nitrates at 40 ppm

gji

Member
Here is my question, should I do something about it? My tank seems to be doing good. I have absolutely no nuisance algae in my tank. I don't even have to clean any film algae off the glass. The tank has been up for approximately 1 year. Its a 93 gallon cube with 1 high fin goby with paired pistol shrimp, 1 randall goby with paired pistol shrimp, starry blenny and 2 percula clowns, 2 banghai cardinals, yellow tang,baby hippo tang,cleaner shrimp, rock flower anonome and cuc. Corals consist of 3 leathers, frogspawn, wall hammers, acan frags, zoa frags and mushrooms,. I have 100 pounds of pukani live rock, 2 inch sand bed,chaeto in sump with skimmer, GFO/charcoal reactor. I dose 2 part everyday, fuel 2 times a week. My nitrates use to run at about 10 ppm, which I was happy with, I tried Lagoon juice which is live phytoplankton. I feed 1 frozen cube a day of mysis shrimp. What would of made my nitrates jump. I do a 20 % water change every 3 weeks, change my filter socks every 3 days, and empty my skimmer cup every other day. I don't know if I should worry about my nitrates being so high, I feel if it isn't broken why mess with it. I have been reading about carbon dosing (red sea no pox, vodka, vinegar and sugar), bio pellet reactor or nitrate reactor. i keep reading about people using these things and getting a cyano outbreak or diatoms, bubble or bryopsis or some other problems while trying to lower nitrates. I use salifert for most of my tests, hanna for phosphate and Alk and red sea for nitrate. I do not have any SPS in my tank, I'm afraid to mess with my tank, the old saying, if it isn't broke why fix it.....
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 40
phosphate .01
magnesium 1400
calcium 420
Alkalinity 8.5
ph 8.2
salinity 1.024
RODI used for top off and water changes
 
Last edited:

ultimatemj

Active member
If it ain't broke...and you do not have plans to add SPS...stay the course.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

madjoe

Premium member
Id get a new test kit or have lfs double check it before u do anything. Honestly i only test when i see issues let the tank tell u when something is wrong . U go chasing something and most time u end up in a worse spot. I almost crashed my system other day with biopellets luckly theres not much in the system besides fish . That old saying is words to live by wish i would listen to it more
 
Top