Nitrate help Please

I have the understanding of nitrates and whatnot. I lost a large naso in the 220 a few weeks back and could not find it. I now have a nitrate issue where the nitrates are over 100 ppm. I have done a 40 gallon water change the other day without putting a dent in them. I am also running denitrate in my phosban reactor and nothing has budged in a week. Is there something I can do to save the tank? my corals look horriable although they are making it. I have new corals I bought when I found the nitrate issue in a quatenteen tank and have been hoping to get the tank straight. sad pat is im going thought this issue in the main tank and my red sea max both at the same time so my nice fish and corals are suffering with limmited room in the hospital tank.. Any imput please let me know. It has not budged from 100 plus ppm.

 

Sorry to hear of your troubles, Any luck finding the naso. If its been a few weeks since the tang has been gone most likely your cleanup crew has already eaten it, but I'd keep looking just to be sure.

If you're running a nitrate reducing media and it still hasn't gone down at all something must still be contributing to your high nitrate level.

Sure someone else will chime in with a better answer,

Cat4wisson

 

I would say with 90% certainty that the dead naso is causing it. The time frame is dead on. I would say you have two choices: ride it out with water changes and time, or start removing rock and finding the thing.

 

I'd start with the simplest solution first...are your sure your tests are accurate?

 

By the way I see you live in Lebanon, Me, Where do you buy most of your corals/fish. I'm just across the border in NH.

 

I have a few places. I have a landscape buisness so I get allot of stuff though my distributors. I have many connections for each thing. I sell many marine products but others I get locally and know many in the field. What are you looking for and ill point you in the direction.

 

I thought so then when I read 0 ppm and a friend was nice enough to come over and test the water and his test went red instantally and now I have 4 new kits that all read different then the kits I had. they match his and the nitrates are 100ppm and the phosphates are just off. the ph is alos high at 8.6. otherwise the water is good kh is lower at 7 but otherwise ok.

 

At the moment im not in the market for anything, just wondering if there were any hidden lfs/gems in the area that we haven't found yet. Someday when we upgrade to a 150gal I'm sure we'll need something though...

 

I'd say to start looking for the dead naso. That's most definitely the root of the nitrate problems. Use you hand to try to feel your way around and in between your rocks to locate it. If not. Your only other options my be to continually do vigorous water changes or start removing all the rocks....

 

I moved as much rock as I could today. I took a powerhead and tried to blow under what I couldent move. I did get some bone fragments but no fish. I think I got it all but not sure. I then did a 45 gallon water change after that. I will do anoth 30 gallon in 2 days if levels have not fallen. I will test tommorrow to see where they are at. I think the dead fish is the issue but cant get him. I do know where it died but my rock is all tied together so water change is the way to go I guess. I got a bunch of bones and fragments of fish when blowing out the rock so I hope that is ok after this w/c. I am testing like mad and will keep updated.