I need Help
 

Hi everyone, I could for sure use some help.I have a biocube 14 that has been up and running for over a year now, its a berlin setup with sps and two percs. The Sand bed is about 3 inches deep, with 25lbs of live rock. I have a lfs back pack skimmer and radon lighting.
Parameters a re as follows:

SG35 ppt
Temp 73F
Cal 500 ppm
Mg 1500 ppm
Alk 10.2 dKH
Nitrites 0
Nitrates >60ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
Po4 0.03 ppm

I have been battiling very high nitrates for about a month now, I have done every other day water changes, I have been using red sea NoPOX, to no avail. I have looked for dead debris and not standing water, there is very good flow. I am at a lost with this. I have been thinking if this could cause my problem:

I have a pistol shrimp and he is moving sand everywhere every night. Keeps digging and making tunnels, and with a small footprint can this cause the high nitrates? Needless to say my sps are not very happy and neither am I. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

What is your fresh water source?

If you are using an RO/DI unit, when was the last time the filters & DI were changed? And what is the TDS reading after the RO and then after the DI stages?

The tank is only 14 gallons so it would be really easy just to change 100% of the water. This is a common approach for small nano aquariums and can be used as a long term maintenance plan or a temporary solution for nitrates and other contaminants.

Some links you may find useful
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/4/aquarium
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/rhf/

Also I'll note your temperature is quite low for an SPS tank. In addition with lower temperatures you'll likely see more fluctuations due to external temperatures.

I check my ro/di water paramters before I mix the salt and after with neglagable parameters, so thats not where its coming from. Changing all the water? how would my corals do under those circumstances?

Most corals can handle significant amounts of time out of water. Walking/snorkling the beach in Hawaii personally confirms this -- many corals are exposed to the air/sun for HOURS each day.

I would just make sure you have the make-up water ready, and then just do it.

IMPORTANT though, is not to disturb your sandbed - since anything in there would get stirred up.



Regarding the deep sand bed releasing nutrients, this is likely the case also. There are many thoughts on the matter, but personally I prefer a shallow sandbed (1-1.5"), which I then have a sleeper goby to constantly stir it up to keep things clean and nutrient-free. If you are interested in removing/cleaning your sand -- I would recommend doing it SLOWLY so not to disturb it too much and release many nutrients too quick. Say remove a cup every few days/etc. If you do it gradually enough, you should not have an issue.

Did you keep the foam inserts in back of tank if there is any. If so organics fills up the foam and will make nitrates.

Everything is removed from the compartments in the back. I only have a heater and intake and return from the skimmer. The only thing that is really disturbing the sand bed is the pistol shrimp.

I would then consider removing most of the sand as Craig said.

I had 30~ppm nitrates for a long time. I was recommended Nitra-Guard Bio Cubes from J&L, and within a week my nitrates were down to between 5-10ppm (which I like to keep it there.)

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s..._ID=plb-ng0500

Works pretty well! Just put them in a bag and throw them in the back!

The only caution I would have to this method is that if you don't remove the source of nitrates they will come back. Be it source water, sand bed, filter floss, over feeding, etc.

In RomaFan's case, water is already being changed and it's not helping, so the source is very active and removing the source needs to happen first, then a massive water change afterwards!