Nitrate Question
 

Ok,

So, my tank nitrates are at 30 - 35 or so.. I decided to test all 3 steps to the tank.

Tap: 0 ppm
RO/DI: 0 ppm
Make Up Water (Kent Salt Added): 10 ppm

Now the part that makes no sense to me is the make up water. I am wondering if this has to do with the fact it was sitting in my mixing pail for about 3 days (circulating and heated of course). Does anyone have experience with this? I never bothered to measure the make up water before. Not thinking it would change. Any chance it could be introduced by the salt mix?

Thanks for the help..

Unless there's bioload in your make-up water, I doubt it.

What are you using for your source of freshwater? Tap or RO or RO/DI?

RO/DI which tests as 0 ppm.

the bucket was clean?

Sorry that I overlooked that info in your first post. :redface: Not too swift today apparently.

I don't know what to suggest ... bad bucket of salt maybe? I don't think I've ever had NO3 in my makeup.

Try testing the salt water mix right after mixing it?

The bucket is completely clean. I have not had a chance to test it directly after mixing. I will do that tonight. I'll post the results.

curious....

I can't remember where I read it but I think ammonia is a by product of the salt making process. I think it was from one of the many salt threads at reef.org or reefcentral.

Cheers,
Vic [veng68]

Its all really bizarre.. But hopefully tonight I will get the answer to my question after I test right after mixing.

BTW. I am using a Salifert test kit. ( in case someone wants to know the accuracy of the test)

ok tested my make up water about an hour or so after mixing it. Comes out to 0 ppm ..

the only thing I can see then is that in the next 3 days it has enough time to start producing significant nitrates. I am gonna test it in the morning and see what happens.

May change how I do my water changes.

Just an update. After about 36 hrs. I have Ntrates of 5ppm in my freshly mixed makeup water.

I was wondering if someone else out there can test their makeup water. I am sure there must be a few people out there who have some pre-mixed makeup water waiting to be used.

Let me know if you get the same results.

I am starting to think I am going to have to change the water the instant I make it.

Thanks.

In my case I can see how there can be some contamination back to the sw mixing tub. I use a python to drain the tanks for a wc, then I try to be religious about rinsing the hose before refilling the tanks with the new sw.

I usually leave the water in the tub cold, and just heat it before the wc. I haven't measured it for nitrates tho.

My day-old makeup water tests at zero. Same old bucket I always use. But I don't have a python...