Alternate Nitrate reducers....

[Snidgetless]

Is there another way of reducing high Nitrates that i can implement in my tank? I am losing a battle here with the high Nitrates, no room for a DSB... Will adding chunks of chaeto to the display tank help at all? Its a FOWLR. Any other suggestions?

 

[nickyblase]

other than a good skimmer, lower bioload, and frequent water changes, nothing I can think of. I'm sure there are some snake oil potions on the shelves out there that guarantee nitrate reduction, though who knows at what cost.

When you say FOWLR, can you have any kind of a clean up crew in there without them getting eaten?

 

[JayM]

how high are the nitrates? a FO tank has a higher tolerance than a reef tank

 

[Snidgetless]

All levels are more or less spot on, except Nitrates are at 80. And this was two days after a 30 gal water change on a 92 corner. The hermits i put in there die off within two weeks or so. I have yet to see it, but i think the Dogface is picking them off one by one. I was thinking a Nitrate reactor, but i really don't want to go that route unless its a last option.

 

[wrassefan]

sounds like the puffer is eating your inverts...producing waste and is converting to nitrates. Feeding is feeding whether it is live or processed(frozen or dried). As said above, a good skimmer does wonders....large water changes ...that being said, 80 doesn't sound that bad for a FO

 

[JayM]

80 is high.....but what were they before the WC?

 

[JustDavidP]

Don't tridacnid clams utilize ammonia and nitrate?

Nitrates, combined with the uptake of ammonia, sulfates, and phosphates are utilized to create required amino acids (alanine for example). The zooxanthellae utilize dissolve carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the process of making carbohydrates (i.e. glucose, glutamate, aspartate and so on and so on ).

I vote for a pretty clam filter

Dave

 

[Snidgetless]

Ha, i wish i could get a clam but all i am using for lights on this tank is an actinic to give a nice blue hue. Nitrates before the water change were over 100... grrr. I am looking for a DIY thread on nitrate reactors

 

[JustDavidP]

Gotsta find the root of the problem though....

Lionfish, puffer, moray and in January you wanted to add more. What is in that tank? You may be in an endless battle with nitrates.

Dave

 

[Snidgetless]

Oh no, i have a good idea where they are coming from. A combination of my wet/dry and the CC i used for a substrate. The wet/dry i can change out in about a month or so when the LR rubble cycles... the CC i really would prefer not to change out with sand. I fear a mini cycle

 

[JustDavidP]

Yeah...best starting with the wet-dry. The CC shouldn't be too bad if you keep good flow and continue to skim.

Dave

 

[randoma]

Don't tridacnid clams utilize ammonia and nitrate?

Nitrates, combined with the uptake of ammonia, sulfates, and phosphates are utilized to create required amino acids (alanine for example). The zooxanthellae utilize dissolve carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the process of making carbohydrates (i.e. glucose, glutamate, aspartate and so on and so on ).

I vote for a pretty clam filter

Dave

A dogface puffer would eat a clam in about 10 seconds.

Are you sure you couldn't fit a 5 gallon bucket under the tank somewhere for an RDSB?

 

[JustDavidP]

A dogface puffer would eat a clam in about 10 seconds.

Agreed.. that's why I mentioned a clam filter. I'm serious about mine. I've got a 20 some odd gallon tank that Gustavo (Neo) built, and it is in a corner of a room, in a cabinet, with a 250 over it. I've got it "displayed" but it will be plumbed into my sump and the display upstairs. The fish room is on the other side of the wall. Pretty filter

Dave

 

[Snidgetless]

A great idea... but not so practical in this case. As far as a Deep Sand Bed in a 5 gal bucket... again i just don't have the room unfortunately. I mean if just that one bucket could handle the entire nitrate load in that tank i would consider building something for it, but i highly doubt that 8" of sand in a 5 gal bucket will solve the problems of a tank that size... maybe i am wrong though. Its slowly starting to look like the best solution at this point might be a Nitrate Reactor to help me out. I am starting a search for a good DIY thread but i am striking out. With new units being over $350 its not looking good for me....

 

[randoma]

I think you'd be surprised.. I don't have any that small (50lb sand) but I do have one that has 100lbs of sand in a 21qt trash can - it is extremely effective on a tank that probably has a higher bioload than yours. Well, used to - it is mostly empty right this minute.

Keep in mind that an RDSB takes 2-4 months before it has any noticeable effect.

 

[Snidgetless]

Lol, yeah nothing to help with me now, and the option for an RDSB that large is not possible... i will need to continue in my search.

 

[saltwaterB]

How often are you doing water changes?

Dilution is the solution.

When you do a water change are you using a gravel vac to siphon the detritus out of the crushed coral?

-B-

 

[Snidgetless]

In an attempt to reduce Nitrates, water changes are once a month, about 30 gallons, each time siphoning out all the gravel and getting the goodies out of it.

 

[Snidgetless]

So i have found a website for a DIY nitrate reactor.... anyone have any thoughts on this?

http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/proteinfiltersetups/l/bldiycoildenitr.htm

 

[saltwaterB]

If you really want to get those nitrates down you will have to do way more than once a month to get them down, and possibly more often to keep them down. Remember, that it is the theory of dilution. Example; 100gal. tank with 100ppm of Nitrate. If you change 50 gal. "at best" your nitrates would be reduced to 50ppm. And I said "at best" (which will never be the case) So lets say they are now at 70ppm, then 3 days later they creep back to 80ppm, then you change another 50 gal. Maybe they drop to 50ppm. Then 3 days later another 50gal. that may drop them to 30ppm. At this point I would try to maintain 30ppm-50ppm (with a puffer it may be too hard or not economically sound to try and achieve lower than that) Then you will have to test and see how quickly it starts to climb again. Then figure a good water change schedule to maintain the tank where you want.
Also as mentioned an over sized skimmer will help remove organics before they can break down to Nitrate.

just my .02 cents based on some experiences I have had

your milage may vary...

-B-