I have a new 46 gallon tank with about 45 pounds of live rock that I have been running for about 7 weeks. The rock was pretty well cured when I put it in the tank so I have never seen the spikes in my tests like everyone has mentioned. In the last few weeks I have added a cleanup crew which consists of a brittle star, some turbo snails,peppermint shrimp, sea urchin, sea slug, flame scallop and prociline crab as well I have an anemone ( at least thats what I think it is). I do %10 water changes with RO water from the ls store once a week. Everything in the tank has been doing nicely but I cannot seem to get my nitrate levels to 0. I keep testing and it has been 10 since about 1 week after I started the tank. Everything else( nitrite, amonia), has remained at 0. What am I doing wrong? As well I seem to constantly struggle with my ph, it likes to sit at 7.8, if I add buffer then it will head up to 8.2 but I don't want to keep adding chemicals if there is a natural way to up PH. My main concern is the nitrate, I don't want to add any fish until I can get it under control.I would appreciate any suggestions as I know there is so much to learn and obviously I'm doing something wrong!!
nitrates help!!!!
- Thread starter taxqueen
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I have a new 46 gallon tank with about 45 pounds of live rock that I have been running for about 7 weeks. The rock was pretty well cured when I put it in the tank so I have never seen the spikes in my tests like everyone has mentioned. In the last few weeks I have added a cleanup crew which consists of a brittle star, some turbo snails,peppermint shrimp, sea urchin, sea slug, flame scallop and prociline crab as well I have an anemone ( at least thats what I think it is). I do %10 water changes with RO water from the ls store once a week. Everything in the tank has been doing nicely but I cannot seem to get my nitrate levels to 0. I keep testing and it has been 10 since about 1 week after I started the tank. Everything else( nitrite, amonia), has remained at 0. What am I doing wrong? As well I seem to constantly struggle with my ph, it likes to sit at 7.8, if I add buffer then it will head up to 8.2 but I don't want to keep adding chemicals if there is a natural way to up PH. My main concern is the nitrate, I don't want to add any fish until I can get it under control.I would appreciate any suggestions as I know there is so much to learn and obviously I'm doing something wrong!!
Krish
RF STAFF
You may not be doing anything wrong. It took me about 6 months to get my nitrates from 8 ppm down to 0. As your rock matures and the necessary anaerobic bacteria continues to grow, then you will see your nitrates begin to work off as denitrification (the process by which nitrates are converted into nitrogen gas) works more efficiently with your current bio-load which it will have to adjust to everytime you add more livestock into the tank. Just a few thoughts
It took me about 6 months to get my nitrates from 8 ppm down to 0. As your rock matures and the necessary anaerobic bacteria continues to grow, then you will see your nitrates begin to work off as denitrification (the process by which nitrates are converted into nitrogen gas) works more efficiently with your current bio-load which it will have to adjust to everytime you add more livestock into the tank. Just a few thoughts joshinjosh
Cnidarian
Nitrates at high levels are not detrimental to fish. I personanly wouldnt be too hesitant to add fish with 10ppm nitrates, but if you really want to get those nitrates ~0, you could waiting it out like krish said, or you can try to implement an additional sourse of nitrate export like a refugium.
just keep doing regular weekly or bi-weekly water changes.. they will eventually fall... try getting some good surface agitation on the tank .. that will help raise your ph.. also be sure you don't have a lid and keep fresh air in your house as well... both of these will help raise the ph
jeffnewt
Barred Morey
Nitrates around 10 in my opinion have no effect on fish whatsoever.
