waterlogged
Member
Does a cleaner crew help lower nitrates by eating detritus? What invertebrates are good for this?
Do biowheels cause nitrates?
Do biowheels cause nitrates?
How to lower nitrates?
- Thread starter waterlogged
- Start date
S
swalchemist
Guest
Nitrates are the result of improper nutrient export i.e. poor filtration and skimming. Also overfeeding and insufficient water flow to drive waste into filtration.
ophiura
Active Member
The biowheel I answered elsewhere (it does not)
A clean up crew, IMO, will not help lower nitrates because whether the food rots, or is eaten...it is still in there. They are not magical.
The key to lowering nitrates is reducing the amount of food in the tank, reducing bioload (meaning adding animals rarely helps), increasing export (refugium, water changes, DSB, good skimmer).
But there is no magic bullet. It comes down to controlling what you put in the tank, and what you take out.
A clean up crew, IMO, will not help lower nitrates because whether the food rots, or is eaten...it is still in there. They are not magical.
The key to lowering nitrates is reducing the amount of food in the tank, reducing bioload (meaning adding animals rarely helps), increasing export (refugium, water changes, DSB, good skimmer).
But there is no magic bullet. It comes down to controlling what you put in the tank, and what you take out.
S
swalchemist
Guest
Yep waste managment is the key. Anything that eats will also, well you understand I'm sure.
waterlogged
Member
Is 20 nitrates acceptable for fish and common invertebrates such as cleaner shrimp, snails, crabs?
S
swalchemist
Guest
I would feel better if it were below 10 personally.
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by Waterlogged
Is 20 nitrates acceptable for fish and common invertebrates such as cleaner shrimp, snails, crabs?
They will be fine. Tell us what is going on. Have you missed a few changes, or done them and they won't lower, or something else?
Is 20 nitrates acceptable for fish and common invertebrates such as cleaner shrimp, snails, crabs?
They will be fine. Tell us what is going on. Have you missed a few changes, or done them and they won't lower, or something else?
waterlogged
Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
They will be fine. Tell us what is going on. Have you missed a few changes, or done them and they won't lower, or something else?
I do a 10g water change once a week with ro water on a 125g tank. Ammonia is always 0, nitrites always 0, nitrates always 20. I have no corals, just fish and invertebrates. Should I even worry about 20 nitrates?
They will be fine. Tell us what is going on. Have you missed a few changes, or done them and they won't lower, or something else?
I do a 10g water change once a week with ro water on a 125g tank. Ammonia is always 0, nitrites always 0, nitrates always 20. I have no corals, just fish and invertebrates. Should I even worry about 20 nitrates?
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by Waterlogged
I do a 10g water change once a week with ro water on a 125g tank. Ammonia is always 0, nitrites always 0, nitrates always 20. I have no corals, just fish and invertebrates. Should I even worry about 20 nitrates?
Do you have a fuge? 20 isn't ideal, but unless you have a reef it is not detrimental either. Bump up the changes. Do 20-25% on the tank. Pull the water out then add it slowly back in. It will not harm anything. Just don't add it forcefully back in. Add a little at a time. If the temp, SG, and PH are the same as the display then there is no need to worry. I personaly feel that if the nitrates need to be lowered pulling more out at a time, but not too much, is more effective.You are pulling out water with a higher concentration of nitrates and replacing it with water with zero nitrates. If you are uncomfortable with this then do 15% changes twice a week. If you don't already have a fuge then you realy should consider getting one.
I do a 10g water change once a week with ro water on a 125g tank. Ammonia is always 0, nitrites always 0, nitrates always 20. I have no corals, just fish and invertebrates. Should I even worry about 20 nitrates?
