Nitrates over 100

[LayT27]

Set up a new tank 4 weeks ago. Added a bunch of Frtzyme 9 and used bioactive substrate. Added a clownfish and 2 pajama cardinals after the frost 2 weeks to help get the cycle going. The cycle started (I was testing) and then out of nowhere my nitrate were off the charts. I did a 20g water change (75g tank). Waited a day and they were still high so I did another 20gallons. Waited a day and did another 20 gallons. I have changed 60 gallons in the past 4 days and nitrates are still off the charts. I’ve even added a nitrate reducing pad and they are still over 100. Clownfish is starting to show systems that he is stressed but water changes don’t seem to be helping. I use RO/DI water with Fritz RPM. I’m not new to fish keeping but this is my first salt tank. I had the lights on a lot to help get algae started but have sense turned them off. Are nitrates normally this hard to get down in a new system?

 

[ckalupa]

It is likely still cycling. Could add more bacteria. I am doubtful that 100 On nitrates are bothering the fish. It needs to complete the cycle.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Probably the 100 ppm nitrate is not real. With many kits, a tiny bit of nitrite can read as a huge nitrate spike. Don't bother measuring nitrate until nitrite s undetectable.

 

[canadianeh]

I agree with what Randy said above. What's the nitrite? If there is nitrite in the water, it will effect your nitrate result and gives you false reading on the nitrate. Wait until the nitrite drops to 0.

Also regarding water change, doing WC 20 gallons at a time will is different than 697 gallon at a time. Think about it. When you do 20 gallon in one day, you will dilute the new water with the old water, and you give chance for nitrate to accumulate again until your next WC. It is much more effective to do one large WC in one shot.

I literally just experienced it. My tank also took 4 weeks to cycle. Check out my build thread as I recorded my cycling journey. Welcome to R2R.

 

[Dkeller_nc]

Agreed, your fish are not likely stressed by high nitrate levels. OTOH, they will be stressed if there is significant ammonia in the water, and nitrite can be toxic as well if the level's really high.

One of the first things to think about is how much you're feeding. We all have a desire to see our fish do well, but in a large tank with only 3 fish in it, and as a beginner, I'd guess that you're feeding a bit much to ensure that everyone gets dinner.

For a well-established tank, that's not generally a problem with ammonia build-up from uneaten food, it just causes a buildup of end-stage nutrients that will result in algae growth (principally nitrate and phosphate). But in a very young tank, there may not be a sufficient bacterial base established to efficiently process uneaten food.

 

[LayT27]

So I can only do about 20 gallons at a time cause my RO/DI isnt the fastest and I only have a 23 gallon Brute trash can and that takes about 4 hours or so to fill up with RO/DI which is why i did 20 gallons three times in a few days. I will test the water again today and will provide a photo of the levels. I swear im not crazy.lol. I have about 75 nessarius snails in there because I was feeding more, trying to get the cycle to speed up. I didnt really think the nessarius snails would impact the bioload that much.

Just a thought...Could I have added too much beneficial bacteria to the system and then a good portion die off due to lack of nutrients, causing the high parameters? I also had the lights on for almost 12 hours a day to get algae on the rocks. Maybe its just a combination of various things?

I added alot of Seachem Safe last night to the sump to help detoxify anything and the clownfish was swimming normally this morning. He had been swimming on his side at the top of the water for a few days. He could have something else going on with him as the cardinals seem absolutely fine.

 

[canadianeh]

Maybe do 20 gallons 3-4 times back to back in one day (in weekend maybe) instead of waiting until the next day?

You have 75 snails with only 4 fish in 60 gallons tank?? Wow. I think that is too much snails. I don't know I will let others chime in as well. I think one to two snails per fish is sufficient. I personally wouldn't put 75 snails in a 4 week old tank, but maybe others who are more seasoned can say more. When the last time you did head count on the snails to make sure that there are still 75 of them and none died?

Many said that bacteria cannot die as they can only go dormant. Did you follow the instruction on the bottle? Did you mix different type of bottles of bacteria? Some of them will tell you that you cannot mix them up. I only used Dr Tims products during cycling time and that was it. I would let the nature do its things other than keep dumping supplement into new tank.

