Opinion needed on Nitrates

[Guygettnby]

i have been battling a Nitrate problem for alittle of 2 months now and no matter what i use or how many water changes i do it will not change. my test kit is API and it says my nitrares are 160ppm or more! everything else i have checked in my tank is perfect! i also checked for phosphates and found they were at 0 or 0.5

i am also getting some brownish algea growth on my substrae and glass that seems to be getting alittle worse as of lately.... what other options do i have to try and get my nitrates down and prevent this algea from growing. i have used alot of different stuff to try and get it down and nothing seems to be working.

this is a 20g reef tank with
1 pair marron clowns
1 sixline wrasse
1 mandrin goby
1 BTA

and the usual invert cleaning crew.

i have more then enough filtration and am getting a good amount of skimate. i am using a current 65w 50/50...i also cannot keep macro algea alive in this tank for the life of me.

open too all suggestions on this nitrate and algea problem i got.

[Guygettnby]

oh, i forgot to mention that i have tried several different test kits and they all are reading differently. from 10ppm-160ppm+

[Percula9]

I don't trust the API test for nitrates. I find depending on how vigorously I shake the second bottle, gives me a different reading. How old is the tank? I don't think your BTA would be doing to good in nitrates that were 160ppm. Which brand name kit gave you 10ppm? If PO4 is .5 then thats high. Put some phosban media to remove it. This should help with the algae.

[splateee]

I too have had the same problem with my API test kits. I did the nitrate test and it was all the way in the red. I then tested again with a different kit and got around 10 ppm. The same with the ammonia test, API was showing almost 50 and the other was 0.

[afernandez]

well for ur phophate level a 0.5 is high and as far as API test goes ive used it for a couple of years never had a problem with them but noe i am using salifert test kits which are a bit more expensive but worth it.

[garygb]

Any way to introduce a remote deep sand bed? A deep sand bed of oolitic aragonite is one way to eliminate nitrates.

[bertoni]

The tank is heavily overstocked for a 20g system. The feeding is likely driving the nitrate problem, although the test kit might be an issue. The fish aren't going to be bothered by the nitrate, so it could be ignored. The anemone might not care, either.

[Guygettnby]

i am currentyl usinf phosban and a phosphate pad to help with my phosphates. i checked them again and they look really close to o.oppm but like i said it could be between 0.0-0.5ppm.

i think the kit that gave me the 10ppm on my nitrates was either hagen or this other kit that my LFS uses. it involves using powders and liquid. not sure the name though.

how deep of a sand bed would i need? i have heard mixed reactions on deep sand beds, some saying it can cause problems and other saying it will help. so i am not sure on that but i think my sand bed is 2-2 1/2in deep right now some areas of the subtrate are 3in deep.

thanks again for your help. i love how this forums helps out its fellow members and marine lovers.

[Guygettnby]

Originally posted by bertoni
The tank is heavily overstocked for a 20g system. The feeding is likely driving the nitrate problem, although the test kit might be an issue. The fish aren't going to be bothered by the nitrate, so it could be ignored. The anemone might not care, either.

i feed my tank once every 2-3 days and i make sure not to over feed the tank. i use to be bad about that but for the past 2-3 months i am very anal about it now. nothing in my tank is any bigger then maybe 3in and that would be the female clown. the rest are like 1 1/2 - 2 1/2in long. the clowns will soon be in a 120g oceanic tech tank, but it is going to be a few months before that happens so i am trying to keep everything healthy and alive until then. the anemone is my main concern right now.....oh yea and my couple of frags and mushrooms.

[bertoni]

The only animals that are likely have a problem would be any stony corals.

[Guygettnby]

Originally posted by bertoni
The only animals that are likely have a problem would be any stony corals.

ok, thanks for the heads up. i am just completely stumped as to why my nitrates are so high after all i have done to the tank. my nitrates were this high before i added the pair of clowns and the BTA... i just had a feeling the test kit was wrong and decided to chance it.

[bertoni]

Nitrite will interfere with nitrate test kits, as one possibility.