand bed and fuge sand bed or replace some sand.
Take rocks out and scrub them.
Feed less.
Carbon dose. ( vodka and or vinegar)
Run an algae scrubber.
Run a sulfer reactor.

 

[jfitz78]

If in fact your nitrates are high you can do a number of things to help bring them down. Not all will apply to your tank but one or 2 might help.
Vac the sand bed and fuge sand bed or replace some sand.
Take rocks out and scrub them.
Feed less.
Carbon dose. ( vodka and or vinegar)
Run an algae scrubber.
Run a sulfer reactor.

If I scrub my rocks will the tank recycle and will that harm my fish

 

[Dan_P]

I have very high nitrate levels (140) for the last 5 year. I have a 90 gallon tank and a 10 gallon sump.
I have 60 pounds of live rock I am running Bio pellets with a Reef Octopus skimmer, added MarinePure High Performance Biofilter Media. I do 20% water changes every week with reverse osmosis water and no my towns water has no nitrates in it. The tank is 5 years old now. I have 2 clowns, 1 Blue Velvet Damsel, 1 Yellow Tank, 1 Copper Line Butterfly and a Chocolate Chip Star with some snails and hermit crabs.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

How are you measuring 140 ppm NO3?

 

[ThePurple12]

If I scrub my rocks will the tank recycle and will that harm my fish

Nope

 

[EuphylliaAddict]

Get some more flow in there and get the detritus out of your sump, when you do a water change just clean your sump out first, then clean the display.

 

[Reab]

your issues are probably low p04 and not due to the nitrates. The bacteria that is from biopellets is similar to that of the red slime. I would dose some p04 which will help feed the biopellet reactor and in turn lower your nitrates and potentially fix your red slime issue

 

[jfitz78]

If you have no corals it really is not problem. BTAs and some soft corals will handle those levels as well.
If you are using any kind of mechanical filtration, like filter socks, floss, sponges, or canister filters, clean them weekly at a maximum. Cleaning twice a week should help reduce nitrates. If your not using any I would add something to help remove detrus from your system. Make sure you do not have detrus building up in your sump or tank.
Make sure you not over feeding your fish. If you really want to drop your numbers I would increase the size or frequency of water changes. Although as you can see the effect is minimal. It will take time to reduce nitrates no mater what you do.
I think the fastest way is using a ATS . I have had very good results reducing nitrates and phosphates using my diy ATS. See my thread Under $30 ATS for some ideas.

I built the ATS. So how long until it starts producing algae

 

[laverda]

I built the ATS. So how long until it starts producing algae

Good for you. I had my lights on 24/7 until it started growing. Once it starts growing watch your nutrients and reduce the light cycle so you don't drop to zero. Most people say it takes about 2 weeks for algae to start growing. I am sure it will vary from tank to tank. Love to see a pic.

 

[Azedenkae]

A bit late to the party, but if it matters - op, the MarinePure product you linked are the gems, which apparently are not designed for denitrification. Only the MarinePure blocks are: https://www.cermedia.com/marinepure-products.php

Once your algae starts though, they'll be able to take care of nitrates pretty easily.

 

[Garf]

Google “howdy from the uk day one scrubber” and you will get a sense of normal scrubber maturation.

 

[jfitz78]

Good for you. I had my lights on 24/7 until it started growing. Once it starts growing watch your nutrients and reduce the light cycle so you don't drop to zero. Most people say it takes about 2 weeks for algae to start growing. I am sure it will vary from tank to tank. Love to see a pic.

Thanks for your help I will send pics next week