High nitrates

I have a 90 gallon with 6 fish and some soft corals. I tested my nitrates at the end of the week and got 20- 40ppm. I did my 12 gallon water change and the next day tested again and now its 80ppm. I just replaced the sock and the only new things is macro algae and a new skimmer. I would do another water change but first I wanna know whats happening. Any ideas? Also how long does it take before the macro algae cancels out the nitrate.

 

first things, the macro algae will prob NEVER cancel out the trates, but merely help, its a band aid that helps.

you'll need a reactor to "cancel" out the trates, but even then thats a tough, slippery slope.

How old is your tank?
what are the rest of your param's?

but you have biopellets? whats your tank set up, LR etc

sorry but thats a hard question to answer, and also what water are you using?

 

Ammonia is 0
Nitrites is 0
I have 50 pounds at the most of LR. And the tank is around a month old but half the water is 1 1/2 years old and the rest of it was new water from nutri sea water and that's the same stuff I do changes with. I have a eshopp skimmer 3rd gen rated for 150 in a rs 200 with a deep blue uv sterlizer rated for a hundred. I have two clowns, one not full grown maybe 4 inch hippo tang, a yellow tang, a scooter Blenny and a coral beauty angel

 

Did you mix up a lot of detritrus when you did your water change? As Cosmo asked, what kind of water are you using for your water change? If it's not RO at least, that could cause the spike in nitrates after a water change....they usually go down.....

 

I use nutriseawater and for top off some store bought RO and by next week will be making my own RO/DI. I plan on buying some nitrate pads tomorrow and do a large water change.

 

The tank is only a month old? Did you buy it used? Did you use old sand?

 

ok a 6 week old tank is way too young for 6 fish, you're system is prob overloaded, hence the trate spikes, you're cycle is prob barely done.

Water doesn't carry the bacteria necessary to stop this, your rocks, and to an extent your sand does. I'd either be ready to do major WC's for a few months or return some fish. Or maybe try a product from Dr. Mike, called one and only, and a thread started on his forum may help you out.

But get water running now, IMO, you're gonna need it.

 

I had a 45 gallon tank for a year an a half before this one and its half the same water all the same rock and the other half is pre made water that already Carries the bacteria needed for the nitrogen cycle.

 

Same live rock, same water from a tank already established for a year an a half and the rest of the water I added was nutri seawater which is ready for fish. Everything was new on the tank.

 

Just to be clear, water holds absolutely no beneficial bacteria and there is no benefit to adding it to a new tank. You are dumping dirty water into a clean tank. I don't understand this concept.