water change done...nitrates still too high

[glenn10]

These are my current numbers:

Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 35 same as before the water change
Salinity 1.0237
Alkalinity 7.7
Phosphate 0
Ph 8.11
Calcium 480

I am in my ninth week of cycling. Ammonia and Nitrites have been zero for a week but Nitrates have been in the 35 range for 4 weeks. Yesterday, I did a 20-25% water change.

Could it be the bio balls in the sump. As you can see below, I do have live rock and live sand. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[LittleFish1]

IMO, bio-balls is definitely one of the cause. Also u may need to do water change for a few of time. When I had a NO3 boom, I did 6x25% + 2x50% before I managed to bought it down.

Btw, yr alk is too low. Need to bring it up to 10-11.

Good luck.

 

[danmhippo]

If you have no livestocks in the tank as of yet, you can afford to do a 90% water change. That ought to make a dent in all readings. Also, pull the bioballs out ASAP and let the bacteria on the LR multiply.

 

[danmhippo]

Have you also tested nitrate of the new water too?

 

[glenn10]

No, I did not test the nitrate level of the new water. I will check it out.

 

[sammystingray]

As far as I see.....you have nothing to remove nitrates aside from hoping the rocks have enough anaerobic areas.....usually rocks won't cut it. Bio balls do not produce nitrates, and unless they are trapping waste, then they also don't even aide in nitrate levels. It basically seems to me....you simply have no export for nitrates. Water changes do little for nitrates since it simply leeches back into the water from rock, sand , etc. Water changes may help, but you should never rely on them to keep nitrates down in my opinion.....some form of export should be used......... DSB, macros, etc.

 

[henkelsfamily1]

What is your substate? If it is CC you will have high nitrates.

Walter

 

[MarkO1]

Try a refugium with macro algae. It brought my nitrates to 0 in a month. Waterchanges will not get you to zero (as you have found out).
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