Nitrates

I tested my water and my nitrates are like 130....the highest color on the chart.
What can I do to get these down.
I just have live rock and rish right now in the tank and eventually I would like to get some soft corals going but I really want to lower these nitrates.

I know water changes help...what else though!!

Thanks!

 

i cleaned my sand bed and that helped!

 

do you have a sump or refugium at all? these might help, its possible that you are really over feeding or do not have enough live rock. How old is the tank it might be cycling....so things it could be.......

 

A description of your filtration would help. What is the size of your tank and how many and what kind of fish do you have? What kind and how much circulation do you have?

 

When I re did the rocks in my tank my nitrates went to half of what they were. I make sure not to over feed and also watch the tank to make sure that I dont over do it. I have 3 salt water tanks in the the house and only one has high nitrates. It happens to be the largest tank in the house but its ok.

 

Hi Charlie,your nitrates are probably so high from the tank having those big eaters in there for a long time.Fish can withstand some pretty high nitrate levels when they have risen grsdually over time.I am assuming that you recently moved the tank and if your using the same substrate it was probably stirred up during the move,this will cause the nitrates to rise further.Unfortunately the best way to lower them quickly is water changes.the fish you have are hardy enough to withstand some large water changes,probably as much as 50%.I wouldn't do any larger than this with fish living in the tank as it might shock even the hardiest.your nitrates should drop in proportion to how much water you change and how many times it's done.It's a lot of work but the most effective way to deal with nitrates that high.

 

Hey it may not seem this way but look if you do a water change once every week for 6 weeks they should tramatically higher flow and paportional feeding is important dont forget waterchanges there are such things a di nitrate or nitrate sponge just poris gravel wont do you that much though

 

Good point,smaller water changes of say 10-20% done weekly along with a cutback in feeding should lower your nitrates over time.It may take several before you notice a significant decrease but it may be easier on you and your livestock.I also agree that the nitrate reducing filter media availible at most lfs is not much help when dealing with very high nitrate levels.

 

Thank everyone...here is my setup.

I just aquired this tank from someone else. It was up and running for 3+ years. I took everything over from him, even the water in the move. I tested everything else and all levels are perfect except for the nitrates.

Its a 125 with live rock and fish only for right now, I would like to move to soft corals someday, but want to get the nitrates down and finish some upgrading to the system.

I feed once a day, there are 3 triggers, 1 damsel, 1 tang, and 2 gold striped maroon clowns.

There are built in overflows they go to 2 sumps, one has bio balls, the other has refuge setup. Sump pumps return the water. I have a coralife (I think) skimmer.

I am looking to go with a one sump system with one return pump and a new skimmer too....but not just yet...I still need the sump and skimmer.

Let me know if you need any more info....Thanks!

 

Bioballs will build up with nitrates. The most effecient nitrate eliminating methods are skimming and a refugium. Thats how you keep them low and thats all you really need outside of water changes. No filter pads, canister filters, bioballs, etc. post a couple pics of your setup. If you have filter pads and do not replace them regurally, nitrates will build up and will not break down.