Cannot Keep Nitrates Down!

[rorning]

I am pretty new to this forum, and to Saltwater Aquaria for that matter (I love this forum by the way). I have a 37 gallon tank that has been up and running for about 1 month now and is probably just about to finish cycling. My problem is that I cannot get my Nitrate levels down. They are running about 40-50 ppm and above. I have 0 amonia and nitrite, and have performed two 5 gallon water changes (about a 13% water change) in the last week. I only use RO/DI water. My PH is about 8.3 and 1.023 for the salinity. Temp is at 75 degrees. I only feed my fish twice a day and small quanities.

I just cannot figure out where the Nitrate is coming from, and strangly enough have not seen any anmonia or Nitrite spikes, even though the tank is cycling. Also, I did not have any algae blooms during cycling. Please help, I am losing my cleaning crew.

Is there any reason I did not have any algae blooms? I still don't have much algae, just some very short white hairy algae on the live rock. Maybe the snails could be starving, I don't know.

Any input on any part of my aquarium setup would be appriecated.

Here is my setup:
37 Gallon
2" of substate
36 lbs of live rock
AquaC Remora skimmer
Canister filter w/ ceramic and carbon (Thinking about removing the carbon, what do you think?)
1 401 powerhead
Just added a Current USA Orbit lighting system (2 PC bulbs, actnic and 10000/6700)
2 damsel fish
2 peppermint shrimp
6 Blue legged hermit crabs
1 turbo snail (hitchhiker)
3 astria snails (3 dead, and removed)
3 moonfoot snails (all dead, and removed)
8 or so baby brittle stars (hitchhikers)

 

[wrightme43]

Well I am sure you know that the ceramic rings are in there to produce nitrate from amonia and nitrite. That may be part of the problem. Also the tank is just to new for the nitrate level to start to drop, especially since the rings are probley out competeing the live rock for stuff to cycle to nitrate. If the live rock doesnt get to make the nitrate in it. It also has a hard time passing the nitrate deeper to turn it to nitrogen gas. What kind of salt are you using, have you tested it for nitrate? Also a 5 gallon change on a 37 gallon tank will only remove 13% of the nitrate in the tank and that only if the water you are replacing it with has 0 nitrates. Hope this helps some. Steve

 

[rorning]

Thanks Steve. Question though. . . if the ceramic rings have been taken out of the tank, wouldn't the live rock just produce the same amount of Nitrates, or would the ceramic rings produce more Nitrate than the live rock? I will probably take the ceramic rings out anyway because I would like the live rock to filter the water to its full potential. What about the carbon, is that needed, or can I take that out too. My first guess is yes.

I am using "Instant Ocean" for my salt. I don't think that it has any nitrates in it.

 

[wrightme43]

Yes the live rock will produce the same amount of nitrates and then turn it into nitrogen gas. Instead of stopping at nitrate like the rings. It takes it one step further. It takes time and sometimes lots of it for this to really get going. The carbon I would run untill your done cycling. It is probley helping more than hurting. It is also becomeing a biological filter just like the rings it is just at the begining worth it to use it. After a while some people run carbon for 3-4 days a month. Just to pick up extra junk in the water. HTH Steve