best nitrate controller clams/plants or nitrate sponge?

[seasalt101]

which is best or use them all at the same time, i am leaning towards the plants, but i am totally unsure, but the clams scare me because i hear when they die they release them all (nitrates) back into the system thanks tobin

 

[badoleross]

I would say cheato in a sump would aid in getting rid or nitrates. I have never heard of clams having any effect on nitrates and i am not a believe in nitrate sponges.

 

[seasalt101]

i was thinking if i went with something in the sump it would be mangroves, or if i went in the display maiden's hair with a small grove of shaving brushes, how does that sound? nitrates always seem to run between 20 and 40 which in itself right now isn't to bad for my fish my inverts i worry when they are at the higher end of the spectrum, but getting ready to go reef and would like to get them to under 5 consistantly so what plan would you go with if chaeto is the best that will be the way i go, but i would like to make it as close to eye candy asi can and with chaeto that would be tough, thanks everyone tobin

 

[seasalt101]

bump

 

[acrylic51]

Mangroves do export nutrients, but they are rather slow at the process.....If I was looking for nutrient export it would be Chaeto, or other macros, and I wouldn't keep it in my display........That's what the sump or fuge is for IMO.

 

[seasalt101]

i like the look of the shaving brushes and the maiden hair too that is why i am considering putting it in the dt, but i have a yellow tang and a lawnmower blenny i am not sure if it would just be lunch for them probably just go for the chaeto it just grows so fast, would the vegatarians in the tank dispose the clippings? thanks tobin

 

[hatessushi]

I had shaving brush in my tank and removed them because it had sort of like the pine needles that came off and made a mess. IMO unless you use a Denitrifier the nitrates will not lower significantly unless you really have a lot of room in the refugium to add a LOT of plants and such and perform weekly water changes diligently. Clams do remove nitrates in fact the water they release is pure and supposedly sterile (just what I heard) but unless you have a clam farm you probably won't see the nitrates go down. A deep sea bed or plenum filter setup will probably do an excellent job at a less cost then a denitrifier.
A Denitrifier like the Midwest Aquatics DeNitrator, or an Aquaripure work the best IMO.

 

[seasalt101]

i am also considering a uv sterilizer not sure if that will work on nitrates or not, but i like the fact that they kill alot of algae's and help in the preventing ich and hlle disease and such but going reef i want the water to be as healthy as possible it seems like it's worth the money thanks sushi about that tidbit on the needle thing that would be messy, thanks again for all the responses tobin :happyfish