NICKATAUTOACCENT

I have 180 gallon saltwater tank and have extremely high nitrates. I've been doing 40 gallon h20 changes every three weeks. Although I haven't lost any fish I am concerned that eventually this will stresss them. Is there anything I can do to bring the nitrates down? And am I doing enough h2o changes.

sirdarksol

What fish (kind and number) do you have in the tank?
I'm not sure how much of a water change most of the SW folks around here do. I know that with my freshwater tanks, I aim for 25% every week.
I do know that it would be better to do water changes every week. If you wanted around 40g changed every three weeks, perhaps you could instead do 15g a week. This lessens the shock on the fish.
However, I would also answer the question and wait for an answer from one of the more experience SW people around here.

agsansoo

Nitrates were a big problem for me until I went barebottom. Water changes aren't a good way to lower nitrates long term. Besides, huge water changes may be quite uncomfortable to your critters.
Here what I've picked up on lowering nitrates:
- 1-2 lbs of LR per gallon.
- good water flow
- heavy protein skimming
- not overfeeding
- growing macro algae
- DSB or RDSB or running Barebottom

What type of substrate do you have ?

sirdarksol

I had forgotten that this was a SW discussion, at first, and was going to say that you were nuts for saying water changes weren't good to lower nitrates long term. That, and not overfeeding the fish, is pretty much the only way we FW folks can do things (barring massive amounts of plants).

Anyway, the huge water changes comment is why I suggested more frequent smaller water changes. I know that big water changes far apart are really stressful for freshwater fish, which meant that they could even be deadly for SW fish (for critters that live in such a hostile environment, marine life is so fragile)

agsansoo

Water changes only help if you know what's causing the high nitrates. You must find the source of the excess nitrates. Else you are just paddling upstream without a paddle.
Example ... Take a small glass of soda (representing nitrates), remove 10% of the soda and replace it with clean water ... Keep doing this until the glass only has clean water in it. How many water changes will it take ? Answer : Lots ! And that's with no more soda (nitrates) being added while your doing the water changes. The same goes for a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. While you are doing water changes, the source of the excess nitrates is still producing more nitrates.

OK call me nuts ... LOL

sirdarksol

On the flip side, if you have a lightly stocked tank, plants, and don't overfeed your fish, but you don't do enough water changes, your nitrates will raise, no matter how healthy your tank is otherwise. That's what I was thinking... Nuts.

agsansoo

Yeap ..! You always will need to do your water changes. No way around them.

awc5

I'm having a climbing Nitrate problem too. 29g w/ live sand/aggragate substrate (50/50) about 18lbs live rock. 3 chromis, 1 clown, 1 coral beauty, 1 yellowtail blue damsel, 2 hermits, 1 chocolate chip star and 1 emerald crab. I have a skimmer running but it doesn't really collect anything significant. Now with the nitrates climbing my algea growth is accelerating as well. All fish seem healthy and active. I do at least 10% water change every week and occationally will throw in a 20% when Nitrates get high (40ppm "total nitrates"). Ammonia and nitrite test 0 and pH is 8.4. Almost all food is consumed at feeding.
Do I have too many critters? Not enough LR? A bum skimmer?

agsansoo

Two things come to mind. Under skimming and type of food your feeding the fish. Are you using dry or frozen foods ? How often do you feed your fish ? Also 40 ppm isn't high. 80 ppm + is high.

awc5

Thanks. I was told anything over 20 to 30ppm was high. I try to feed a variety of foods. At the advice of another I feed a flake in the AM and a pellet in the PM. Two or three times a week I'll feed frozen brine shrimp. When feeding the dry food I'll feed in small increments so that most of the food is eaten instead of falling to the bottom. Although I do try to let some fall for the crabs.

sgould

I personally don't like nitrates over 10 in my reef tank, but to each their own!

diver28

Agsansoo,

What do you mean by?

"DSB or RDSB or running Barebottom"

sirdarksol

"DSB" is Deep Sand Bed, I believe. ("RDSB" is Really Deep Sand Bed? ) Barebottom is substrate-free. Barebottom is easy to keep clean. Less waste sitting on the bottom means less nitrate. Deep Sand Bed allows for critters and bacteria that help digest the waste in the sand bed.

sgould

RDSB = Remote Deep Sand Bed

sirdarksol

Thank you, sgould. (I like my definition better )
I presume that means in something like a refugium that is not in the tank itself.
I also presume it serves the same function as a DSB within the tank.

sgould

Correct...a separate container with DSB plumbed to the main tank, similar to a fuge.

I like your definition too...let's petition to have it added to the list of acronyms!

agsansoo

I thought that ( Really Deep Sand Bead ) was pretty good ...

I have a better photo of a RDSB at work, that I will post tomorrow. This one is a simple bucket of sand.