Bio-wheel = Nitrate problem~?~?

[ferry_007]

I have done water changes and water changes over teh past month now and i cant seem to get my Nitrate levels down any from the point where they where to begin with,they are not to the point where it can harm the fish,but i want to keep it from getting to that point.I read somwhere that a biowheel may cause nitrate problems i never thought of it before could this be??????????? Ive had the Bio-wheel since ive had the aquarium and started it up. about a year..... could this cause my nitrate to go up?

 

[jlem]

Bioballs convert Ammonia-> nitrite-> to nitrate and have no way of converting nitrate to Nitrogen ( somebody tell me if it is not nitrogen ). Until you get a biological filter that will convert nitrate to nitrogen then you are going to have nitrates no matter what biological filtration you have. Biowheels and bioballs and really shallow sand beds do nothing more than house beneficial bacteria, but they do not have zone of low enough oxygen to complete the final step.
So in short, it is not your biowheels that are causing your nitrate but the lack of a filter to convert nitrate into nitrogen.
Can you list your maintenance routine, feeding routine and suppliment routine. Do you use tap water or RO/DI water for your water changes?

 

[squidd]

Ah Yes, The old "NitrAte Factory" arguement....
I have "heard"' that about Bio Wheels, But then I've also heard it about Bio Balls in a wet/dry,canister filters,non functioning/non Mature DSB,and CC/under gravel filters...
The fact is any surface area that allows bacteria to grow and is exposed to nutrients (including Live Rock) "Produces" NitrAte...That is always the end result of the biological cycle...ie: waste to ammonia, to NitrIte, to NitrAte...
It is the "first step" (nutrient level) and the "last step" (exportation,consumption or break down of NitrAtes) that are the "keys" to measurable levels of "excess" NitrAtes in your tank...
The "first step" can be controlled by limiting the "importation/addition" of nutrients in your tank...ie: limiting feedings,using RO rather than Tap (which "may" have nitrates/phosphates in it), and "cleaning" areas of your system that may "trap" excess nutrients (which when decomposed/biologically processed result in excess nitrAtes).
This includes canister mechanical media, wet/dry bio balls, vacuuming CC,changing "smallish" filters on bio wheel systems often and removing uneaten food from sand beds in a timely fashion...
The "last step" can be controlled by having a fully "functional/mature"
DSB to process nitrAtes...ie: proper amounts of worms ,critters,cleanup crew to "break down" waste to having proper anaerobic "zones" for biological conversion to Nitrogen gas...
Or "plant life/Macros" in a fuge to consume nitrAtes (which are then removed with the plants periodically..
Or water changes to "dilute/remove" excess nitrAte
Or a "mechanical" de-nitrator device to process the nitrAtes to nitrogen...
All of these or at least some combination of these steps...IN ADDITION...to your filtration of choice (HOB,Can,W/D,Sump/Fuge) as well as a good Skimmer are needed to control waste products and NitrAte "production/buildup" in your system...
All have strong points...All have weak points...All require "some" amount of maintenance to function properly...

 

[jlem]

Originally posted by Squidd
The "last step" can be controlled by having a fully "functional/mature"
DSB to process nitrAtes...ie: proper amounts of worms ,critters,cleanup crew to "break down" waste to having proper anaerobic "zones" for biological conversion to Nitrogen gas...
Even the DSB approach is gaining more criticizm now. Lots of people are now going to the refugium which can be thinned out and won't crash after a few years which is now the argument against DSB's

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by jlem
Even the DSB approach is gaining more criticizm now. Lots of people are now going to the refugium which can be thinned out and won't crash after a few years which is now the argument against DSB's
Bare Bottom and BIG fuge for me...

 

[krowleey]

DSB RULES it will crash if u mess it up like anything you do, dont clean your bio wheels with waterchange saltwater nitrates its simple to me really. lazy = problems and DSB have been around longer than a couple years like people have posted just add kits with worms and such creatures to keep moving through it to keep it healthy and help your bubbles reach the top. its the same thing with a undergravel filter it works but takes work its PROVEN for decades people just want the system that u dont have to do any work with, there is only one of those methods leave the fish in the ocean. just my 2c

 

[squidd]

Originally posted by Squidd
All have strong points...All have weak points...All require "some" amount of maintenance to function properly...
:yes:

 

[pumpie]

:thinking: I have a bio wheel HO on my 10g reef and my nitrates have always been 0-5. so who knows.