Get that Nitrate / Phosophate DOWN?

[beth]

this is a continuation from my Live Rock / Nitrate Post....
I'd love to get my nitrates down but it won't come down. . I use RO bottled water. No, I don't do weekly water changes, but I do a 25% change montly. There's no nitrates in the water I use for water changes...I'ved tested it. [Although, I do notice the presence of a bit of phosphates when I mix my RO water with Instant Ocean salt mix].
I feed my fish with a suringe, dripping bits of food in the tank for the fish a little bit at a time over a 3 hour period [from the time I get home from wk, til 15mins before the lights go out at 9pm]. This way, hopefully, less food sinks to the bottom. Of course, what goes in, comes out, thus I know the more I feed the more "comes out"....

I WANT TO GET THE NITRATES DOWN, THOUGH without having to change my water everyday. I only have 6 fish in a 72gal [50gal of sea water], UG filter, UV, canister.

 

[kris]

Have you tested your water source before and after adding salt mix. Some salt mixes can have some nitrates. I use Kent Marine nitrate sponge media in one of the filter modules of my canister, this did seem to help, but it was slow. How high are they if you don't mind me asking?? Try this, because you are not overstocked and you don't seem to be overfeeding, and if it's not your water or your salt well that leaves only dirty or clogged media so try rinsing and then trying this product. Good Luck, hope this helps

 

[cooder]

Hi Beth,
Just a thought...you say that you have a UGF. That could be the reason for the high nitrates that won't come down. How long has this tank been set up? UGF will get dirty and then you are asking for troubles. Thats why they are not recommended any more. They do work for a while then you will have problems down the road. Canisters will also cause nitrate problems if left uncleaned for to long. I'm not saying that you do this just a source which nitrates can come from. Phosphates and nitrates can be managed with macro algaes. They use both to survive. I would bet that the UGF is the source of your problem. My daughter had the same problem high nitrates and I told her to remove the UGF. Yes its a pain but guess what? She swore that it was not that dirty under it.....W R O N G! She removed the UGF and added live rock and live sand and no nitrates now. Been 6 months. I made the same mistake when I started and yanked the UGF out and I have 0 nitrates too. Take a look at my homepage if you have time. Hope this helps Beth and remember this is just my opinion...Cooder

 

[beth]

I know my old filtration system needs an upgrade. Does anyone know a good online store to get aquarium supplies [like the nitrate sponge you mentioned, Kris]?. I live in Key West, Fl and supplies are somewhat limited on this tiny island [and I'm a 120 miles from the rest of the world].
Believe it or not, my UG is Clean, clean, clean. The aquarium sits on a pine stand with a complete view under the aquarium...meaning I can see what is under the UG. It is completely clean. Almost a yr ago, I had to break down my entire tank due to a stupid mistake [that I won't mention here because I'm supposed to be a Shark...

]. The tank had been up and running for a year. I figured, oh boy, I'm going to be grossed out when I lift that UG up and see all the filth...it was absolutely clean. No debris, no smell, no murky water. Even so, I know its time to graduate to another filtration system. But wouldn't it be neat to beat those nitrates using my old system first?

And, Cooder: Since your daughter replaced her UG, what filtration is she using....I know you said live rock and sand...what else?
[This message has been edited by beth (edited 03-20-2000).]
[This message has been edited by beth (edited 03-20-2000).]

 

[cooder]

Hi Beth, I thought I lived out in the sticks LOL! Really she has the same system as me sort of a modified Berlin system. Live Rock about 1 and a half pounds per gallon of water. Live sand about 3 to 4 inches deep. A BakPak 2 skimmer modified with a air stone (Limewood). This system really works good and nitrates are not detectable at all. You can't replace the value of live rock in your system IMO! Take a look at my setup I have a homepage. Just check my info tells you more about my system on my homepage. Hope this helps...Live Sand, Live rock and a good skimmer! Take Care Cooder

 

[chuck]

The best advice is to get rid of that undergravel filter. As long as you keep running your tank with an UGF your nitrates will always be high. There will never be any way for your system to equalize even if you have all the nitrate reducing substances in the world in your tank. My advice is to invest in a small trickle filter system and a small protein skimmer or a large protein skimmer and a bunch of live rock, but just get rid of that UGF, save that for freshwater. Good Luck!

 

[kris]

I don't know guys-- about blaming the ug for the nitrates. I know it has no place in a reef, but I use it as a part of my setup, not neccessarily for filtration purposes as it would be inadequate to say the least, but as a prop. See I put the intake tubes into the lift tubes, and then the other two lift tubes hold up my powerheads at the surface for aeration and oxygenation. This certainly keeps the substrata clean and it has worked for me. Beth, remember from previous posts though that I did add the live rock. There are alot of great sites for supplies. Try mopetshop.com. Good Luck. and p.s. I feel better about my disaster (not quarantining my fish) knowing other experienced people have done stupid things.

 

[the rock]

the rock says.....
go into your back yard and steal some rock from the reef, whoops, thats illegal, so i would suggest buying some live rock, live sand, and macro algae and your problem should be solved regardless of your ug

 

[beth]

Thanks for all the response guys but I pretty much knew what you all would tell me! Reef, didn't you say that live rock would not take care of trates? If it won't, what will? And can the live rock take high trates?
So, what I'm hearing is:
**I can keep the ugf as major filtration system?
**get some live rock and sand?
**continue with everything else I have[including canister]? [Reef, I clean the canister pretty regularly...never heard of it being a source of trates! How come?]
**get some macro algae?
Well that doesn't sound too bad, thanks everyone [and for the store links too]!
PS "to the rock".....Actually getting rock at the reef would be illegal but you can actually pick up a rock just about anywhere in my ocean & it would be "live". . There's some locals who cultivate it here, but the sand is another story....When I'm ready to do it, I think I'll rely on reputable supplier rather looking for it on my own.