[Reefkeeper64]

Hi,
I am having trouble with increasing Nitrate levels in my Reef Tank, around 4 weeks ago I had a reading of nearly 0 Nitrates, but since then it had slowly been rising to today's levels of 50. I have cut back on feeding of Frozen Food and Coral Feeding, Additives etc.

The only thing I can put it down to is a Flame Scallop I put in around September 2008, it was quite happy and open everyday, I have only recently noticed it closed tightly a lot of the time, could the Flame Scallop have perished and is causing the increasing Nitrate Levels, unfortunately it is in such a place in the tank I cannot get to it without removing a good part of my rockwork.

I have increased my water changes to 10 Litres every 2 days to try and keep the levels down.

All other levels in the tank seem O.K., my PH is a little down at 7.9. SPS and LPS Corals are all fine.

Tank: Aqua One Windsor 66 Corner Tank
Tank Started: May 2005
Salt Used: Tropic Marin Standard Salt
Volume: 190 Litres
PH 7.9
Phosphate 0
Calcium 420-440
Nitrate 50
Magnesium 1200
KH 9
Rowaphos, Activated Carbon being used. (Changed every 3 weeks)
Temperature 78 Degrees Fahrenheit
Number of Fish: 12 (1 Rabbitfish, 1 Tomini Tang, Pair of Percula Clown Fish, Neon Goby, Coral Beauty, 6 Blue Green Chromis)

Any help and advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Adrian
Reefkeeper64

[ben]

whats your methods of filtration?

[Wave Ace]

Reefkeeper64, on Mar 25 2009, 09:14 PM, said:

Hi,
I am having trouble with increasing Nitrate levels in my Reef Tank, around 4 weeks ago I had a reading of nearly 0 Nitrates, but since then it had slowly been rising to today's levels of 50. I have cut back on feeding of Frozen Food and Coral Feeding, Additives etc.

Tank: Aqua One Windsor 66 Corner Tank
Tank Started: May 2005
Salt Used: Tropic Marin Standard Salt
Volume: 190 Litres
Number of Fish: 12 (1 Rabbitfish, 1 Tomini Tang, Pair of Percula Clown Fish, Neon Goby, Coral Beauty, 6 Blue Green Chromis)
Any help and advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Adrian
Reefkeeper64

So you can see why your nitrate are rising I can just from your post





You have far to many fish for a 190 liter tank
possable fish size
rabbitfish (depending what type) 6"
Tomini Tang 6"
2 clown @3" 6"
Neon Goby possible 2"
Coral beauty 3"
6 Chromis @2" (small) 12"

Thats a possibility of 35" fish using 1" of fish per 18liters = 10.5" of fish in a 190liter tank
OK so we can stretch this a bit lets bubble it to 21" of fish your still 15" over

[lindsay]

The other thing is that fish with a body shape like tangs and the rabbit fish produce more waste than fish of the same length but have a narrow body shape.
Not sure but i read not long back that a tang of say 3" will produce more waste than a wrasse of the same length because the tang has a bigger body mass.
Does your tank run on a trickle filter as these are very good at producing nitrates.

[Reefkeeper64]

Hi,
The only method of filtration is the live rock of which there is about 40 kilo.
Thanks
Adrian
Reefkeeper64

[dave14]

Have you got a sump that you could put some chaeto in?

[Wave Ace]

lindsay, on Mar 25 2009, 10:09 PM, said:

The other thing is that fish with a body shape like tangs and the rabbit fish produce more waste than fish of the same length but have a narrow body shape.
Not sure but i read not long back that a tang of say 3" will produce more waste than a wrasse of the same length because the tang has a bigger body mass.

It's all to do with surface area and osmosis

[Wave Ace]

dave14, on Mar 25 2009, 10:38 PM, said:

Have you got a sump that you could put some chaeto in?

wont help really he needs to get rid of some fish I would not dream of keeping that amount of fish even in my 350 liter tank with a massive skimmer and nitrate reactor sum with Cheato and a separate DSB

[Reefkeeper64]

There is no sump on this system.

[Wave Ace]

Reefkeeper64, on Mar 26 2009, 12:36 AM, said:

There is no sump on this system.

and what are you going to do ?

