Best way to remove Nitrates?
- Thread starter drtash
- Start date
lexluethar
Active Member
Water changes. 5 is definately good though.
snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
if your nitrate gets up to 50, then you start having problems. Over 100, and your fish will start to get sick.
nitrate of 5 is very tinie tiny.
nitrate of 5 is very tinie tiny.
O
oh hai
Guest
Originally Posted by LexLuethar
http:///forum/post/2498990
Water changes. 5 is definately good though.
+1
http:///forum/post/2498990
Water changes. 5 is definately good though.
+1
uberlink
Active Member
Originally Posted by Jaymz
http:///forum/post/2499054
To concretely answer your question. Water changes is the only way to get rid of nitrates in a salt tank. Unless you want aglae growing all over your tank to help absorb a tiny bit of the nitrates.
I don't agree with this. Well, I agree with part of it--algae growing in your tank will indeed remove nitrates. But you can capture this effect and put it to good use. Start growing caulerpa or, better, chaetomorpha macroalgae in your tank or in a sump/refugium. It will pull your nitrates to zero surprisingly quickly. Cleaner clams can have a similar effect.
http:///forum/post/2499054
To concretely answer your question. Water changes is the only way to get rid of nitrates in a salt tank. Unless you want aglae growing all over your tank to help absorb a tiny bit of the nitrates.
I don't agree with this. Well, I agree with part of it--algae growing in your tank will indeed remove nitrates. But you can capture this effect and put it to good use. Start growing caulerpa or, better, chaetomorpha macroalgae in your tank or in a sump/refugium. It will pull your nitrates to zero surprisingly quickly. Cleaner clams can have a similar effect.
ophiura
Active Member
I personally disagree that water changes are the only way, and I also disagree that nitrates over 100 will cause fish to get sick. It is not good, but it will not cause immediate harm (this is from personal experience). Corals are another issue. Regardless, you should be aware long before nitrate levels ever approach this point and so can readily and reasonably address it. One of the worst approaches to high nitrates (above 100) is rapid large frequent panic water changes, which can cause far more harm than the nitrates.
There are several ways to address nitrates, first and foremost is being accountable, as a hobbyist, for your stocking rate and feeding. Many new tanks, especially, are overstocked and overfed. These are the primary reasons for nitrate issues.
Another reason is lack of appropriate tank maintenance. Not enough water changes, allowing gunk to accumulate in sponges, bioballs, etc.
Lack of a protein skimmer can contribute to nitrate issues as a skimmer helps remove stuff that will break down in the tank.
A refugium with macro algae growth is another export mechanism to help with nitrates. A deep sand bed, and significant amount of "larger" pieces of LR will aslo help address nitrate levels.
Water changes, without a doubt, are important...but there are ways to address nitrates before you even get them.
There are several ways to address nitrates, first and foremost is being accountable, as a hobbyist, for your stocking rate and feeding. Many new tanks, especially, are overstocked and overfed. These are the primary reasons for nitrate issues.
Another reason is lack of appropriate tank maintenance. Not enough water changes, allowing gunk to accumulate in sponges, bioballs, etc.
Lack of a protein skimmer can contribute to nitrate issues as a skimmer helps remove stuff that will break down in the tank.
A refugium with macro algae growth is another export mechanism to help with nitrates. A deep sand bed, and significant amount of "larger" pieces of LR will aslo help address nitrate levels.
Water changes, without a doubt, are important...but there are ways to address nitrates before you even get them.
1journeyman
Active Member
Agree with Ophiura:
First off, proper maintenance and stocking help prevent Nitrates from accumulating.
Water changes
Macro algaes or other biological export
deep sand bed
Porous live rock (works similarly, though to a lesser degree as deep sand bed. oxygen free zones deep in the cracks and pores of the rock will house Nitrate fixing bacteria)
First off, proper maintenance and stocking help prevent Nitrates from accumulating.
Water changes
Macro algaes or other biological export
deep sand bed
Porous live rock (works similarly, though to a lesser degree as deep sand bed. oxygen free zones deep in the cracks and pores of the rock will house Nitrate fixing bacteria)
ophiura
Active Member
No, IMO, it is not worth the money to use such products. There are no short cuts, IMO, in this hobby. Something like that, if it works (and many do not) should not give you a short cut to continuing with potentially problematic behaviors (stocking, feeding, maintentance issues). Nitrate problems are readily and fairly easily addressed with some basic tasks.