Nitrate Problem

So I just cant kick this nitrate problem i have, here are my specs...

55 gal. DT (about 1 year old now)

Nova Extreme Pro T-5 lighting (6 bulb)
45 lbs. live rock
not much sand (5 lbs maybe)
2-Koralia 2's
1-Koralia 1
DIY overflow (non-drilled w/ PVC)

Creatures

2-Cinnamon Clowns
1-Starry Blenny
1-Atlantic Pygmy Angel
5-Chromis
Ive cut back on feeding...and now i feed flakes every other day.

Money Cowrie
Blue Leg Hermits
Nassurius Snails
Electric Blue+Orange Hermit
Zebra Hermits
Astrea Snails
Orange Turbo Snail

Zoos, Candy Cane, Pulsing Xenia, Mushrooms, Monti Cap, Leathers
(With the high specs, all my corals are fine, none have died and i havent lost a fish. Could they have adapted to this abnormal conidtions?)

20 Gal. Fuge (1 year old)

PC Lighting
Caulerpa+cheato
10 lbs. live rock
3.5-4" sand bed w/ Mineral Mud
DIY Air Stone Skimmer
Mag Pump...
No Baffles, only Egg Crate dividers...

Temp: 78
PH: 8.4
Alk: Normal
Ammonia: 0-.25
Nitrite: .05-.1
Nitrate: RED!
Calc: 450
Mag: n/a

I do water changes weekly, about 5-10 gallons max. Ive tried a couple different things, like pruning back the chaeto, but i havent noticed anything dropping. A week ago I also added a biological booster that is suppose to help lower these problems, but i havent noticed a difference. Should I get rid of the school of chromis? Im not sure if i have to many fish or not...the calculator told me about 14". Should i stop feeding the flakes? Im sure the flakes could be causing all these problems right? Its baffling me to have nitrates this high with the 'fuge on there. Could I be gettin too much flow through the fuge since i dont use baffles?

Im just lost because my corals look healthy and the fish are fine. Not that I have anything to challenging to keep, but I would think that something would have kicked the bucket by now..

Any ideas?

 

and i meant to add that i have a algae out break in my DT tank now...only on the rocks

 

I think you have too many fish.

You might want to swap the DIY skimmer for a mechanical one. Does your sump have a fuge? if not try installing one, if you already have one try chnaging the lighting on it.
And last but not least you could install a denitrator

 

Until your second post I wanted to say your test kit sounds bad....but that second post says otherwise.

What's your feeding schedule - how much are you feeding. condition of lights?

 

It looks like your in the middle of a cycle. What time frame did you use to introduce the fish into the tank? I think you need more LS. Anywhere from 1"-2 1/2" sand bed. I also think that you should get more LR. After a yr running, you shouldnt have any NH3 or No2 in your system. I also think that you have too many fish for 55g. I have a 140g system with only 2 more fish than you. I think that your biological filtering system cannot keep up with your bio-load. Luna

 

Are you using RO/DI water for top offs and water changes? If so, have you verified the purity with a TDS meter?

 

The ammonia and nitrite levels raise a red flag to me! These are toxic, even in small levels, to living animals in a marine aquarium. Nitrates aren't as big an issue as just for encouraging the growth of nuisance algae which you are encountering.
I am wondering if you don't have some dead and decaying animal in your tank.
Before working on controlling and eliminating nitrate, you need to focus on the ammonia and nitrites first and foremost!!
Ammonia and nitrites will continuously be broken down into its least toxic form of nitrogen...nitrates, and as long as you have ammonia and nitrites, you will have nitrates as well.
Good luck!

 

Has anybody here ever built a coil denitrator? I'm having a problem keeping my Nitrates down.

 

Zeolites, denitrators, sulfur and sand bed fluidized filters, VODKA(yes, vodka), resins and other enzyme compounds can reduce nitrates once the other two are under wraps!

 

I am using RO/Di water...I think i need to get rid of the chromis next...
The fish have been in the tank for atleast 7 months...so im not sure about the cycling aspect?

im going to add more sand plus rock...cured rock shouldnt cause a spike in anything right?

i think i would also have to stray away from live sand because of the same aspect? or am i wrong?

I guess the next step will be removing all the rock, then removing the chromis, add the rock back...


My other big concern is why isnt my 'fuge doing its job? It could be lighting, but i think im getting good growth....I was reading about the flood style lights that people use, and i might switch to one of them here shortly