quick question on nitrates....

[Skeptic9962]

ive allways had a problem with nitrates...finally figured out that my skimmer couldnt handle the bioload of the tank, along with my TDI meter wasnt plugged in corectly so it was allways reading 0 when the filters really needed replacing...so i replaced all filters/skimmer and started doing 20% water changes 3 times a week along with mb7 and biofuel since then ive gotten them down from 100 to under 10, my main question is should i wait till nitrates are 0 to start feeding heavily or will it matter much since my skimmer is skimming the hell out of the tank? i used to only feed every other day very lightly, but the last few days ive fed fairly heavy every day hasnt raised nitrate....and corals/fish look amazing....any input would be apriciated

 

[mfinn]

It was the heavy feeding that contributed to the high nitrates.
What do you consider heavy feeding?

If you know that the food is the source of the high nitrates, don't you think you are asking for trouble?

 

[Skeptic9962]

It was the heavy feeding that contributed to the high nitrates.
What do you consider heavy feeding?

If you know that the food is the source of the high nitrates, don't you think you are asking for trouble?

ive never fed heavily since i knew my skimmer wasnt very good along with nitrates where high in the first place...the main thing that was the reason of the high nitrates was water changes/top off water had TDI of 30 so it was non stop adding to the nitrates instead of reducing them...just the last few days ive fed daily about a 1" x 1" chunk of rods food...not really that heavy but alot heavier then i used to do and fish/corals are looking alot happier...so mainly was asking if that is ok to do or wait till i get those last few nitrate gone before i do so....

 

[mfinn]

A TDI of 30 isn't that bad. It's not good if your suppose to be getting 0.
And it isn't all nitrates.

I would work up slow.

and for what it's worth, I will feed a piece of Rod's food 3 times that size in my 240.

If you've reduced the nitrates from a reading of 100 down to 10, that's pretty good.

 

[Boomer]

Your skimmer skimming the hell out of the tank will not do much for Nitrates. I would slow way down till those readings get near zero or at least 1-2 ppm.

I agree 30 ppm TDS is not all that bad but the real question is that 30 ppm has how many ppm NO3-. Did you test it for NO3- ?

 

[Skeptic9962]

Your skimmer skimming the hell out of the tank will not do much for Nitrates. I would slow way down till those readings get near zero or at least 1-2 ppm.

I agree 30 ppm TDS is not all that bad but the real question is that 30 ppm has how many ppm NO3-. Did you test it for NO3- ?

yeah i know it wont do much for nitrates but since im doing carbon dosing now since i have a larger/powerful skimmer its def. working alot better at taking junk out now/getting nitrates under 5 so far....the TDS was suposed to read 0 on output and 35 ish on input atleast in my area....so it was literally only taking out 5 TDS from the tap water....i did test the water before and on a fresh mixed batch the nitrates were 15-20ppm thats when i knew there was a problem with the filters...not sure how long this had gone on since i usually dont test nitrate in my fresh mixed water...but long enough that it skyrocketed my nitrates...

 

[lvsuckerfish]

your water before you hit the rodi has a tds of 40?

 

[lvsuckerfish]

is your tds calibrated?

 

[Skeptic9962]

is your tds calibrated?

yeah TDS before RODI is in its 30s, havnt re-calibrated it i bought the unit from filterguyz about 2 years ago...the output would always read 0 but i found it wasnt seated properly after i saw the high nitrates so i re-seated it and it was showing a little less then what was incoming, so i ordered all new filters and after replacing the output went to 0 now so that makes me think its working fine....are u supposed to re-calibrate it?

 

[lvsuckerfish]

not sure about the filter guys one i thought you were also using a hand held one I have both. I tend to buy double the equipment to cross check. I have a handheld if you want to test the incomeing water 30's is low I believe well water is that low. but thats better then water from the store.

 

[Boomer]

Skeptic

OK things look better. TDS meters rarely need to be recal unless you dropped it or something or the battery is bad. You really only need to recal a TDS meter if you are trying to be more accurate. A TDS meter should be cal in the TDS range of water being tested but it is not a must, again, unless looking for more accuracy. For our use recal a TDS meter does about nothing. Which one of Jim's TDS meters did you buy ?

 

[freakin]

Do you rinse your food?

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I would toss the bio fuel and just dose vodka easy and alot cheaper if you need a link I can get you one with instructions I am dosing vodka on my 29 and also already started on my 240 29 phos and nitrates are both undetectable. water is clear and skimmer works like a champ.

 

[freakin]

I would toss the bio fuel and just dose vodka easy and alot cheaper if you need a link I can get you one with instructions I am dosing vodka on my 29 and also already started on my 240 29 phos and nitrates are both undetectable. water is clear and skimmer works like a champ.

I'd love a link. It would be nice to enjoy a martini with my tank every once in a while.

 

[dtd87]

I am also interested in this vodka link.

 

[freakin]

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php
http://www.melevsreef.com/vodka_dosing.html

 

[lvsuckerfish]

sorry freakin but yup both of those will work follow to the t and you will be golden do not over dose guage the water volume and with out rock etc. and take 1/3 off of that also lol just to be safe.

 

[Skeptic9962]

Ive decided to drop biofuel/mb7 and try out the new EcoBak vodka pellets so well see how those do seems like a good replacement.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

thats what i am doing also save me some time and give me time to drink some more lol

 

[Elivia]

I would toss the bio fuel and just dose vodka easy and alot cheaper if you need a link I can get you one with instructions I am dosing vodka on my 29 and also already started on my 240 29 phos and nitrates are both undetectable. water is clear and skimmer works like a champ.

Are you able to supply me a link to this vodka dosing also? i have had the worst problem with nitrates!