U
ups guy
Guest
Besides Water changes, what are other ways of lowering NITRATES?
1journeyman
Active Member
Deep sand bed or large amounts of very porous live rock. Anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that lives in oxygen poor environments) breaks Nitrate down into nitrogen and oxygen.
Macro algaes also are used to export it. The algae absorbs it as it grows and then you prune the algae.
Macro algaes also are used to export it. The algae absorbs it as it grows and then you prune the algae.
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
the best , fastest, and easiest way is water changes on a regular basis.
the rest will help but only to a certain extent.
Mike
Yup.
Also important to make sure you aren't adding to their production. Are you overfeeding? Under skimming? Have any dirty filter pads? Dirty substrate? Inadequate water flow? Overstocked tank?
the best , fastest, and easiest way is water changes on a regular basis.
the rest will help but only to a certain extent.
Mike
Yup.
Also important to make sure you aren't adding to their production. Are you overfeeding? Under skimming? Have any dirty filter pads? Dirty substrate? Inadequate water flow? Overstocked tank?
fishfanny79
Member
Easy answer to this question...
WATER CHANGES. The bigger the water change, the more nitrate you remove.
WATER CHANGES. The bigger the water change, the more nitrate you remove.
michaeltx
Moderator
Originally Posted by peckhead
never tried it but sugar or vodka
Please Dont give this sort of advice with out instruction and warning someone trying either of these methods can NUKE their tank very easily even with detailed instructions on how to do it you can still nuke the tank and it is only slight chance it would work even if it didnt nuke the tank.
Mike
never tried it but sugar or vodka
Please Dont give this sort of advice with out instruction and warning someone trying either of these methods can NUKE their tank very easily even with detailed instructions on how to do it you can still nuke the tank and it is only slight chance it would work even if it didnt nuke the tank.
Mike
U
ups guy
Guest
I do a 25% water change every 2 weeks. My nitrates are not that high, about 10-15 ppm. Im just wondering other methods that all new hobbist should know. I did hear some clams and sea weeds also help lower nitrates. Thanks all for responding.
peckhead
Active Member
Originally Posted by MichaelTX
Please Dont give this sort of advice with out instruction and warning someone trying either of these methods can NUKE their tank very easily even with detailed instructions on how to do it you can still nuke the tank and it is only slight chance it would work even if it didnt nuke the tank.
Mike
I should hope that no one would actually actually put a random amount of sugar or vodka in their tank. I would think that if someone wanted to try it they would research it first.
UPSGUY asked a question, so i answered.
Please Dont give this sort of advice with out instruction and warning someone trying either of these methods can NUKE their tank very easily even with detailed instructions on how to do it you can still nuke the tank and it is only slight chance it would work even if it didnt nuke the tank.
Mike
I should hope that no one would actually actually put a random amount of sugar or vodka in their tank. I would think that if someone wanted to try it they would research it first.
UPSGUY asked a question, so i answered.
U
ups guy
Guest
Its all good!!
usefulidiot213
Member
Do you have a Fuge...? A good size fuge with cheato is the best way to keep low Nit. Then of course don't over feed. Don't overstock. Deep sand bed. Lots of live rock.. There are cleaner claims that are suppose to take out Nit when they feed, but I don't know how much of an effect they really have.
U
ups guy
Guest
I heard putting poly pad in the canister filter works well also. Is this true??
uberlink
Active Member
Regular water changes will keep nitrates down, but they won't reduce them to zero. Essentially, you dilute the nitrates with each water change, but you never export all of them. Still, this coupled with keeping feeding to a minimum is your first line of defense.
I've had great luck growing chaetomorpha (a seaweed) in my sump. That will export nitrates very effectively. If you don't have a sump, you can easily add some kind of small hang-on refugium to accomplish the same thing.
Another common trick is the use of cleaner clams, which you can buy on this site or even at the grocery store. I have not had great luck with this. They work well for a while, but you never know when they might just die...and you can't get them out of your tank when that happens becuase they always bury themselves. So maybe they suck some nitrates for a while, but then they pollute the tank eventually.
Good luck!
I've had great luck growing chaetomorpha (a seaweed) in my sump. That will export nitrates very effectively. If you don't have a sump, you can easily add some kind of small hang-on refugium to accomplish the same thing.
Another common trick is the use of cleaner clams, which you can buy on this site or even at the grocery store. I have not had great luck with this. They work well for a while, but you never know when they might just die...and you can't get them out of your tank when that happens becuase they always bury themselves. So maybe they suck some nitrates for a while, but then they pollute the tank eventually.
Good luck!
sepulatian
Moderator
Regular water changes will keep nitrates down, but they won't reduce them to zero. Essentially, you dilute the nitrates with each water change, but you never export all of them. Still, this coupled with keeping feeding to a minimum is your first line of defense.
I've had great luck growing chaetomorpha (a seaweed) in my sump. That will export nitrates very effectively. If you don't have a sump, you can easily add some kind of small hang-on refugium to accomplish the same thing.
Very good advice
Nitrates are the end component of the nitrogen cycle, they must be removed. A DSB would break them down in time. Plant life feeds off of nitrate. Unfortunately, fish eat plants so they must be housed seperately as uberlink described.
I've had great luck growing chaetomorpha (a seaweed) in my sump. That will export nitrates very effectively. If you don't have a sump, you can easily add some kind of small hang-on refugium to accomplish the same thing.
Very good advice