[ben]

not having a skimmer wont help either. and if ther flow is poor around the rock then this could contribute to higher nitrates too.

[Reefkeeper64]

Hi,
I have a Instant Ocean Skimm 400 Hang On Skimmer on the tank, also I have a Vortech Mp20 and a Koralia 3 Powerhead for water movement.
Thanks
Adrian
Reefkeeper64

[norman]

hello adrian, had similar problem with 3ft 980l aqua 1 tank.added 2450 aquis uv+ c filter, still same problem. stripped out sponges, replaced with nitrate remover, phosphate pads, 5kg living rock rubble, & polishing wool. within weeks nitratres dropped to 0-5ppm from 40ppm. easier than emptying & drilling tank for sump, a headache when stocked. this worked for me, hope it helps as alternative to sump. cheers, norman.

[norman]

norman, on Mar 26 2009, 04:30 PM, said:

hello adrian, had similar problem with 3ft 980l aqua 1 tank.added 2450 aquis uv+ c filter, still same problem. stripped out sponges, replaced with nitrate remover, phosphate pads, 5kg living rock rubble, & polishing wool. within weeks nitratres dropped to 0-5ppm from 40ppm. easier than emptying & drilling tank for sump, a headache when stocked. this worked for me, hope it helps as alternative to sump. cheers, norman.

ps, go to reefs & general aquatics, page 3, nitrates high. hope this gives you some ideas.

[Reefkeeper64]

Hi Norman,
I had been considering adding a External Filter, after your sound and practical advice I shall get one up and running by the weekend.
Thanks again.
Adrian
Reefkeeper64

[Wave Ace]

Reefkeeper64, on Mar 26 2009, 05:06 PM, said:

Hi Norman,
I had been considering adding a External Filter, after your sound and practical advice I shall get one up and running by the weekend.
Thanks again.
Adrian
Reefkeeper64

YOU HAVE TWO MANY FISH
you really need to lower your stock it's as simple as that

for the amount of fish you have you would need a tank of at lest 500liters and that would be filled with about 55kg of live rock and a skimmer rated at lest twice this

you have a 190liter tank (without displacement) probably around 22kg of live rock and a skimmer that just about copes with a a tank of your size sensible stocked


Please listen to what I'm trying to say I may only have 79 post but have been keeping reef tanks for 18 years and I have been there and done it and have learnt to listen and take advice

[norman]

hello adrian, go for largest external you can afford, with uv-s or c. 2 reasons, adds gallonage to tank system & more lr can be put in large filter, upping lr in system. the holy grail is 0ppm , ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate. as long as first 2 are zero you stand a chance. most tanks will run ok with low nitrate level, say 5-10 ppm, ask others. you do not mention clean up crew, have you any???. these help to break down fish waste, so bacteria in lr & filter can handle it quicker & easier. as others say, you may well be overstocked, but i would rather part with teeth than any of my fish. my clean up crew is, shrimps, crabs, sand sifter starfish, sea serpent starfish, blue leg & mexican hermits, lawnmower & scooter blennie, also a few snails, this is only my opinion, but hope you win with the nitrates. good luck, let us know how you get on. cheers, norman.

[norman]

norman, on Mar 27 2009, 06:25 PM, said:

hello adrian, go for largest external you can afford, with uv-s or c. 2 reasons, adds gallonage to tank system & more lr can be put in large filter, upping lr in system. the holy grail is 0ppm , ammonia, nitrite, & nitrate. as long as first 2 are zero you stand a chance. most tanks will run ok with low nitrate level, say 5-10 ppm, ask others. you do not mention clean up crew, have you any???. these help to break down fish waste, so bacteria in lr & filter can handle it quicker & easier. as others say, you may well be overstocked, but i would rather part with teeth than any of my fish. my clean up crew is, shrimps, crabs, sand sifter starfish, sea serpent starfish, blue leg & mexican hermits, lawnmower & scooter blennie, also a few snails, this is only my opinion, but hope you win with the nitrates. good luck, let us know how you get on. cheers, norman.

ps, i was told a good rule of thumb was minimum 1kg of lr to every 2gal of water.