Nitrates spiraling out of control

Jamaica_sun · 10-23-2006, 09:07 AM

I have read on here many cases of tanks parameters all of a sudden turning. I guess it's my turn..

The Nitrates spiked to 50...so I did what I thought was a large water change (15 gallons) and cleaned the sump out since it was pretty nasty.

I had it tested Friday ( a week later) and low and behold... the nitrates were at 100.

PH dropped to 7.6
KH was at 9
and the salinity was lower than I thought 1.020

I did a 35 gallon water change and added a buffer yesterday. My fish all survived so far.

I retested at home and the nitrates, although lower (hard to get an exact on a color card) at what I estimate to be 40 are still too high. The PH did balance out at 8.3, and the KH was 12-13.

Is there a chemical that I can add to help stabilize the nitrates? Or should I just hope for the best?

The only thing I can think of that could have happeded here is my missing Wrasse may have died... but I vaccumed and found no sign of a carcass.
I was told by the LFS child that he had one that hid in the sand bed for almost 3 months and then appeared when the water stabilized.

If he was in the sand bed... he ain't happy.. I really messed up the rock and sand work with the vacuum.

I have given up on the Wrasse at this point.. I am trying to salvage my remaining inhabants.

What now?

Tangster · 10-23-2006, 09:13 AM

Well its not the wet/dry many want to call a nitrate factory. stirring the sand bed ? how old is the tank 2.5 maybe 3 yrs or so.. How much sand and what do you have i there to keep it sifted out ? Ever considered using a coil denitrater ? they do wonders long term and cost nothing to run and cheap to make . Maybe thats why not many speak of them ? It could be OTS staring to rear it head ? OH OTS old tank syndrome. With falling Ph and low buffering abality of the water

Jamaica_sun · 10-23-2006, 09:32 AM

I have always been schooled that it is not so much the wet/dry that is the nitrate factory - but the bio-balls that are used in them. I replaced the bio balls with live rock al ong time ago.

My tank has been set up for7 months total.
What is involved in making a coil denitrater? Do you have a link I can follow?

Tangster · 10-23-2006, 11:26 AM

Huum at just 7 months you should not have a problem with them As for the rocks in a wet /dry ? The balls break up the water more and allow for a richer 0'2 enviroment.. I found that lots of air in the sump will also help keem the fom the water as it will with PO4's I think I posted a a simple how to But I was thinking about writing the instructions down I had done this once but its on another computer on my desk at home.. Its really easy to do .. I'm sure there is some info around the net ? Nitra-Gon used to sell them also..

RCBruce · 11-01-2006, 03:48 PM

put chemi pure in your filter. It worked wonders for me!

10-23-2006, 09:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
Jamaica_sun Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 82 Skin: Mint Karma: 110	Nitrates spiraling out of control I have read on here many cases of tanks parameters all of a sudden turning. I guess it's my turn.. The Nitrates spiked to 50...so I did what I thought was a large water change (15 gallons) and cleaned the sump out since it was pretty nasty. I had it tested Friday ( a week later) and low and behold... the nitrates were at 100. PH dropped to 7.6 KH was at 9 and the salinity was lower than I thought 1.020 I did a 35 gallon water change and added a buffer yesterday. My fish all survived so far. I retested at home and the nitrates, although lower (hard to get an exact on a color card) at what I estimate to be 40 are still too high. The PH did balance out at 8.3, and the KH was 12-13. Is there a chemical that I can add to help stabilize the nitrates? Or should I just hope for the best? The only thing I can think of that could have happeded here is my missing Wrasse may have died... but I vaccumed and found no sign of a carcass. I was told by the LFS child that he had one that hid in the sand bed for almost 3 months and then appeared when the water stabilized. If he was in the sand bed... he ain't happy.. I really messed up the rock and sand work with the vacuum. I have given up on the Wrasse at this point.. I am trying to salvage my remaining inhabants. What now? _________ 65g , 20g sump,Wet/Dry filter -10 lbs live rocks and 660GPH pump,In sump CU-75 protein skimmer- bak pak P.S, coralife UV Sterilizer, nite/day 96 watt 10,000K and 96 watt True Actinic 03 Blue,40 lbs live/wet sand, 6 stage RO 100 lbLR 1 Lawnmower blennie a few snails a few hermit crabs 1 Percula Clown (aka killer)

10-23-2006, 09:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tangster 3reef Sponsor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Va/Ct Posts: 5,573 Skin: Mint Karma: 34991	Well its not the wet/dry many want to call a nitrate factory. stirring the sand bed ? how old is the tank 2.5 maybe 3 yrs or so.. How much sand and what do you have i there to keep it sifted out ? Ever considered using a coil denitrater ? they do wonders long term and cost nothing to run and cheap to make . Maybe thats why not many speak of them ? It could be OTS staring to rear it head ? OH OTS old tank syndrome. With falling Ph and low buffering abality of the water _________ Some of the world's greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible (Doug Larson) Visit our website at: http://www.aquaticarttechnologies.com/contact.asp

11-01-2006, 03:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
RCBruce Astrea Snail Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Baton Rouge Louisiana Posts: 70 Skin: Mint Karma: 118	put chemi pure in your filter. It worked wonders for me! _________ 90 gal reef 30 gallon sump skimmer penguin 550 power head T-5 HO 48" Double compact Flouresents 120 lbs. live rock coral beauty angel (LSU mascot Mike the tiger) scissortail dartfish gobie swallowtail angel engineer gobie clarkii clown six line wrasse Mimic Lemon Peel Tang pink and emerald green frogspawns green, white, purple star polyps tourch, 6 varieties of shrooms, 5 varieties of polyps, etc. etc.

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10-23-2006, 09:32 AM	#3 (permalink)
Jamaica_sun Spanish Shawl Nudibranch Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 82 Skin: Mint Karma: 110	I have always been schooled that it is not so much the wet/dry that is the nitrate factory - but the bio-balls that are used in them. I replaced the bio balls with live rock al ong time ago. My tank has been set up for7 months total. What is involved in making a coil denitrater? Do you have a link I can follow?

10-23-2006, 11:26 AM	#4 (permalink)
Tangster 3reef Sponsor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Va/Ct Posts: 5,573 Skin: Mint Karma: 34991	Huum at just 7 months you should not have a problem with them As for the rocks in a wet /dry ? The balls break up the water more and allow for a richer 0'2 enviroment.. I found that lots of air in the sump will also help keem the fom the water as it will with PO4's I think I posted a a simple how to But I was thinking about writing the instructions down I had done this once but its on another computer on my desk at home.. Its really easy to do .. I'm sure there is some info around the net ? Nitra-Gon used to sell them also..