can't lower my Nitrate.......

Sponges are known as nitrate factories especially if not cleaned regularly. You could also use something like SeaChem Stability to give your bacteria a boost to help neutralize the nitrates.

 

Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
Or
Sulphur Denitrator

 

The canister filter can be a nitrate factor also depending on what is being used in there. You might have to bump up your water change from like 10% to 20% depending on the frequency of your water changes. Maybe cut your feeding down.

 

The sponge on my overflow gets cleaned every other day, I have cut down on my feeding as i find the food will stay in the tank longer with the rearranged powerheads preventing it from getting into my overflow.

I only use carbon in the canister filter and it was changed out 3 weeks ago with new when i set the tank back up.

 

Here is what stands out to me and keep in mind this is just my two cents. Stirring up the sand bed may have released nitrate into the water. Dipping the live rock may have cut back some of your denitrifying bacteria. Since LR is supposed to be one of the biggest parts of your biological filter, that might be the source of your problem. If it were me, I would dose some kind of bacteria booster(stability, dr. tims, microbacter) to get your LR back to full capacity. I think that and cutting back on your stocking list like you talked about should help.

Second thought, in your fuge, how is your macro doing?

Also, the carbon in the canister. I noticed a rise in my nitrates and phosphates before when I wasn't changing it often enough. I run it in a media bag in my sump for now. I read that it can build a bit of a biofilm on it when its not run in a reactor. Now I change it every 2 weeks and haven't had a rise since.

 

Yeah i traded the large foxface back to the LFS for a sand sifting star and a sand sifting goby....I was expecting a mini cycle from the loss of bacteria and other living things in the LR.

My macro algae before the tear down was not doing so good! it was like it was starved for nutrients (i had very clean water quality with everything at or near 0ppm) for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and phos. Now its growing pretty rapidly but I also bumped up the light from a regular CFL to a 100W grow bulb for plants.

I'm going to do another water change, cleaned all the sponges again and i will replace my carbon in the canister..

I don't have any reactors and honestly don't quite get how i would run one in my setup....I never seen one at a LFS or even on a persons tank so i will research that alot more and possibly look at running one.

Thanks for the tips

 

Check out the Bulk Reef Supply reactors if you're interested in getting one. They are pretty reasonably priced and get some pretty good reviews.

 

Thanks for the tip, I will check them out