Cant control nitrates

I sure hope it works out for you.

Too many and too big of changes at once though. I know it's frustrating and you feel like you're working towards getting the issue over and done with, but some times you have to be very patient when proceeding and only do one major item at a time, wait a few days or a week and tackle another problem.

Again I hope this solves the nitrate issue.

 

Good point on the sand bed. I would watch all of your parameters very close the next week or so, in case you disturbed it too much. Be prepared for more water changes. Keep an eye on corals behavior as an indicator of other conditions as well - sand bed can release sulfur and other ugly things you don't test for.

A nitrate absorption resin would probably be a better option than the Seachem denitrate.

 

I siphoned the top of the sand bed, I've read the horror stories about stirring the sand bed. I dont think the problem is fixed, rather band aided for time being. I've got another 50 gallons of RO/DI ready for when I need to do another water change. My skimmer cup was disgusting after it fully skimming for 24 hours. It looked like something clogged it at the neck and wasnt peforming to its potential. As for the seachem denitrate, that was all that was readily available for me at my LFS.

 

Totally agree about the small wc during the week and additional flow. I might suggest that you don't move the rock around (disturbs the sand releasing nitrates from the sand)

Also cleaning the sump might help. a sock with carbon can also be an issue. Without water flowing through the carbon it has little effect.

 

One of my socks has hydrocarbon in it now as well.
Got my powerhead that wasnt working replaced with another 1400gph hydor

 

Ok, back to the drawing board. Today checked my nitrates and they have shot back up. I'm not sure where to go from here...BRS Pellets and Reactor? I'm going to do another big water change.

 

I am not surprised honestly! I am really shocked that they dropped that fast. I have a feeling your last test was an error. Honestly, I would keep the current course that you are doing. Nitrates go up very fast but remember they go down very slowly. Keep the water changes up and the other stuff. Even with the biopellets you are looking at 6 weeks or so to see nitrates to drop

 

I think if you keep your sump clean, and invest in some more flow/powerheads that will be your solution.

I think bio pellets will reduce your levels so much that your present corals wont like it.

I would also look into some of this: Seachem. Purigen

 

+1 on the purigen. And keep up with the water changes. I would still consider bio pellets or some sort of carbon dosing if you you ended up with nitrates that high in the first place - might buy you some leeway, as the bacteria colony will scale up and down with the waste load. If your nutrients should get too low, there are supplements that can help with that and actually improve your coral color, though at the expense of fast growth. Red Sea reef energy a and b I've heard good things about, and there's also aquavitro fuel, I just started trying myself.

 

I blieve my LFS has chemipure elite which in a way is similar to the purigen. I'll check to see if they have that as well.

Is a 50G water change going to be to much for me at this time? I have 60G of Ro/Di available. Leaving me with 10G for my ATO for the next two days.