Due to very high nitrate I have to perform huge water change

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Ok here's my new problem want to do that large water change that u guys refer me to but can not afford 55 gal of ro water rite now.. Would it be safe to use tap? Be4 doing the water change take my fish put them in a buket And then just fill my canister with carbon? For like an hour let it run and then put my fish back into the tank?

"The nitrate reduction water change." Where u take more than 50% water out then refill it half way then take like a lil more more than half of that put then refilling your tank and it should at almost 0...


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[18oreefer]

whos to say your tap doesnt have a lot of nitrate in it. you might be putting the same or worse water back in.

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

So I should test my taps nitrates?


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[ryangrieder]

wouldn't hurt....

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

First off, big changes in your parameters are bad. You should do smaller water changes more frequently.

Second, what test kits are you using?

Third and most important, if you run a canister filter you should make sure that it is cleaned out very frequently when using it on a reef tank or it will become your nitrate factory.

 

[TripleT]

Ok here's my new problem want to do that large water change that u guys refer me to but can not afford 55 gal of ro water rite now.. Would it be safe to use tap? Be4 doing the water change take my fish put them in a buket And then just fill my canister with carbon? For like an hour let it run and then put my fish back into the tank?

It sounds like you are getting ready to rush things, almost always a bad choice.

Capturing your fish and putting them in a bucket for an hour will be lots of stress on them, for little or no gain.

Fish can tolerate nitrates, how high are they? Were the fish suddenly introduced to these levels, or did it occur over time?

A large water change is fine, if done properly. Cough up the dough for the RO water, and make sure to mix the salt for at least 24 hours if possible.

What are your other readings? Ammonia, nitrite, PH, salinity, etc.?

And last, why the high nitrates? What is in your tank, and what equipment do you have? Do you have a long term strategy yet?

 

[NYreefNoob]

btw i think i saw u and ur g\f sunday at MA when ya was buying the rbta

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

All my other readings r fine except nitrate it's at it's highest acording to the test 100.. This gradulay took place.. What happened was I neglected water changes just toped off and cleaned filter pads... I was working and in school wasn't home much.. My mother was feeding them but just like any mother likes to over feed lol..


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[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Yea u did lol...how did u kno? That was for my g/f tank which is fine but the anenome is in between rocks keeps moving down but is expanding hope it's fine her lights came in today so be hooking it for her..


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[NYreefNoob]

seen ya posted u bought one sunday and i was there when someone bought one so figured it was u guys, btw get rid of the canister filter, if ya dont have a sump there are other options you can go with

 

[TripleT]

All my other readings r fine except nitrate it's at it's highest acording to the test 100.. This gradulay took place

I wouldn't rush a thing then. Unless your fish are showing obvious signs of stress, such as continued heavy breathing.

I would make your next few water changes large ones (50% sounds like a good goal), and then try to get back to more regular, smaller water changes. I would do these large changes all within the next couple of weeks.

Mix the water (not untreated tap) for at least 24 hours, and get your PH and temperature to match.

Then do your water change with the fish left in the tank. No bucket needed (or recommended).

Canister filters are good at part of the nitrogen cycle, but not all of it. To reduce nitrates in the future... feed less (you already know this), add live rock ($$$), protein skim, and try a refugium if the funds allow.

Also make sure to use a quality test kit, that hasn't expired.

Good luck!

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

seen ya posted u bought one sunday and i was there when someone bought one so figured it was u guys, btw get rid of the canister filter, if ya dont have a sump there are other options you can go with

What other options be sides a sump? Ok I'll do a 50% watter change should I take all the media out to thinking of filling with just carban and a bag of floss.. Mabe sum phostban pelets?


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[Cadiz.Jonathan]

What other options do I have besides a sump?


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[TripleT]

What other options be sides a sump? Ok I'll do a 50% watter change should I take all the media out to thinking of filling with just carban and a bag of floss.. Mabe sum phostban pelets?
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Taking all the media out could be a very bad idea. Depending on your tank's contents, and other equipment, your canister may be home to the majority of the beneficial bacteria in your system.

What is inside of your canister now? If you have any pads, sponge filters, bio media, etc, you might lightly rinse some of that in old tank water. This will get rid of some debris, but not kill off too much bacteria.

If you do replace anything in your canister, do it in small increments. A good candidate would be Pura filter media cut to size:

http://www.marinedepot.com/PURA_Fil...ilter_Media-Magnavore-MN3311-FIFMMEPM-vi.html

If your fish are not breathing heavy now, or showing other signs of disease or stress, there biggest problem may be rushed attempts by their owner to improve the water quality.

Take things slow, and remember that nitrates are far less of a concern then ammonia or nitrites. And during the process of performing water changes, limit any rapid changes in PH, temperature, and salinity.

 

[TripleT]

What other options do I have besides a sump?


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If you don't go for a sump, and do not already have a protein skimmer, your next purchase should be a hang-on protein skimmer by AquaC.

http://www.marinedepot.com/protein_skimmers_aquac_remora_pro-ap.html

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

I have bio floss and carbon and sum amonia remover.. Any thing else u may think will help to put in my canister I herd sum live rock in the last process of the canister will help?


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[TripleT]

I have bio floss and carbon and sum amonia remover.. Any thing else u may think will help to put in my canister I herd sum live rock in the last process of the canister will help?

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If the carbon has been in there for more than a few weeks, toss it in the garbage.

Replace it with something like the previously mentioned Pura product.

Ammonia remover? Why is this in there??? Did you have traces of ammonia showing up? How established is your tank? How long has this ammonia remover been in the canister?

If you have no ammonia issue, toss it. If you have an ammonia issue, toss it, and move your fish to a smaller quarantine tank, where you can perform frequent smaller water changes (in the QT) until your main tank cycles and gets back to zero ammonia (and zero nitrite).

Do not thoroughly rinse the bio floss. Lots of good bacteria living in it. If anything just lightly shake it in old tank water.

Save your live rock for your display tank. I don't think putting any in your canister will do anything that the bio floss isn't doing already.