NITRATE level at 80! help please. Water change to fix?

Yes you def can, i dont add anything to my water

 

I use straight RO/DI water for top off in my 10gal without any additives all the time without issue. With the LR and filtration I havent had any nitrate/nitrite spikes since the first cycle. Dont know if that helps or not.

I dont know your setup, at all. So I cant say what would be putting your Nitrates at 80ppm and every other parameters fine... bad test kit? If you tested their water and it was 0ppm nitrates, and you changed out a good percentage of your DT water with it, and its still at 80ppm theres definitely something whacky. it doesnt make logical sense to me. You should have seen an immediate drop in Nitrates after the water change, and yes if you have some Nitrate factory in your sump or something it'd just be a matter of time before it kicks back up again. I dunno, very weird. Sorry I cant be of more help.

EDIT: I dont buy my RO water I produce it with my RO/DI unit. 0/TDS, 6.2/PH, 0ppm nitrate/nitrite

 

yeah i think I need a new sump system after I move into my new house. I need more LR for sure I only have 16 pounds of it because to buy it at my LFS for 90 pounds would cost about $500


This is all seeming like a TON of work way more than I ever thought LOL. Sad part is my wife is the one having to take care of the tank when i'm gone and she alrdy has a 1 and 2 year old to look after

 

If I were you I would just buy some base rock, its usually pretty cheap. I would wait until after you move to get it as its a pain to move so much rock.
While OP has good intentions, I honestly wouldnt do a 50% because it just seems like too big of a change at once to me. I would change 30% now and maybe 20% more in a day or two. That's just my opinion tho.
What do you have in the sump that you believe is the problem?

 

I stated reading this thread and am admittedly confused.

I am assuming you do periodic water changes, you know where to purchase RO water and you made reference to waiting for an RO unit. So why is your Nitrates so high? Have you tested the water you are buying?

It’s hard to pinpoint your issue without specifics, tank set up and maintenance information.

What kind of filter media are you using and how old is it? do you have a refugium and a skimmer? Do you over feed or have over stocked the tank ?

I too would strongly suggest a 50% water change (90 DT would be 90 X .50 = 45) not sure if you were joking about not knowing simple math. Add your display gallons to your filter gallons and subtract an estimated displacement – then multiply the total water by the percentage to be changed to get the gallon total to change (use a calculator).

From here I would do another 25% in a couple of days. Change out all your media, verify your skimmer is functioning and do weekly 15% water changes until you get the situation under control. I am not a fan of additives such as Prime – your tank, your call. Good luck

+1 on buying a new test kit

 

Just checked you tank blog Rogues

how long has this tank been set up?
you have a couple of very large fish in there, and mostly very white coral skeletons as decor

your have a sump, prefilter that sends the water through a colomn of what looks like dark brown gravel and then into another section below of some cleaner stuff, but I can see in the photo how dirty it looks

I believe the source of your nitrate issue stems from there
there is a very small pad above the egg crate, but I think once that gets clogged, the water and all the waste just runs off sideways and down through the egg crate- hence your biological media, below is very dirty and causing the nitrate issue

if it where mine I would
1 - get a larger pad or a filter sock above the egg crate- make sure no sediment large particles of waste make it into the sections below

2 - get that area cleaned out - using the old tank water you are removing for the water changes

Steve

 

I hadn't realized there was a blog with pics - Steve is right. You have a nitrate factory on top of your crushed shells.

Are some of the shells under water?

 

First off, how old is your tank? I can see that you are working and thinking hard on your tank which is good. A word on RO water first, it is fine to have good source but keep in mind that RO tends to give out 'soft' water which can be low on alkalinity. Please check your new salt water's parameters after you have thoroughly mixed and aired the water and to allow enough time for the salt to react chemically with your RO water. Failing to do so, can do more adverse effects than your nitrates. Depending on the species you have, a 80 nitrate level can be tolerated by some of the less sensitvie species.

I would suggest to thoroughly review your set-up to make sure it can handle the tank's need. The gears need not to be expensive and massive but it sure needs the owner's careful consideration and correct mind set to begin.

Please be patient and you can allow yourself and your dear one to relax. Doing water change can only be a short term solution for many people with your similar problem(s) and they usually get into a dead end or much more distress after hours of hard work and spending a fortune. As for myself, I am very careful with any additives.medication other than a high quality salt mix. Trust me, good salt, good water source and a proper procedure with reasonably level of patience is always the rule of thumb for marine hobbyist. Happy fish keeping.

 

Steve is right, you better spend all your efforts and start from here.

 

Ok I guess I should explain what I know...


All I know about my filtration is it's a biofiltration system

That picture is a little old I need to update my blog with the new pad on top.

The BIG large dark filter in the middle is most likely my issue MAYBE ..

It's a large roll of filter pad turned on it's side. I thought it was PVC.

The tank was a fish only tank until I got it and had been running for over 2 years with out issues. I think my adding live sand and 16 # of LR (so far stuff is expensive!!)



I cleaned off the pads above and was going to put a filter sock in. I couldn't add it to the pipe because there is some kinda valve on the outlet.

What it looks like is it has a white washer and a little pvc pipe that goes inside that washer and that pvc pipe has a little white ring washer on it.

My thinking is if some how for some unknown reason the water were to rise in that tube or be sucked that washer would close the area maybe?




I'm broke until my job pans out here. Sorta have a job but not working because they haven't sent my trainer to pick me up which really sucks!

I have no money to buy filters or anything really. I hate my sump system and almost wish I'd never spent the $500 on this tank thinking I was getting a good deal.

I truely think my whole sump is a nitrate factory and am at a loss on how to totally fix it. so for now I think either my fish will live which i doubt and that REALLY SUCKS I love my fish!!! My clowns are so funny and my big tang his name is Gus! I really really wish I could do more but I don't have any cash left that I can spend. I have to save what I have to eat on the road with my trucking job. When I'm gone my wife takes care of the fish..