Nitrate keeps high

My tanks nitrate is staying high. Its around 25 on my API test even after a 10 gallon water change 1 hr before. I just put in Bio Balls yesterday to try and take nitrates down. I changed all my filters. I do not have any Macro Algae yett. what can I do to combat these levels.

 

Remove the bio balls. They are a nitrate factory. Kind of like a canister filter they love to grow nitrates. Replace them with live rock rubble. A new system will take time to find its equillibrium. Eventually if everything is in place correctly your system will not register any nitrates. Patience is key if you just ending a cycle. Find what is growing the nitrates. If your just finishing a cycle I wouldnt get too excited yet. If its an older system I would start looking around for the culprit. Nitrates need to be exported through algae or reactors just and water changes just fyi.

 

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Rock rubble can hold just as much detritus as bioballs.
Not sure what size your tank is or if you have a sump or not.
Also, 25 is not that high. Too high for SPS, but not for livestock or soft or LPS corals.
What are you trying to keep?

 

Yes it can hold as much detritus as bio balls. But live rock has proven to be a better alternative (much more surface area) for bacteria to grow and live on. I am guessing he has bio cube just based on he has said so far. Nitrates arent necessarily deadly sushi is right on that. But hair algae amongst other undesirables LOVE IT.

 

macro. watch feeding how often do you feed ? i found that water changes can help most of the time its not verry affective unless you change a verry large amount witch can lead to other problems and is only for short term makeing shure you have ample gas exchange is a plus make shure you check your phosphates as well un measureable nitrats is what we all strive for but in most cases it just dont seem to happin

now dont get me wrong 25 is high but only delicate corals seem to be affected by this level and dont get so alarmed i have been as high as 100 and didnt lose a thing for me macro algae did the trick ive been arround 10 ever sence adding cheato the key there is to make shure the water flow is slow arround it

just keep an eye on it test every couple days make shure to blow off rocks with a turkey baster and skim a little on the wet side to catch any large waist particals in the water column till you get a idea witch may be causeing your issue

others will chime in to give you more ideas what to do there is a ton of knowlage on this forum

 

How old is your test kit? and not to be a jerk but are you following the instructions to the letter? You should be seeing some changes in results hopefully from before and after a WC.

 

How big is the tank?
that will give us an idea of how much change in nitrate level, you would get when performing a 10 gallon water change

example
if the tank is 20 gallons, and your nitrates are 20ppm, you change 10 gallons of water
and your nitrates should then be around 10ppm

if your tank is 100 gallons, and your nitrate is 20ppm
if you change 10 gallons of water , your nitrates would still be around 18ppm
and I doubt you would notice the difference on an API test kit

Bio balls cannot be the issue, as they have only just been introduced
having said that - they are not the solution either IMHO

It sounds like its a relatively new set up, and as others have said the levels you have are not critical for most fish and many species of corals

but making sure they do not escalate is something your correct to focus your attention on, IMO

carefull feeding
quality skimming
routine water changes
a fuge with macro algae species

these are all part of the solution to achieving control of nitrates, in a developing tank

when you say you changed all your filters?
what do you mean exactly?
what type of filters are these ?

Steve

 

FTR, it's a recently cycled 75g w/20g sump.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/new-hobby/new-setup-high-nitrate-levels-111525.html#post1154226

Bio-balls are not nitrate factories if maintained properly. However, they will not reduce nitrates-- they provide a surface for the bacteria that converts ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. I will agree that LR is better, by far.

The most effective way to reduce nitrates is with water changes, although a DSB will help, and there are some fancy gadgets and gizmos that reduce nitrates as well, if you have the funds.

It's not uncommon for a newly-cycled tank to require up to 50% water change to reduce nitrates, but I don't recommend more than 20% at one given instance. IOW, it can be done in a day, but should be done in stages.

 

Okay, 25 is not that high IMO, i have ran them at 20-30 for soft coral reefs.

If you have a LPS softie nitrates should be 0-15ppm IME
SPS and LPS/mixed reef-0-5ppm(all tanks with most SPS should have about 0-5ppm.

Like everyone says, get rid bioballs if your not going to keep up with them, i have a biocube and i have nothing in the 2nd chamber and I have a SPS reef.