Need some help please (1 Viewer)

[doubletap4311]

I had a custom fuge/sump built 6 weeks ago. I filled it with tons of macro algae, mainly cheato. My nitrates continue to get higher and higher. I do a 20%-30% water change every two weeks. My nitrates are at 60 now and I am only one week into the my last water change. I have no sponges at all. I have atleast 200 lbs of live rock in my 150. I have 8 small fish, the largest one being my blue tang. He is only 2.5 inches long. I do not know what to do next. I use RO/DI water and make my own water. TDS meter is zero. The sump has three layers in it. One miracle mud, then aragonite, then miracle mud. I use a mag 18 for return with atleast 6 feet of head, tee'd out to both sides. I run 2 koralia 4's for movement. I have a two inch deep sand bed with aragonite.. My tank has been up and running for 6 months. I have tons of coraline algae everywhere. Everthing is perfect except for my nitrates. ANY IDEAS????

 

[Guest]

How fast is your cheato growing?

 

[doubletap4311]

I cant really tell thats its growing at all. I use a 75 watt 6500 k bulb 24 hrs a day

 

[Guest]

My own understanding is that 24-hour lighting is detrimental to cheatomorpha (as opposed to caulerpa, where it is used to prevent sexual spawning). Also, I have heard some people dose iron to get their cheatomorpha to start growing.

Again, my understanding is that it is the growth of macroalgae that removes nitrates and phosphates from the water, not the metabolism of existing macro-algae.

 

[AquaNerd]

chaeto needs a dark period. i've also heard iron and iodine also help it grow.

 

[doubletap4311]

I will start a reverse lighting cycle then. What do ya'll think about my nitrate problem. I spent alot of money on this fuge to lower my nitrates. I feed very lightly once a day

 

[joe71190]

If your ammonia and Nitrites are at the right level, then to get rid of your nitrates do a partial water change

 

[doubletap4311]

If your ammonia and Nitrites are at the right level, then to get rid of your nitrates do a partial water change

I do a large water change every two weeks. They keep climbing with no end in site

 

[Guest]

From what I know, your problem is that your cheato isn't growing. Because your cheato isn't growing, your nitrates aren't going down as much as you had expected when you installed a refugium.

I.e. your nitrate problem has become your cheato problem, IMO.

 

[SeanM]

Have you tried a different test kit? Maybe the reagent is bad in the one you are using causing a false reading.

 

[doubletap4311]

just got a new 1 today with the same results.

 

[doubletap4311]

If this problem does not correct itself before too long, I will be selling the entire setup. Weekly 30% water changes for a 150 is too much for me and my pocket book

 

[cstewart79]

Do your tank inhabitants look bad??

 

[karlo]

Try another water change add some Nitrate Sponge to try and decrease it just a little and change your light sequence from ON on the tank and OFF on your refugium and cutting back an hour or so, also if they cheato ball is too big try cutting back some for new growth.

I had the same problem a few weeks ago and that's what i did, my Nitrates were about 80ppm and i have maintained it at 20ppm since then I know it's not 0 but it's much better than what it was and everything seems healthy.

Hope everything goes well

 

[doubletap4311]

Do your tank inhabitants look bad??

the only thing I have lost is some xenia melted away from high trates.