How to lower Nitrates?

[sarwiz100]

I have read and read, searched the archives and posts, and felt that I need to ask this. How do you lower nitrates? I have seen several different ideas on the subject, and would like to see them put together in one thread. Presently, we have 2 DIY coil denitrators on our 125, one has been up for about 4 weeks, the bigger one for only one week. Once the larger one has cycled (in about 3-6 more weeks) the smaller one will be removes and set up on another tank. I used the plans from Don Carner's DIY for both. I have also set up a sulfur denitrator and calcium reactor system, but have not installed it yet because I want to test it out on a "test tank" for research purposes. I have read about Msr Jaubert's plenum design, and wish I had installed one when setting up our 125. I have also read about refugiums, but need more info. I have seen references to LR and dsb, but am not sure as yet how they benefit (but our jawfish loves to dig in our 4"base). We do 10%+ water changes every 2 weeks . but do not see a drop in Nitrates. I have watched them go down as the denitrator becomes more effective. I am posting this for all the other newbies that, like us, found this forum AFTER we set up. I feel that water changes can be minimalized, but not totally eliminated. As my research progresses, I will post any results, and would like a collaboration with others, to the benefit of all. Please post your ideas, past experiences, sucesses and failures.

 

[pchromis]

I have been running a fuge since around Thanksgiving and my nitrates have all but disappeared since I added it. So I would have to say that adding a refugium is the best way to achieve low or no nitrates. Also think about your feeding habits as well.

 

[sarwiz100]

What do you have in your fuge, size, size of tank, etc.?

 

[pchromis]

Live sand, live rock and chaeto on my 40g with a HOB fuge. But since you have a 125g, u need to search this site for the larger refugiums. they not only reduce nitrates, but house helpful pods which are benefical to a tank. They also add water volume to you your current set up.
You should get the largest fuge that will fit under your tank.

 

[jdragunas]

deep sandbeds are great for lowering nitrates. Because the lower levels are oxygen-deprived, it houses the anaerobic bacteria that converts nitrates to nitrogen gas. Also, macroalgaes are great for removing nitrates and phosphates because it 'eats' them. And then, there's always the conventional way... water changes.

 

[darth tang]

Cleaner clams eat nitrates.

 

[dme]

Cleaner clams eat nitrates

Clams in general do help reducing your tank(s) nitrate levels.
Dragon Moray Eels

 

[oceanists]

About grape seed macro algea I{ dont have a fuge set up yet ........ so i took the advice of my LFS who really is a good guy .... and placed it in my main tank .... well needless to say i have been battling to keep my power head unclogged ... so NEVER EVER EVER free float Grape seed macro in your main tank
ALSO ..
Sarwiz what are the coils you are talking about and can you send me the plans ..... thank you in advance .... shadowofaman@sbcglobal.net

 

[jdragunas]

hehehe, i'm going to start spamming you... that's what you get for leaving your email address out!

 

[sarwiz100]

Here are some links:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/od/pro...coildenitr.htm
http://mars.reefkeepers.net/USHomePa...Denitrator.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm
http://www.aquariumfish.com/aquarium...d=3793&search=
http://saltaquarium.about.com/sitese...de=3770&type=1
http://saltaquarium.about.com/librar...itratornew.htm
I did a lot of research into this. I am presently getting ready to install a sulphur filled coil denitrator feeding a calcium reactor without the addition of CO2. See if it works. Using a separate "test" tank for this. If you do not have a sump, you can feed tankwater into the denitrator from a powerhead. I have experimented with a rio using the flow valve to back feed water through the air intake connected to airline tubing then to the denitrator. My main tank is siphon fed down by the sump. The small denitrator has a drip rate of about 4 drops/second, 50 ft of airline tubing inside, and I used the white shotgun wads instead of bioballs. It cycled in about 2 weeks. the large one has 100 ft of tubing and is also filled with wads (much cheaper than bioballs, and I reload).I have one that is working now, and you have to watch the drip rate. Too slow and you can get a rotten egg smell. When you first install it, let it fill with tank water, and then shut it off for 3-4 days, then set your drip rate at about 3-8 drops per second, and have it drip onto a piece of plexiglass and not directly back into the sump. This allows the water to reoxygenate.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by jdragunas
hehehe, i'm going to start spamming you... that's what you get for leaving your email address out!
This post is a violation of the user agreement that you agreed to when you joined.
Just letting you know.

 

[jdragunas]

oh, i know. I was just giving ben a hard time. just a little joke...

 

[oceanists]

jenn make sure to include nudies!

 

[jdragunas]

ok, would you like pics of blue velvet nudis, lettuce nudis, newspaper nudis, or purple nudis?

 

[oceanists]

LOL .... Touche

What have you been up to ??

 

[jdragunas]

not much... back problems right now, but other than that i'm great!

 

[oceanists]

Jenn While ive got you here ...... i know you have a wet dry ..... I just bought one , its rated for 400 gallons , now i know people say the bio balls are a nitrate trap but you were saying you run a protien skimmer .. how is yours set up , and how does it work for you ..... im going to put a rio 2100 on mine but im wondering if i should put my over flow on my fuge or my main tankl and have the water from the Wet Dry run to the fuge then the fuge to the main tank ..... how are you doing it ???

 

[oceanists]

back problems suck .... i have my share i used to install carpet .......... im 23 with the knees of a 40 year old , from the doctors lips to gods ears

 

[jdragunas]

well, mine is setup so my protein skimmer is in the intake part of the wet/dry. When i setup a fuge for my 55, i'll do it exactly like you said. I'll have my overflow go into the wet/dry, the wet/dry will go to the fuge, and the fuge to the main tank.
now, you have to take into account the height differences. If, for example, you have duplicate powerheads... one running from the w/d to the fuge, and one from the fuge to the tank... and you have the fuge and wet/dry on the same level, the pump in the w/d will pump faster than the one going from the fuge to the main tank... not by much, but it could be just enough to cause overflowing. What you have to do is have the fuge pump 1/2 way between the top of the tank and the w/d pump... it's a lot of work!!!....
Or you could have your tank overflow into your fuge which would overflow into your w/d, and then would be pumped back up to the top. You just have to make sure you have enough room in the top of the fuge so that if your electricity goes out, it won't overflow.
and back problems do suck... arthritus, a slipped disc, and sculiosis at 22... and since i was 10... it sucks!!!

 

[oceanists]

jenn thank you very much ....... im setting it all up tonight ...... didnt you fall off a cliff in hawaii on your honeymoon ...... that must have killed your back