nitrate help

[ls1boost]

hello i have had my tank up for 6 months or so it is a 55 gallon with a rena xp3 50-60lb live rock and 1in sand bed i have a bluefin damsel in the tank and a few hermits a plate coral hammer and some palys and mushrooms all the coral looks to be doing good but the damsel seems stressed at time anywho im using api test kits and the perams are am=barely noticible nitrate is at 15-20ppm nitrite is 0 and i have done 2 15-20% water changes in 3 days and still the nitrates boost up to 15-20 ppm the guy at the local pet store said my bacteria had been killed off but if thats the case how the temp and light and all have been the same for the six monthes i have had it and the person before me had for like 7 years please tell me what to do here i have a skimmer just waiting on a part for it to work thanks

 

[jeep9783]

U have someone else close by. If so try another test kit. I am on my phone or else I would see if I was close enough. But I would deff get the skimmer fixed asap. Any algae blooms in the tank

 

[cr500_af]

If nothing crazy happened in your tank your bacteria didn't die off. I'd take anything that guy says with a grain of salt... or maybe a handful of it.

If you have no recently missing fish, what would concern me is ammonia showing up on a test considering that the tank is 6 months old. I don't know why that would be happening. First step: verify test results.

How often do you clean and replace the media in that canister filter? If you are slack on maintenance they will bite you. If it's been a while, that's probably where your 'trates are coming from. Make that step one instead.

 

[wayb]

I have a salifert test kit if you want to borrow it. I can bring it to town in the morning if you want to meet me.
Wayne

 

[darren neil]

Test the water that you are useing for water change. before you put it in your tank to make sure thats not were its comeing from.

 

[ls1boost]

I dident think of that but could there be that many nitrats in tap water

 

[ls1boost]

o and yes there has poped up some green algea resently

 

[smoothie]

ls1boost;377008 wrote: I dident think of that but could there be that many nitrats in tap water

There is your problem/answer right there. Get an ro unit or buy filtered water from a grocery store. Better yet from your local fish store.

 

[ls1boost]

ok school me here I know the ro di units help with algea and purify the water but I was unaware that it played that much with the nitrates levels and unfornatuly we don't have a local fish store that can supply water is there any other options I really don't want to fork out 100+ for a ro/di unit

 

[smoothie]

Check ebay. Also check here.
Alot of grocery stores have large water machines out front that dispense 5gal for $1.50.

 

[ls1boost]

ok so if I use the ro/di my nitrates should go down to zero?

 

[myvwrock]

ls1boost;377077 wrote: ok so if I use the ro/di my nitrates should go down to zero?

NO , your nitrates have to do with your fish poop and cycling of your tank not what kind of water you use.
chris c

 

[ls1boost]

ok then I dident figure so but I only have one fish and the tank has been set for 6mos

myVWrock;377121 wrote: NO , your nitrates have to do with your fish poop and cycling of your tank not what kind of water you use.
chris c

 

[myvwrock]

have you been moving your gravel or the rock around.

 

[ls1boost]

no sir I did awhile back but no effect moving a few rocks

 

[ls1boost]

could it be the rena xp3 some call them nitrate factorys I clean it every 3 weeks or so

 

[myvwrock]

maybe, but i think it is because you have nothing to take that watse out of your system, the protein skimmer needs to be fixed.
Chirs c

 

[grouper therapy]

myVWrock;377121 wrote: NO , your nitrates have to do with your fish poop and cycling of your tank not what kind of water you use.
chris c

No all together true. Many water supplies be it municipal or wells are loaded with nitrates.

 

[grouper therapy]

ls1boost;377157 wrote: could it be the rena xp3 some call them nitrate factorys I clean it every 3 weeks or so

what are you running in the cannister

 

[crowe]

myVWrock;377121 wrote: NO , your nitrates have to do with your fish poop and cycling of your tank not what kind of water you use.
chris c

Sorry but you are incorrect. Tap water in most areas contain a lot of phosphates and nitrates (try testing it, sometime). Otherwise you could just use tap water and prime!