Nitrates and API

So the test kit I have been using is API but everytime I use it for nitrates they are off the chart. Like 80ppm-100ppm+ off the chart. I have well over 100 lbs of LR 70 lbs of sand and aragonite, including sump. I have 2 seperate skimmers, one seaclone for 65 gallon and another of the box shaped ones with the blue bio media, up to 55 gallons. I added SeaChems MATRIX aswell as SeaChems Purigen about 4 days ago and so far no results.

It is a 75 gallon with 29 gallon sump. I have 2 clowns 2 firefish a damsel a diamond goby and a Melanurus wrasse.

Any ideas? or does it seem that the test kit may be retarded.

 

Is it expired? Are you following the directions to the T? The directions can be a wee bit picky but that's just that test. I have API, use it like mad, and haven't had issues with it yet. Get another nitrate test and check your results against it.

 

+1 on getting that test kit double checked
your LFS may provide that service, if they test with liquid kits of another brand that would be useful

if the test results indicate that the level is in fact correct
you need to look at your filtration, feeding and maintenance routine, and try an isolate where that high level of nitrate is coming from

what do you have in the sump? any rock or bio balls?
the sponges in the skimmer, do you remove and clean regular?
are you over feeding?
does you water change routine include a blasting of the rockwork to clear out any debris thats accumulated?
before noticing the nitrates, where the water changes frequent?

Steve

 

about 30 lbs of sand and oraganite 15 lbs of LR or so

The skimmer has bio media in it. Looks like blue stringy lasagnia lol and i do clean it out about every 3 weeks or so.

I feed probably half a cube of mysis if that every other day, a tiny bit to the sun coral and the rest to the fish. On the other days I feed formula two flakes, just enough for the fish to grab some.

I do blast my rocks but not every week, maybe once a month, but the goby goes around and sifts the debri in the rock regularly.

I have had nitrates since I can remember starting the tank, they may have been around 25ppm once or twice that i have noticed. I have never seen a yellow test tube come from my tank with the API.

I add water probably 2 times a week from evap 2-3 gallons each time with a water change every 2 weeks. Normally 10 gallons.

 

Ok so I just checked the bottle and it says copywrite 2006 rofl... figures...

 

as suggested previously - before doing anything else- get that kit verified/ confirmed - as mamy people have taken action based on flawed test kit results

your maintenance routine seems OK to me

my opinion is that your high nitrates - if they are indeed high
are as a result of an inbalance in your biological filration
you have a very developed culture of bacteria species creating and processing in turn ammonia and nitrite
but a deficiency in the species of bacteria which convert nitrate

my suggestions based on the amount of live rock you have in the DT would be as follows

skimmer
1) remove the plastic noodles at the rate of 25% each week over next 4 weeks - monitor Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate each week as you do this
2) once all noodles are removed, continue testing nitrates for 2 weeks and see if they are dropping

if the above has not had a significant effect on your nitrates
and you have not had any issues as a result of removing them ( bacteria in other locations has multiplied to compensate for that which has been removed)

then you should look at the sump

Sump

1) remove 25% of the live rock you have in the sump each week for 4 weeks , whilst doing this repeatedly test ammonia and nitrite weekly to make sure that the bacteria being removed on that rock are being compensated for by an increase of bacteria in the DT
2) once the last bit of rock is out - clean the sump to remove any accumulated detritus/ debris etc
3) check nitrates each week after live rock from sump has been removed and they should have started decreasing

I believe that the combination of the 2 things above
will result in lower nitrate levels
the reasons are

the noodles dont faciliate a balance of bacteria required to complete the nitrogen cycle
the sump has less water flow than DT , debris accumulates on and in the pores of the rock - thus can also be the souce of increased nitrate levels


Steve

 

You can look at some of the same issues I had. I belive that the kits arnt working as they should because mine read at 0 in the fresh mixed water in mine but have read at 20 ppm even though everything looks great.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/water-chemistry/nitrate-question-104620-2.html

 

So you think adding bio balls would be a bad idea? I ordered 200 of them they should be here tuesday. Should I not add them?

 

if your nitrates are high (remember check the results before taking any action)

I do not believe adding bio balls will help with a high nitrate level
I am of the opinion the reverse will actually occur

I have never read a single account of adding bio balls that helped reduce nitrate

I have read many, many accounts of people who reduced nitrate levels, by removing bio balls

I honestly believe your situation will improve by removing some of what you have
and not by increasing real estate for mainly oxygen using bacteria ( as IMHO you probably have adequate culture of those and they exist at the expense of the aneorobic ( non oxygen requiring bacteria)

you can only have as much bacteria as there are nutrients to feed
I believe your problem is one of balance
you have to many oxygen requiring bacteria
and not enough of the other types of species

Steve

 

can I add these bacteria that i need