Are we stuck with higher than average trates?

Wondering what you all are doing for nitrate levels. In my aggressive FO, 75 gal bowfront, 1 dogface puffer, one hawaiin big eye squirell, cc for substrate, I carry trates in the 60 to 80 ppm range. I would really like to go DSB in my aggressive but cannot have a cleanup crew as they will become lunch. I am running a fluval 404 canister and realize that this is a major source for my trates. Going to add LR as I am using base rock currently and am about 20lbs shy of where I want to be. Will this help in reducing the trates if I use the canister for mechanical only and remove the "bio-everything" I am curious about better options for keeping trates low in an FO aggressive, without having to change 15% of my water every week. Currently change water once a month and all other levels are great, constant ph, 0 trites, 0 ammo. Am I stuck between a stony coral and a hard place? Also wondering what levels of trates all other aggresive tank owners carry.
 

fishysam

New Member
I have a 70 gal. aggressive FO tank and my plan is to grow caulerpa in the sump of my wet/dry which would eat up all the nitrates. The only problem is that caulerpa can grow really fast and also it would be expensive to get lighting to grow the stuff. I'm saving up my money right now.
 
Thanks guys. Trey, So DSB wihtout cleanup crew but do I need detrivore kit? What turns the sand and keeps the dsb clean, I am assuming the above or is there a sand sifting fish I could keep with the puffer and squirell without him becoming lunch? I realize that these fish will eat the critters in the dsb but how does one keep the sand clean and such. Vacuum?
 
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