High nitrates after water change?

[anniebanana267]

Hey guys, I tested my water today after doing a water change and I see my nitrate levels are at 180???

im so nervous because that’s obviously really deadly and I don’t want anything to happen to my fish or inverts!

some notable things I’ve done recently : I’ve been adding microbacteria in a bottle daily to establish my biological filtration, and my cycle is finally done. I did a water change with genuine seawater that I purchased from my lfs and some rodi water. And I added some new crabs the other day.

can anyone tell me if I’m doing something wrong? I do weekly water changes of 4-6 gallons in a 36 gallon tank. 

[1891Bro]

If they are really that high just do a 100% waterchange and then do another. It’ll bring em down. 

[anniebanana267]

6 minutes ago, 1891Bro said:

If they are really that high just do a 100% waterchange and then do another. It’ll bring em down. 

Can I really do a 100% water change? And when can I do it, being that I just did one today? And then after that one, when can I do the “another” you said? Sorry about all the questions, I’m just like super anxious. Thank you so much.

[A Little Blue]

You can try Kent Nitrate Sponge. %50 water change and fallow up with another %25 water change. I prefer doing it a little slower without shocking the tank. Carbon might help as well. You might be able to knock it down by %50-%75 over the next few days. Was your nitrate OK before water change? How old is the tank? Was salt water from store’ own system or something else? If so, what container did you you? 

[banasophia]

This may be a dumb question, but did you try to test again with a new sample to make sure your result was accurate? Seems easy to make a mistake when getting used to all these tests... I would double check.

[banasophia]

If your tank water really is 180, I would test the water you added to see if it’s okay. Also, you mentioned you used genuine sea water and RODI water?

[A Little Blue]

19 minutes ago, banasophia said:

This may be a dumb question, but did you try to test again with a new sample to make sure your result was accurate? Seems easy to make a mistake when getting used to all these tests... I would double check.

Could be the case. Check expiration date. Look for dead snails etc. Correcting the problem only works if you find out what caused it to begin with. 

Macro algae also reduces nitrates but slowly. Mangroves do it a lot faster but who would go to that extreme? Lol

[1891Bro]

1 hour ago, anniebanana267 said:

Can I really do a 100% water change? And when can I do it, being that I just did one today? And then after that one, when can I do the “another” you said? Sorry about all the questions, I’m just like super anxious. Thank you so much.

Yes you can. As long as you match salinity and temp you can chang as much as often as you like. All this testing and worrying is needless.

 

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-microbiology-of-reef-tank-cycling.214618/

 

 

[anniebanana267]

1 hour ago, A Little Blue said:

You can try Kent Nitrate Sponge. %50 water change and fallow up with another %25 water change. I prefer doing it a little slower without shocking the tank. Carbon might help as well. You might be able to knock it down by %50-%75 over the next few days. Was your nitrate OK before water change? How old is the tank? Was salt water from store’ own system or something else? If so, what container did you you? 

Ok I’ll look for it tomorrow in my lfs. I hope they have it. Thank you! I checked my nitrate a few days ago and it was around 20. I have carbon on the filter. The tank is 2 months old. The salt water was from this huge tank of water that my fish store had, it came from the wall. And I used an empty gallon of water from my supermarket.

 

40 minutes ago, banasophia said:

This may be a dumb question, but did you try to test again with a new sample to make sure your result was accurate? Seems easy to make a mistake when getting used to all these tests... I would double check.

I did check after, and it was the same  

[anniebanana267]

48 minutes ago, banasophia said:

If your tank water really is 180, I would test the water you added to see if it’s okay. Also, you mentioned you used genuine sea water and RODI water?

I can’t test the water I used, because it was bought and I bought just enough. But I probably should’ve. Wish I would’ve thought of that before. Yes, my lfs has a huge tank like I mentioned above that comes from the wall, it’s roof to floor length and he says it’s straight from the ocean. I got 4 gallons of sea water and 2 gallons rodi. 

 

28 minutes ago, A Little Blue said:

Could be the case. Check expiration date. Look for dead snails etc. Correcting the problem only works if you find out what caused it to begin with. 

Macro algae also reduces nitrates but slowly. Mangroves do it a lot faster but who would go to that extreme? Lol

I just bought the test kit, so I doubt it’s expired, but I’ll check as soon as I get a chance. As far as dead snails, I do have one hermit crab that hasn’t come out of her shell for around a day and a half. I’m not sure if she’s alive or not, but I was going to leave her a few more days and watch for any sign of legs or any movement before I completely took it out. I’ll try macro algae too. Thank you!

22 minutes ago, 1891Bro said:

Yes you can. As long as you match salinity and temp you can chang as much as often as you like. All this testing and worrying is needless.

 

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-microbiology-of-reef-tank-cycling.214618/

 

 

That’s good to know! Thank you!!

