nitrates and Fresh spring water

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I have a very hi level of nitrates and I have done 2 water changes of 20%.  It did not lower them much.  I was wondering what the best thing to do?  Also i HAVE A NATURAL SPRING BY MY HOUSE, i WAS WONDERING can I do a 40% water change or should I do 25% at a time or Can I even use the spring water at all???{Please Help I love My Fish) Thanks   for your help. Wendy also I was reading that I should do a 80% water change what do you think?

ANSWER: Hello Wendy,

Please tell me more about your tank, what type of occupants, how old is the tank, what type of equipment do you have, and as much as you can tell me

Also, how long has the nitrates been this high, and what type of corals yo uhave?

As for hte spring water, hmm, i would probably say no, but if you could get it tested to rule out the presence of harmful things, then maybe.  I guess i dont have a good answer on that, sorry.

as for the size of water change, depending on how old the tank is and the type of inhabitants, I would suggest 20% at time, maybe almost half, ONCE, but 20% every day for a week, should reduce the nitrates...

If you have a sump with a refugium I would suggest macro algae.

But again, yo may have all that, so please let me know and we can carry on from there


good luck


bill



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Bill,
I have had my tank for almost 2 years.  I have 2 clown perculas, feather duster, horseshoe crab, brittle star fish,chocolate chip star fish, sea cucumber,live rock,a raff(eats bristle worms) and a bottle nose fish and a yellow angel fish.  I have a protein skimmer a fluval 305 filter and a uv sterilizer and a air flow filter. The nitrate levels got high about 1 month ago I also have some pollup coral? and something that looks like brown lettuce. I tested the water from the naturla spring it had no nitrates or phosphates no acid or ph or alk.  Is it true that salt in fresh water kills any organisms??
Thanks Wendy

Answer
Hello,

I would check the fluval filter and replace  pads.  I would suggest replacing them every two months, and rinsing them every two weeks.


If you have the 'bio beads' in there, i would take that out as well.

I would continue to do frequent water changes.

Maybe run your skimmer 'wet' so the junk/skimmate is light green.  You will need to replace the saltwater more often but it is a good way to get water change and some detritus out at the same time

I am still not sure about the spring water issues, as i have not nor do i know anyone that has used it.  sorry.  I wish i could answer that question, but I will have to limit myself to one categor for information right now...


good luck, and if you want to join us at my new forum, and ask someone else, who may know more about freshwater/spring water issues, you can.  We have a live chatroom so please feel free to ask oneyone anything, I am sure if they cant help you, someone else will log on shortly who might...


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