My nitrates are to high thanks to Worcester Water!

[Royalty]

I just did a huge water change 50 gallons worth. For my 72 bowfront and I went with instant ocean salt mix I wanted to try them out. but I use worcester tap water which for some reason sky rocked my Nirates to 160WTF! I know what your thinking that sucks. Everything was going perfect now I have to get all kinds of crap to lower it. Any recommandation for a rapid recovery? I was just about to through in a snowflake eel I really gotta get a saltwater test kit a.s.a.p

 

[MofoCorals]

Take some of your water to Krystal clear aquatics and have them test it to compare you results. I used Worcester water to start first tank a while back and my nitrates were not that high. I would check it again.

Has you tank cycled yet?

 

[Royalty]

The resultes I got was from krystal clear. and the tanks been running for about 1 month so it should be all set . I dont know Ill give it some more time to lower the levels a bit. I forgot the name of the product or something out there that can lower my nirates a bit faster? 160 is to high.

 

[Rone]

Jonathan,

If you wany swing by my house some time and I'll do another check for you.
For future use anly RO water. It's the best thing for our tanks.
You can even pick up this stuff at WallyWorld by the gallon.
I go to the LFS for RO water when it's time for water changes but use the wallyworld water for top off.

 

[kevinpratt823]

You should probably test the straight tap water by itself, I doubt that is what caused it. It sounds like the nitrates probably happened from disturbing too much stuff in the tank, such as when you pumped the new stuff back in. Did you test the water before the change?

 

[JayM]

You should probably test the straight tap water by itself, I doubt that is what caused it. It sounds like the nitrates probably happened from disturbing too much stuff in the tank, such as when you pumped the new stuff back in. Did you test the water before the change?

^ Way more likely to be the case......

 

[number1gsxxr]

An RO unit is almost one of the best things you can buy for your tank in my opinion. I know it sucks to spend money on equipment and not critters but RO water eliminates so many problems in this hobby. And who wants to make trip to the store to get water and then have to lug it around. Especially if you have a large tank it can be a pain. Also in an emergency when you need some water for your tank and all the stores are closed it's nice being able to make your own RO water. Just my two cents.

 

[stingythingy45]

An RO unit is almost one of the best things you can buy for your tank in my opinion. I know it sucks to spend money on equipment and not critters but RO water eliminates so many problems in this hobby. And who wants to make trip to the store to get water and then have to lug it around. Especially if you have a large tank it can be a pain. Also in an emergency when you need some water for your tank and all the stores are closed it's nice being able to make your own RO water. Just my two cents.

+1

If you keep using tap water you'll have nuisance algae out the wahzoo.
Not to mention what happens when they send chlorine through the system.
JMO,but trying to eliminate nitrates/phosphates after introdcuing them into a system is like slamming the barn door after the horses have already escaped.

 

[ReeferMedic]

Maybe a bit off topic, but get accustomed to those high numbers if you are gong to put a Snowflake Eel, or any Moray for that matter, in a 72 gallon tank. They grow very fast and will become too much of a bioload in a smaller tank in very short time.

 

[Royalty]

Jonathan,

If you wany swing by my house some time and I'll do another check for you.
For future use anly RO water. It's the best thing for our tanks.
You can even pick up this stuff at WallyWorld by the gallon.
I go to the LFS for RO water when it's time for water changes but use the wallyworld water for top off.

Sounds good to me ! O yeah by the way where is Wallyworld?

 

[Neya]

Weird, I use Worcester tap... Nitrates always measure 0 for me.
Did they do a pipe flush recently??

I can never find ro at wallyworld.

 

[Royalty]

+1

If you keep using tap water you'll have nuisance algae out the wahzoo.
Not to mention what happens when they send chlorine through the system.
JMO,but trying to eliminate nitrates/phosphates after introdcuing them into a system is like slamming the barn door after the horses have already escaped.

According to Krystal clear my pH levels are ok 8.1 or something like that and everything else is looks good bessides my Nirates. I didnt test the water before mixing it and Im going to stop by with a sample of my tap water for KCA to test just in case. I do have a question what do you guys mean by RO water?

 

[Royalty]

Maybe a bit off topic, but get accustomed to those high numbers if you are gong to put a Snowflake Eel, or any Moray for that matter, in a 72 gallon tank. They grow very fast and will become too much of a bioload in a smaller tank in very short time.

I've been asking around about snowflake eels and Im not sure if I want one now I'll wait until I get my 72 running like it should then start getting my 125g started.

 

[Neya]

According to Krystal clear my pH levels are ok 8.1 or something like that and everything else is looks good bessides my Nirates. I didnt test the water before mixing it and Im going to stop by with a sample of my tap water for KCA to test just in case. I do have a question though want do you guys mean by RO water?

Reverse osmosis.
on a side note purigen is supposed to help filter out nitrates, and a good dose of prime (used as dechlorinator, which using tap you should have)

but they're just bandages, and with that high levels I don't know if it would work or be safe to dose as much as would be needed. I use them on my freshwater tanks but it doesn't replace good old waterchanges.

 

[yukyuklee]

Reverse Osmosis = RO

 

[JohnK]

The best money you can spend to bring those nitrates down would be buying better water and doing a few large water changes.


How did you start this tank? Live rock? Dead rock?
It is very likely that the nitrate came from die off during cycling.

 

[Rone]

Jonathan send over some water and we'll see what I get.
Wallyworld is Wal Mart. You drive right by one over to my house so you can pick up some RO water from them.
I've been using this for some time now with no issues.
When it comes time for WC I go to the LFS and have them fill up my jugs.

 

[Royalty]

The best money you can spend to bring those nitrates down would be buying better water and doing a few large water changes.


How did you start this tank? Live rock? Dead rock?
It is very likely that the nitrate came from die off during cycling.

It a mix of live and dead rock but I have being curing the rock for more then a month but there is three or four peaces that are dead coral looking things in there. On the far left of the tank theres a dead branch looking coral and towards the middle of the tank theres a white looking rock thats dead coral also plus some little rubble that I have throughout the tank. Should I take them out? I kinda forgot I put them in there.

 

[JohnK]

Chances are that there was a good amount of organics on the dry rock, and the live rock may have cycled some. Where did you get the live rock? If it wasn't well cured it is normal to have quite a bit of die off.

 

[Royalty]

Chances are that there was a good amount of organics on the dry rock, and the live rock may have cycled some. Where did you get the live rock? If it wasn't well cured it is normal to have quite a bit of die off.

40% of the rock came from awhile back when I was on vacation in P.R I found some washed up rocks on the beach but that was a year ago I did my best to clean off some of the stuff on it.

15% from a woman out in Hartford CT from who I got my 72 bowfront stand which started my obssesion with reefing in the first place.

45% was bought from a guy I meant at Jay's aquatic in salem NH I got almost 50 pounds of live rock plus 2 peaces of dead coral rock I think I over paid tho.

which adds up to 100% of headach's what a pain in my a**. Im trully kick myself in the a** for this.