mray2660
Supporting Member
We were using an old test kit for nitrates (API) and the levels detected were usually at the lower levels of the test kit. Recently we observed that some of our corals were stressed in two of our tanks but in 3rd quarantined tank the corals were not stressed. All the other parameters appeared to be okay. We purchase a new test kit and the nitrate levels using this kit (Red Sea) were between 100-125 ppm (required diluting the sample) to read the results with this test kit but the tank where the corals seem to be okay the levels were below the test kit limits. The action plan that we did immediately was a 20% water change (The levels came down a little). Today we will do another 20% water change and add some carbon, reduce the feedings, etc. We intend to keep this up until we get the levels down. Is this valid plan? Are there any other suggestions for quickly lowering the nitrates? Will we cause additional stress if we lower the nitrates too quickly. Previously we had hair algae problem but when we tested we could never detect nitrates. We used marine algaefix to control the hair algae along with hermit crabs. I wonder if the test kit was inaccurate and giving us bogus numbers and we were treating the symptom and not the cause.
Mike
Mike
