Elevated dKH, Nitrate and Phosphate

I have a 14g nano that has been up and running for 5 weeks. I recently picked up a Phosphate kit (Salifert) to go along with my other Salifert test kits (NO2, NO3, NH4 and dKH/ALK ). The Salifert Mg and Ca kits I ordered should arrive soon.

I established and cycled my tank with 17-18lbs of LR, 2 lbs of live sand and Instant Ocean salt mixed with tap (well) water. I’m guestimating my actual “water” volume is around 10 gallons. Sound reasonable? This past weekend I did my first water change with RO water I picked up from the LFS. I did a 4-1/2 gal water change which was approximately 40-45% of total water volume in the tank. I also added a pair of baby tank raised Percula’s this weekend. I re-tested my tank’s parameters last night and here are the readings:

NO3 – 15ppm
NH4 – 0 ppm
NO2 – 0 ppm
PO4 – 1 ppm
dKH/Alk – 10.9
pH – 8.3


As you can see, the nitrate, phosphate and dKH levels aren’t that good??? The Phosphate level I can understand because I used tap (well) water for my intial set-up but I’m surprised at the elevated Nitrate and dKH levels?? I thought the 45% water change would have helped. Do you have any suggestions/reccomendations how to bring the Nitrate, Phosphate and dKH levels down? I plan on doing another 2 gal or 20% water change this weekend and will probably stick to this weekly schedule of 20% WC’s going forward since I do not utilize a skimmer.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions are welcomed!

Thanks

 

Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with your dKH level. As far as your nitrates are concern, are you positive you finished your cycle? I'm think either that or the introduction of the fish cause a mini-cycle. Your denitrifying bacteria count should adjust soon and you should be fine with the water changes schedule that you're employing. Make sure you are not overfeeding you fish. They don't need much. Have you added a cleanup crew yet?

 

+1

DKH is fine - phos and nitrate are elevated due to the use of tap water. A couple of WC with RO should sort the phos out - or put so Rowa in you filter

 

Thanks. Once i receive the Mg and Ca test kits I'll see if the dKH is affecting the those parmaters and take it from there.

I'm 95% certain I finished my cycle but I could be wrong. I had been testing with test strips before picking up the Salifert test kits so my readings may not have been too accurate. The day I bought the baby perc's I also brought a water sample with me to the store as they had suggested. They tested it and said it was fine. However, much to my dismay, they, too, used test strips! From speaking with the guy earlier in the week I thought they were going to give me a more complete analysis when I brought my water sample with me. Guess that wasn't case!

I'll check the Nitrate level again this Saturday after the next water change. Hopefully it is just a mini-cycle and the levels will settle back down. And yes, we are being very frugal with the feeding amounts. 3-4 pellets a day for each perc.

The day i got the perc's I also picked up 6 Astrea's. I have a few Stomatella's in there already that hitchhiked on the LR and I have 6 blue legged hermits. Should I add more? Maybe some red legged hermits? More snails?

What can I do to lower the Phosphate level? That is what is concerning me the most at this time.

Thanks
.

 

Apology for the newbie ingorance but what is a "Rowa"?

 

hey Mac - Phoenix heights suggested using Rowaphos which is a phosphate removing medium in your filter or in a reactor and its a gooid brand, used that one myself most of the time

there are other options - Phosban , Antiphos - and more I cant think off right now - but they all absorb Phosphates and dont release them

Steve

 

Ahhh...got it now. Thanks

 

Second follow up of the day. That RowaPhos is 'da BOMB!!! Got mine 100ml container of it yesterday and put about a 1/3 to 1/2 of it in my tank early last night. Several hours later I decide to test the P04 and the reading at least half of what it was the night before!!! My Salifert kit was reading right about 1.0 or even slightly higher but last night it was down to .5 or even lower. Woo hooo! Can't wait to see where it takes is in a few more days. Will this have a positive effect on N03 as well?