20G FOWLR - Nitrate problem still around!

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L

Lord Gaz

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 17, 2006
120
1
0
Australia
Okay, after about 2 months, I've finally managed to conquer my previous problems with Ph, Ammonia and Nitrite, which I've kept at desirable ranges of 8.2, 0-0.25mg/L, and 0mg/l respectively. However, my nitrate levels are at an all time high, at 80mg/L! i don't get what the problem could be! I got 2 mono angels and 3 crabs, and I only feed them twice every week with prawns. Lets recap on what I have in the tank: 5kg of LR, purigen and noodles and carbon in a 1500L/hr cannister. I perform weekly water changes of about 8L, so what could I have done wrong?

Also, for the first time today I've noticed some brownish algae growing on my glass. That's bad algae right? I haven't noticed much of the redish purplish algae growth that the tank desires, so yeah.
 
If you only set it up 2 months ago it would just be the end of your cycle still. If you have had it up and running for awhile then sorry to say more then likely its your cannister to blame. They are like mini nitrate factories unless you clean them out every week.
Most SW ppl dont like canisters for that reason and so they dont use them.
 
You could use a cpr backpack refuge to cut nitrates or even use just the bak pak skimmer. Skimmers will help reduce the nitrates. Add some live rock to help in filtration too.
 
Mangrove plants can cut down the nitrate problems. Also there are special Nitrate reducing filter medias out there so try some of that. Keep up with water changes and don't give up. the nitrates will fall eventually.
 
chrisdef15: the mono angels are there because I caught them before. I don't plan to spend all this time just on them and a couple of crabs. the crabs are going into another smaller tank, and the mono angels are going altogether. So dude, I'm not planning to be that boring.

TankBuster: Yep I've already got a berlin airlift running for the past 4 weeks or so, but the wastage in the collection basket is usually water with a little brown dirty stuff in it, does that mean my tank is clean?

Mattcomptonassvanhorn: How should i fit these plants in, cause I've seen the LFS with it before. I think I'm gonna be going back for more live rock soon, evne though my tank small. It seems quite packed already. I'm not planning on giving up, noooo way after I spent on this money I CANNOT GO BACK!
 
If you have purigen and your nitrates are that high, they you have a problem. Test the water you use to do a water change before you put the salt in, after you put the salt in, and test the tank before and after the water change. You should see something that isn't normal.
 
Good idea radley! i usually let the water sit in a bucket for 24 hrs, then add salt, put a pump in there to circulate the water for awhile until all the salt is mixed, and pour it into the tank. I will do that and see what the results are.
 
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