About the light, why you want to grow algae on rocks so fast? Until now I still don't have lights on my tank, and I didn't cycle with lights at all. I have two fish and that's it. I still have yet to get two nassarius snails soon. I will buy snail more when I add more fish or feed more. I also have chaeto in refugium. That's pretty much it.

 

[LayT27]

So funny story, the order was for 25 of them but they sent me way more than that, Im assuming to account for losing some in transit, only all of them survived. I couldnt just throw them out. haha.

I only used Fritzyme 9. I followed the instructions for adding to a new system.

I wanted algae to grow quickly as I planned on adding some more fish and I wanted them to have a food source established.

there was a method to the madness, only the method is backfiring a bit. All of the snails seem to be fine, unless some have died in the rock work.

 

[canadianeh]

lucky you! you can sell some of the snails

anyway every one will tell you that in this hobby too quick and too many never works

 

[GainesvilleReef]

+1 with what Randy said. I made the same mistakes in the past until I did some research. Most of the available nitrate test kits actually reduce the nitrates to nitrites and then measure the nitrites to get a nitrate value. So if you don't have 0 nitrites you will get high nitrate readings. Your tank is not cycled yet.

 

[canadianeh]

But if his tank can consume 2 ppm ammonia within 24 hours then his tank is cycled. All he needs is then just to wait until the nitrite drops to 0 and then do WC.

It is very rare for tank to have that special bacteria that can consume nitrate and usually only happens on well established tanks with deep sand bed. Most just export the nitrate via WC or refugium.

 

[GainesvilleReef]

Even though nitrites are not as toxic in salt water, I don't consider a tank cycled until both ammonia and nitrites are zero within 24 hours of adding 2 ppm of ammonia. Don't bother testing nitrates until this is the case.

 

[LayT27]

I do appreciate everyone's input, i really do. But I think the point of this thread is being lost. I am fully aware that my tank is not cycled, i knew that the cycle was just beginning. Im more curious as to why, after continual water changes, the parameters are not dropping. In my freshwater tanks, if my parameters get out of wack, i do a water change and the issue is resolved (usually). But i have essentially done a 95% water change in 4 days and parameters do not seem to be dropping. I just dont see how 3 fish and some snails should cause a 75 gallon tank with a Trigger 30 Ruby sump to have the parameters so off balance.

 

[Reef.]

Probably the 100 ppm nitrate is not real. With many kits, a tiny bit of nitrite can read as a huge nitrate spike. Don't bother measuring nitrate until nitrite s undetectable.

OP did you miss this post?

 

[canadianeh]

I do appreciate everyone's input, i really do. But I think the point of this thread is being lost. I am fully aware that my tank is not cycled, i knew that the cycle was just beginning. Im more curious as to why, after continual water changes, the parameters are not dropping. In my freshwater tanks, if my parameters get out of wack, i do a water change and the issue is resolved (usually). But i have essentially done a 95% water change in 4 days and parameters do not seem to be dropping. I just dont see how 3 fish and some snails should cause a 75 gallon tank with a Trigger 30 Ruby sump to have the parameters so off balance.

But I think we all answered you already. The nitrate test result is not accurate due to you still have nitrite in the system. Wait until your nitrite is 0 and then test again.

Have you gone ahead and check my build thread yet? I recorded the daily test. If you did check it out, you can see that your result is not abnormal. And I didn’t have any livestock at all in the tank. I had 100 ppm and more of nitrate until I did large WC.

 

[LayT27]

OP did you miss this post?

I sure did. Yall respond too fast for me ;Joyful

 

[LayT27]

But I think we all answered you already. The nitrate test result is not accurate due to you still have nitrite in the system. Wait until your nitrite is 0 and then test again.

Have you gone ahead and check my build thread yet? I recorded the daily test. If you did check it out, you can see that your result is not abnormal. And I didn’t have any livestock at all in the tank. I had 100 ppm and more of nitrate until I did large WC.

Im on my way to check it out now. I think i am going to assume that the clownfish had issues coming in and not a real result of the tank.

 

[LayT27]

Here’s a pic of the Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

 

[GainesvilleReef]

The high nitrate indication is due to the presence of nitrites. The test kit will not work properly until you have 0 nitrites. Don't worry about nitrates until you have 0 nitrites. The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrate take longer to reproduce than the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite.

Don't worry about nitrates or phosphates until your tank is fully cycled. The bacteria actually need phosphate. I always add some phosphate when I cycle a new tank.