Do you have a fuge? 20 isn't ideal, but unless you have a reef it is not detrimental either. Bump up the changes. Do 20-25% on the tank. Pull the water out then add it slowly back in. It will not harm anything. Just don't add it forcefully back in. Add a little at a time. If the temp, SG, and PH are the same as the display then there is no need to worry. I personaly feel that if the nitrates need to be lowered pulling more out at a time, but not too much, is more effective.You are pulling out water with a higher concentration of nitrates and replacing it with water with zero nitrates. If you are uncomfortable with this then do 15% changes twice a week. If you don't already have a fuge then you realy should consider getting one.
waterlogged
Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
Do you have a fuge? 20 isn't ideal, but unless you have a reef it is not detrimental either. Bump up the changes. Do 20-25% on the tank. Pull the water out then add it slowly back in. It will not harm anything. Just don't add it forcefully back in. Add a little at a time. If the temp, SG, and PH are the same as the display then there is no need to worry. I personaly feel that if the nitrates need to be lowered pulling more out at a time, but not too much, is more effective.You are pulling out water with a higher concentration of nitrates and replacing it with water with zero nitrates. If you are uncomfortable with this then do 15% changes twice a week. If you don't already have a fuge then you realy should consider getting one.
I have a HOB fuge with caulerpa and a built in skimmer.
Do you have a fuge? 20 isn't ideal, but unless you have a reef it is not detrimental either. Bump up the changes. Do 20-25% on the tank. Pull the water out then add it slowly back in. It will not harm anything. Just don't add it forcefully back in. Add a little at a time. If the temp, SG, and PH are the same as the display then there is no need to worry. I personaly feel that if the nitrates need to be lowered pulling more out at a time, but not too much, is more effective.You are pulling out water with a higher concentration of nitrates and replacing it with water with zero nitrates. If you are uncomfortable with this then do 15% changes twice a week. If you don't already have a fuge then you realy should consider getting one.
I have a HOB fuge with caulerpa and a built in skimmer.
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by Waterlogged
I have a HOB fuge with caulerpa and a built in skimmer.
Alright, then just bump up the changes. 10 gallons out of a 125 is only 8% changes. Do 16-18 gallons at a time. That is 13-14%, twice a week until they come down.
I have a HOB fuge with caulerpa and a built in skimmer.
Alright, then just bump up the changes. 10 gallons out of a 125 is only 8% changes. Do 16-18 gallons at a time. That is 13-14%, twice a week until they come down.
rcoultas
Member
what size tank are we talking about here?
The 20 nitrate is not bad - it is a bit stressful on inverts - but not bad for the fish. Nitrates at high levels will kill inverts - fish on the other hand are simply stressed out and made more susceptible to other problems by this.
If you have a larger tank then a HOB is not sufficient and you would probably be well advised to upgrade.
What are the inhabitants in this tank? Do you have live sand and live rock? How much flow do you have? There are many factors that can lead to nitrate issues - with more detailed info on your setup we may find a solution.
Water changes are always a good idea - but if your nitrates are not going down then there must be an underlying cause.
The 20 nitrate is not bad - it is a bit stressful on inverts - but not bad for the fish. Nitrates at high levels will kill inverts - fish on the other hand are simply stressed out and made more susceptible to other problems by this.
If you have a larger tank then a HOB is not sufficient and you would probably be well advised to upgrade.
What are the inhabitants in this tank? Do you have live sand and live rock? How much flow do you have? There are many factors that can lead to nitrate issues - with more detailed info on your setup we may find a solution.
Water changes are always a good idea - but if your nitrates are not going down then there must be an underlying cause.
waterlogged
Member
Hey Sepulatian, will you look at my profile to see the equipment I use. 125g tank, 160 pounds live rock, 2 inch live sand bed.
Sorry Rcoultas, we posted at the exact same time. Look under my profile for equipment.
copperband butterfly, foxface rabbitfish, mimic yellow tang, 2 oscellaris clowns, 2 pajama cardinals, lawnmower blenny, mandarin dragonet
2 anenomes, 3 cc stars, snails, shrimp
I feed 1 frozen cube 1 time a day, I thaw and add slowly, seaweed on a clip every other day
water change once a week, gravel vac sand once a month
RO/DI water, IO salt
Sorry Rcoultas, we posted at the exact same time. Look under my profile for equipment.
copperband butterfly, foxface rabbitfish, mimic yellow tang, 2 oscellaris clowns, 2 pajama cardinals, lawnmower blenny, mandarin dragonet
2 anenomes, 3 cc stars, snails, shrimp
I feed 1 frozen cube 1 time a day, I thaw and add slowly, seaweed on a clip every other day
water change once a week, gravel vac sand once a month
RO/DI water, IO salt