[A Little Blue]

Hermit is probably dead. I would take it out. 

[banasophia]

3 hours ago, 1891Bro said:

If they are really that high just do a 100% waterchange and then do another. It’ll bring em down. 

That seems like an interesting strategy... a 100% water change, followed by another 100% water change? Would love to hear more about this approach. Is this what you would recommend to a newbie? I know people do 100% water changes on their pico jars, but this seems unusual for a tank of her size. Could you please explain your rationale for the second 100% water change?

[Clown79]

Doing a 100% water change with identical Params will not effect anything negatively.

Unless the water source has nutrients in it.

 

Then you are just changing water with high nutrient levels with new water with high nutrient levels.

 

So determining if the source water is the cause is important.

 

A dead hermit would not cause that high of nitrates. The other cuc would clean up moat of the body.

 

 

 

Sea water may be high in nutrients if it's not filtered sea water. Also depends are where it is pumped from.

 

Same goes with their rodi water. If the filters aren't maintained properly, the water may not be as pure as it should be.

 

Was a waterchange ever done after the cycle?

[Asureef]

10 hours ago, anniebanana267 said:

Yes, my lfs has a huge tank like I mentioned above that comes from the wall, it’s roof to floor length and he says it’s straight from the ocean. 

 

 

That remark alone would make me question the source water.   

[anniebanana267]

9 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Doing a 100% water change with identical Params will not effect anything negatively.

Unless the water source has nutrients in it.

 

Then you are just changing water with high nutrient levels with new water with high nutrient levels.

 

So determining if the source water is the cause is important.

 

A dead hermit would not cause that high of nitrates. The other cuc would clean up moat of the body.

 

 

 

Sea water may be high in nutrients if it's not filtered sea water. Also depends are where it is pumped from.

 

Same goes with their rodi water. If the filters aren't maintained properly, the water may not be as pure as it should be.

 

Was a waterchange ever done after the cycle?

This would be the water change after the cycle. I’ll buy one seawater and one rodi today and test them. 

 

10 hours ago, banasophia said:

That seems like an interesting strategy... a 100% water change, followed by another 100% water change? Would love to hear more about this approach. Is this what you would recommend to a newbie? I know people do 100% water changes on their pico jars, but this seems unusual for a tank of her size. Could you please explain your rationale for the second 100% water change?

Now I’m confused  should I do it or should I just leave it alone and do it next week as scheduled? 😟

[Clown79]

A large waterchange was supposed to be done after your cycle before adding any livestock.

 

50-100% is recommended to reduce high nitrates

 

A large waterchange will harm nothing. It's just water. Your bio filter is in the rocks.

 

Look at Pico tanks. They are tiny and people do 100% waterchanges regularly. 

 

[banasophia]

If your nitrates are really that high then you need to do water changes to bring them down, I just don’t think you would need to do two 100% water changes in a row since a 100% water change should almost completely eliminate your nitrates. Personally, I would do what A Little Blue said, I think 1891Bro is just kidding around when he says to do two 100% water changes in a row.

 

I would do this:

13 hours ago, A Little Blue said:

You can try Kent Nitrate Sponge. %50 water change and fallow up with another %25 water change. I prefer doing it a little slower without shocking the tank. Carbon might help as well. You might be able to knock it down by %50-%75 over the next few days. Was your nitrate OK before water change? How old is the tank? Was salt water from store’ own system or something else? If so, what container did you you? 

 

[1891Bro]

2 hours ago, banasophia said:

If your nitrates are really that high then you need to do water changes to bring them down, I just don’t think you would need to do two 100% water changes in a row since a 100% water change should almost completely eliminate your nitrates. Personally, I would do what A Little Blue said, I think 1891Bro is just kidding around when he says to do two 100% water changes in a row.

 

I would do this:

 

I’m not kidding. Hell do three. Like @Clown79 said. Won’t hurt anything at all. 

 

Id stay away from the seawater. The places around me sell filtered seawater. I don’t have a clue what they actually filter out though. I cycled with it with no issues and did a total change after cycling. 

[Clown79]

7 minutes ago, 1891Bro said:

I’m not kidding. Hell do three. Like @Clown79 said. Won’t hurt anything at all. 

 

Id stay away from the seawater. The places around me sell filtered seawater. I don’t have a clue what they actually filter out though. I cycled with it with no issues and did a total change after cycling. 

My concern about the sea water is what's actually in sea water that isn't properly filtered.

 

Anything can be in it. They are finding tiny microscopic plastic pieces in the ocean and it's attaching to corals effecting their growth. 

 

 

Safest bet if you don't have an rodi unit, use distilled water. It's pure and you know with distilled and rodi you are not adding any chemicals, nutrients, etc into your system.

