nitrate

[mr.s]

My tank is running great. pH fine, nitrites and ammonia fine. salt level fine.
1. Do I need to be concerned with nitrate level around 60ppm.
2. Should I do a water change or is there something more drastic I should do.
3. Do I need to concern myself about nitrate levels?

I just added some new clean up crew members so could that have effected the levels.

[ginntonic74]

1.Yes
2.Water change
3.yes
How long has the tank been running? How many and what kind?

[Harpo]

I agree you need to do something to lower your nitrates. A water change will be a short term solution. For longer term we need to know more about your set up.

DSB? Skimmer? Refugium? Wet/dry filter?

Mark

[SAT]

First off, is your test kit measuring nitrate (NO3) or nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N)? That's important because there's a 4.4X difference. 60 mg/l NO3-N is quite high but 60 mg/l of NO3 is only moderately high.

Nitrate is only mildly toxic and will not affect fish at this level (even if it's NO3-N). However, some invertebrates, notably corals, can be adversely affected. Also, it will contribute to an algae bloom, particularly in a reef tank with high light levels.

If this is a fish-only tank with ordinary (low) light levels, this amount of nitrate is nothing to get excited about. If it's a reef tank, please do not add corals until you have it under control (< 10 mg/l NO3-N, preferably much less). Ideally a reef tank will not have detectable nitrates.

Changing water is the quickest way to solve the problem. Ideally you should also have a filtration mechanisms that will handle it. If you have plenty of live rock or a properly set up deep sand bed, you should eventually be OK.

[mr.s]

It is NO3-. I have underground filter with a crushed coral substrate. I have LR in the tank. I do not have a skimmer. I have a hanging filter on the back. (an old fresh water one that you replace the filters in when they get gunky). My inhabitants are shrimp, 4 chromis, 1 tomatoe clown, 1 percolus clown, mandarin goby, and my existing cleaner crew. I also have a tremendous plant growth( I supply the local store with them) a thriving mushroom population, and a small piece of leather coral given to me by a friend. I have 4 fluorescent lites.( one of them actinic) I am wondering if I need more LR. Thanks for all the responses

[mr.s]

Sorry I did not answer all the Q's the first time. My tank has been running for almost a year. (Its birthday will be in June!!!!)

[ahhdui]

Underground filter with crush coral substrate equals nitrate factory. With a setup like this, you'll need to do weekly water changes and vacuuming the crush coral substrate or nitrates will continue to increase. You might want to do a search on "CC to DSB".

--Tony

[SAT]

So you have about 14 mg/l NO3-N, which is on the high side but not a big deal. The UGF and external filters will generate nitrate but do nothing to remove it. The LR and plants will remove some, but apparently not enough to keep the levels low.

Given that everything is thriving and you're not trying to grow coral species that demand low-nutrient water conditions, I would treat the nitrate as a warning rather than a serious danger signal. I suggest monitoring the levels and changing enough water to maintain it below 10 mg/l NO3-N (44mg/l NO3).

If your plant growth will support it, I suggest harvesting regularly and discarding any extra that the LFS doesn't want. That's a good nutrient export method.

Adding some more live rock may help, assuming you have room for it. Make sure it's well cured before dumping it into the tank (don't buy mail-order "cured" rock and assume it's OK).

[mr.s]

Thanks for the tips. It is refreshing to know that at present I don't have to get to worried. Will do the water change and more LR, along with plant harvesting. How much do the plants contribute to removal or addition of Nitrates to the water? Would I be better off just removing all my plants.

[DgenR8]

Hi Mr.S,
[welcome]

When I saw your S/N, I knew you had to be a teacher. Way back when, I had a gym teacher we called "Mr. S."

You really should do some reading on the DSB, CC and a UGF are not the best way to keep a tank clean.
Check these links:


http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog...ek_090698.html

http://www.rshimek.com/reef/sediment.htm

http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/a.../1/default.asp

[SAT]

The amount the plants contribute depends on how much they grow. They incorporate nitrogen and phosphorus into their tissues. Harvesting the plants removes those nutrients. I wouldn't remove all the plants... that's like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

One warning... if the plants are Caulerpa species, they have a tendency to "go sexual" after a while. That can wipe out a tank if there's a lot in there. Other types of plants are safer.

By the way, DgenR8 and ahhdui are right. If you were to do it over again, there are much better methods than UGF & crushed coral. Given that you apparently have a working system, however, my inclination is to let it be.

[reefcoral]

Originally posted by SAT
The amount the plants contribute depends on how much they grow. They incorporate nitrogen and phosphorus into their tissues. Harvesting the plants removes those nutrients. I wouldn't remove all the plants... that's like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

One warning... if the plants are Caulerpa species, they have a tendency to "go sexual" after a while. That can wipe out a tank if there's a lot in there. Other types of plants are safer.

By the way, DgenR8 and ahhdui are right. If you were to do it over again, there are much better methods than UGF & crushed coral. Given that you apparently have a working system, however, my inclination is to let it be.

Hi,

I'm from Asia. What do you meant by "go sexual" will wipe out the tank. Is it dangerous?

[SAT]

reefcoral,


To Reef Central

Caulerpa will sometimes spontaneously split into millions of single-celled entities. It has something to do with sexual reproduction. These cells then mostly die and foul the tank. If that happens you need to change water fast.

[reefcoral]

to control nitrates, how often can the water in the tank to be change and how much can be change?

thanks

[itbechill]

Whats the best place to buy a sohal tang, online preferably or somewhere in california?
Thanks
Matt

[SAT]

Originally posted by reefcoral
to control nitrates, how often can the water in the tank to be change and how much can be change?

IMO, 20% per day is the maximum safe change when using artificial seawater. Make sure the new water is the same salinity and has been aerated for at least 24 hours before use. If you have a source of clean natural seawater (NSW), you can change more.

[SAT]

Originally posted by itbechill
Whats the best place to buy a sohal tang, online preferably or somewhere in california?

I suggest opening a new thread for that question.