Best Way to Reduce Nitrate In Your Tank

[cali_reef]

Wingo my RO/DI water is fine I tested it before and it has 0 nitrates.

krustycat, thanks for the link. haven't read the entire thread but it's a good option.

I was on Premium Aquatics and saw this:

Korallin BioDenitrator S-1502 w/ Eheim 1048 Pump

Anyone using one of these De-Nitrate Reactors?

Let me know if you want to buy mine, not using it anymore and was going to convert it to a Ca reactor.

 

[cali_reef]

Sent you a PM back.

 

[nanoreefer22]

nanoreefer22, my nitrate level is off the chart but everything seems to doing fine.

I'd consider retesting if you haven't done so already? What test kit are you using?

 

[Zoous]

Mardel 5 in 1 Dip

 

[Zoous]

Tonight, I will suck out as the detritus and do a 20% water change.

 

[fishguttz]

You could also check your rocks for dead sponges, previously hidden bivalves, etc. A rotting organism could be causing higher nitrate levels.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Mardel 5 in 1 Dip

I haven't heard of these before, maybe someone else can chime in on their reliability.

 

[Zoous]

Much easier then mixing the chemicals. Just dip and match the colors.

 

[nanoreefer22]

Much easier then mixing the chemicals. Just dip and match the colors.

It's probably a lot less accurate as well. Most members use salifert test kits, cause of their accuracy.

 

[tomzpc]

I'd check it with a better test kit. Those dip strips can be way off IME.

 

[krustycat]

Much easier then mixing the chemicals. Just dip and match the colors.

...but not too much accurate.

RDSB = Remote Deep Sand Bed (DSB in a bucket or DSB in a container). For me, the natural way, inexpensive and simple.


http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Googlesearch.htm

There are nitrate reduction tools on the market that can/do work... Most are anaerobic/hypoxic bacterial culture facilities that require (IMO too much) testing, adding of sugar, alcohol... other feeder stock. Some electric, electronic devices are out there too... For such a size, type system as yours and the good, regular maintenance you perform, I would put my money, time into either a Deep Sand Bed/Plenum and/or an external sump/refugium with live rock, lighting, macro algae set-up to reduce nitrates (along with many other benefits). The pre-made denitrators on the market are not worth the money... and the approaches mentioned are far more steady, beneficial in action.
Bob Fenner

I run in to these site: http://aquaripure.com/ they talk about "The denitrator", assuming that these device reduce and/or eliminates water changes. I truly don't believe that it can eliminate them but maybe it can reduce them.
<Uhh-ohh...>
Well, Juan- I had not seen this device before, but after a very cursory glance at the web site, it looks like a "coil denitrator", which essentially provides a long coil of tubing (like a couple hundred feet) to accommodate a very slow flow of water from the display tank. The water becomes essentially devoid of oxygen in the tubing, and is denitrified by anoxic processes when it leaves the tubing. You can adjust the flow of water to create the desired reduction...The key is keeping the flow slow enough to foster denitrification. By the way, you can relatively easily build a passive denitrification system like this, as outlined in Anthony's "Book of Coral Propagation". It's a proven concept, but it is not a "cure all", nor a substitute for good overall husbandry (no mechanical devices are). If it were me, I'd concentrate on fostering denitrification processes and nutrient export in a properly constructed deep sand bed, and utilizing aggressive protein skimming, water changes, and activated carbon/Polyfilter pads to assist. Hope this helps. Good luck! Regards, Scott F

Just a thought.. :sigh:

:spin:
Rossana

 

[Zoous]

How good do clams do in reducing nitrate?

 

[Zoous]

My tank is BB....don't really like sand. Even a RDSB to reduce nitrate makes me think of other alternative.

 

[nanoreefer22]

My tank is BB....don't really like sand. Even a RDSB to reduce nitrate makes me think of other alternates.

Your skimmer probably isn't strong enough to keep up with a BB tank. If you're overfeeding and not doing water changes, you're just digging yourself deeper and deeper into a hole.

What kind of flow do you have in this tank? How often to you siphon detritus? Do you just let it sit in the tank(because you aren't doing water changes)?

 

[muntai]

well said nano

 

[Zoous]

2 - 802 powerheads

 

[DevIouS]

Try RDSB, a deep sand bed in a bucket works niceeeee! :smile:
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic20039-13-1.aspx
http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic25117-13-1.aspx

Wingo you saw my RDSB at home.
I went from 25 to 10 in a month.

Pretty cool.
:thrash:

Rossana

Rossana:

Why would your nitrates be so high with just "xenia and 2 ocellaris" as live stock?
:scratch:

 

[nanoreefer22]

Rossana:

Why would your nitrates be so high with just "xenia and 2 ocellaris" as live stock?
:scratch:

Beautifully asked question. I applaude your efforts :biggrin: .

 

[krustycat]

Rossana:

Why would your nitrates be so high with just "xenia and 2 ocellaris" as live stock?
:scratch:

Bad advice + poor reading...

1) I didn't follow a good (methodic) practice of water changes.
2) I didn't siphon my substrate. Still having troubles with that.
3) I used to overfeed my clowns (it would be 1st :biggrin: and not 100% solved :banghead: ).
4) I didn't practice to harvest my macro algae.
5) My Remora wasn't taking too much and I just made a mod on it (even so I'm still collecting half a cup or so weekly).

Poor nutrient export in a BB tank. (20 main + 10 sump)
Beginner's mistakes.

Rossana

BTW I forgot to mention I had a Yellow Tang until 4-5 days ago when Wingo took it.
I was using the strips (Jungle and Mardel) and having nitrate readings bellow the real value. They are also inaccurated in alk.
I also had bad circulation and replaced my return pump last week.

 

[Zoous]

Sounds like your well on your way to lowering your nitrates