Tank Emergency!!

[Carmen]

Help PLEASE!!! Ofcourse I am leaving on holidays for 2 weeks on Sunday and my tank has started to show mega nitrates!!!!! First time anything has ever been outa whack and it's right before I leave!!!
So I tested on Tues and it showed Nitrates about 5(possibly 10 as I cannot tell the difference on my tests). Did a larger than normal WC of 5 Gallons (it's a 27G bowfront). Retested Thursday and said the same did another almost 5G WC and cleaned the canister filter out completely as I figured perhaps that was the source as it had accumulated alot of debris. Kept the rubble submerged most of the time only out of water to transfer containers to clean it. Changed the carbon, cleaned all powerheads, siphoned off rocks in tank of any detrius.
Rechecke nitrates tonight and shows Nitrates of 20!!!
NO NOTHING has died! NOTHING! Corals look okay with a litle less perkiness to some. Fish are fine and eating so far.
HELP!!!!! Now what! I have no salt water mixed right now will mix some up but what am I going to do? Anyone PLEASE!!!
And there is no option not to go on holidays so what do I have the sitter do?
Carmen

[michika]

Do a 5g WC tonight, one tomorrow, and one Sunday before you leave (if you can). Is your tank sitter able to continue testing and doing WCs for you?

Have you double checked your test kit to make sure its acccurate?

20ppm won't kill anything (in the short time, provided its not a super sensitive coral), but it is high. I'd worry if it hits 30ppm.

[Carmen]

okay, so another WC tonight. But any ideas where it's coming from? No deaths, no major stirring up display or anything. Am I just OVERSTOCKED and it suddenly shows up this way?

[JDigital]

I don't think you are overstocked, based on your signature..

[Red Coral Aquariums]

test your water change water before you do water change it is strange that you have a jump after a h20 change. give your tank sitter our # and they can come in the store with a water sample and we will test it and give recommendations.
Kevin

[marie]

Have you tested your make up water, you may be adding nitrates with every water change

[MikeP]

How long has the tank be set up for? It sound like a natural spike if your tank is fairly new. Water changes is the only thing you can do to safely bring nitrates down, have you tested for ammonia yet? You should keep an eye on it as well.

[Carmen]

Thanks everyone I really appreciate the replies.
So I think the test kit is okay, tested the RO water and the freshly made salt water and both test zero for nitrates. So I can conclude it is definately from the display tank.
The tank is 4 months old and up until now I have never seen a cycle or anything other than normal parameters. I did test ammonia on Tuesday when Nitrates first showed up and there was a trace however very low - I have not tested that again since.
I did find a fallen mushroom that looked pretty bad (fell into anthelia patch)so I flushed it - could that spike nitrates.
My Mom is watching my tank and coming over daily and yes she will do a WC and check nitrates but I can't realistically expect her to do a WC daily! AHH! Why does this always happen at holidays!
Kevin I will leave your number for sure but I am not too sure what you could do really??
So do you think this is just a tank crash waiting to happen? Overstocked? Is it normal to get nitrates at this stage of the game?
Carmen

[Marlin65]

How much sand is in you tank? Is it possible some worms died off.
Sure your clam is OK they can pollute the water quickly.
Sucks that this is happening before you leave. Best of luck.
If your tank has been running for a bit it should be able to handle a bit of a death if something did die.

[EmilyB]

I'm just thinking too many water changes, based on this and some other messages I've read. That can cause problems too. Relax, go on holidays, bah, nitrates of 20?