 

People do water changes to fix everything, it's the go to solution yet people are afraid of doing large water changes. It's a contradiction.

 

Waterchanges will not harm the system unless you are adding bad water.

[banasophia]

10 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

My concern about the sea water is what's actually in sea water that isn't properly filtered.

 

Anything can be in it. They are finding tiny microscopic plastic pieces in the ocean and it's attaching to corals effecting their growth. 

 

 

Safest bet if you don't have an rodi unit, use distilled water. It's pure and you know with distilled and rodi you are not adding any chemicals, nutrients, etc into your system.

 

People do water changes to fix everything, it's the go to solution yet people are afraid of doing large water changes. It's a contradiction.

 

Waterchanges will not harm the system unless you are adding bad water.

Well if you can just drain out all the bad water and add new totally different water without shocking everything, then why do we even bother to acclimate our new additions? Why not just pop em out of the bag, put em in some of our water with the reef dip, then pop em in our tank?

[Sbrown325]

Here’s my .02 if you have filter socks, sponges, any other type of mechanical filtration that hasn’t been cleaned since the tank has been set up.  There is a possibility they could be turning into nitrate factories. From rotting food an detritus build up. 

[anniebanana267]

3 hours ago, 1891Bro said:

I’m not kidding. Hell do three. Like @Clown79 said. Won’t hurt anything at all. 

 

Id stay away from the seawater. The places around me sell filtered seawater. I don’t have a clue what they actually filter out though. I cycled with it with no issues and did a total change after cycling. 

I have to agree with the filtered seawater. Who knows what they filter through? 

 

3 hours ago, Clown79 said:

My concern about the sea water is what's actually in sea water that isn't properly filtered.

 

Anything can be in it. They are finding tiny microscopic plastic pieces in the ocean and it's attaching to corals effecting their growth. 

 

Safest bet if you don't have an rodi unit, use distilled water. It's pure and you know with distilled and rodi you are not adding any chemicals, nutrients, etc into your system.

 

People do water changes to fix everything, it's the go to solution yet people are afraid of doing large water changes. It's a contradiction.

 

Waterchanges will not harm the system unless you are adding bad water.

I agree with this too. There’s so many harmful things in the ocean, I think I’m going to stick to purchasing rodi water and just mix it at home, until I can get my own rodi unit. Anyways it’s super cheap at my lfs.

 

2 hours ago, Sbrown325 said:

Here’s my .02 if you have filter socks, sponges, any other type of mechanical filtration that hasn’t been cleaned since the tank has been set up.  There is a possibility they could be turning into nitrate factories. From rotting food an detritus build up. 

Good idea. I haven’t really cleaned any of my powerheads or the sucker stick thing on my filter so it’s a possibility. I do have a little bit of diatom algae on one of the plants I have in there, and I’m wondering if it could be that. I’ll try to clean it asap.

 

thank you everyone, for all your input!

[1891Bro]

21 minutes ago, anniebanana267 said:

I have to agree with the filtered seawater. Who knows what they filter through? 

 

I agree with this too. There’s so many harmful things in the ocean, I think I’m going to stick to purchasing rodi water and just mix it at home, until I can get my own rodi unit. Anyways it’s super cheap at my lfs.

 

Good idea. I haven’t really cleaned any of my powerheads or the sucker stick thing on my filter so it’s a possibility. I do have a little bit of diatom algae on one of the plants I have in there, and I’m wondering if it could be that. I’ll try to clean it asap.

 

thank you everyone, for all your input!

One other thing about lfs rodi water. You don’t know when, if, or how often they’re changing their filters. It might cost a bit more but, you’re better off getting distilled from any cvs type store or a grocery store. Don’t shop at Walmart. 

[Clown79]

9 hours ago, banasophia said:

Well if you can just drain out all the bad water and add new totally different water without shocking everything, then why do we even bother to acclimate our new additions? Why not just pop em out of the bag, put em in some of our water with the reef dip, then pop em in our tank?

I only temp acclimate corals and fish. A lot of people do that.

 

 

A lot of people transfer tanks with 100% water change. Do 100% weekly waterchanges, do full tank clean out yearly.

 

There is no shock to coral If you match your parameters. 

 

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, anniebanana267 said:

I have to agree with the filtered seawater. Who knows what they filter through? 

 

I agree with this too. There’s so many harmful things in the ocean, I think I’m going to stick to purchasing rodi water and just mix it at home, until I can get my own rodi unit. Anyways it’s super cheap at my lfs.

 

Good idea. I haven’t really cleaned any of my powerheads or the sucker stick thing on my filter so it’s a possibility. I do have a little bit of diatom algae on one of the plants I have in there, and I’m wondering if it could be that. I’ll try to clean it asap.

 

thank you everyone, for all your input!

Algae doesn't cause high nitrates. Nitrates cause algae