I can't get my nitrates down
- Thread starter aggies50
- Start date
T
tuningvis
Guest
what are they at?
T
tuningvis
Guest
oh and i have a prizm and it does a decent job... lil noisy at first but it grows on ya LOL
partsman
Member
i had the same problem - nitrates ..........overfeeding and detris build up - also a poor water circulation design was my biggest problem. i've now rearranged the rock , added a second pump ( behind rock wall ) and cut way back on the feeding ............thus lower nitrates and phosphates.
check your water flow - maybe trapping uneaten food somewhere like under rocks and corners.
just a thought
M
check your water flow - maybe trapping uneaten food somewhere like under rocks and corners.
just a thought
M
partsman
Member
Originally Posted by Laddy
How old is your tank?
.....you can't control nitrates totally with strickly water changes. You're going to have to find the source of the problem.
Laddy's right about the water changes ...................
finding the source is the first step ...........i kinda like the word " discovery "
like i said before - i had a nitrite problem also and solved it recently myself.
one problem was water flow and rock layout design . i did the ole traditional " mountain i the center thing " and had a tremoundous detris and waste food buildup under and between the rocks problem. i never thought to look there because i had a good clean-up crew . hhmmmmmm
when the openings are too small for them to get in - crap will , ad you know what happens next !!!!
after rearranging the rock layout ( allowing more open areas) and adding the original mini jet pump behind and at the bottom left corner of my rock wall i now had an additional water flow behind the rocks to keep waste moving so it would be either eaten or trapped in the intake filter area.
i updated the original pump to a maxi-jet 900 - worked great with no mods also (created a little heat problem though ) which i also fixed by hole sawing 2 three ich holes directly in front of each fan motor through the splash shield - thus pulling the trapped air between the water surface and the lights. jbj tells me there is a heat transfer problem if your water level is to high also.
if you add the original or any other pump in the inside of your tank as i did - remember to lay something flat under the pump and o top of your sand to keep it from gettig sucked into the pump impeller also.
another area i foud a problem with was
[hr]
> beleive this !!!!!!1
my live fish store i was buying my r.o water wasn't as pure as i thougt. they obviously were not changing filters often enough and i was actually gettig phosfates as well as amonia with new water .
remember - when in doubt - check it for yourself.
after all this - i finally am very happy with my results so far and am actually getting the nerve to upgrade my 175 fish only tank into a reef tank.
people - beleive this - i was still using air stones untill about 3 years ago and stil have dolomite in that tank ....lol
if it works ..................lol
here is a new pic ( had to use camera phone - kodak on the blink ) of the final design on the 12 gallon jbj nano ...............
really wish i had bought the 24 gallon now ...lol . extra room is a factor in the 12 gallon.
ain't life just grande !!!!!
M
How old is your tank?
.....you can't control nitrates totally with strickly water changes. You're going to have to find the source of the problem.
Laddy's right about the water changes ...................
finding the source is the first step ...........i kinda like the word " discovery "
like i said before - i had a nitrite problem also and solved it recently myself.
one problem was water flow and rock layout design . i did the ole traditional " mountain i the center thing " and had a tremoundous detris and waste food buildup under and between the rocks problem. i never thought to look there because i had a good clean-up crew . hhmmmmmm
when the openings are too small for them to get in - crap will , ad you know what happens next !!!!
after rearranging the rock layout ( allowing more open areas) and adding the original mini jet pump behind and at the bottom left corner of my rock wall i now had an additional water flow behind the rocks to keep waste moving so it would be either eaten or trapped in the intake filter area.
i updated the original pump to a maxi-jet 900 - worked great with no mods also (created a little heat problem though ) which i also fixed by hole sawing 2 three ich holes directly in front of each fan motor through the splash shield - thus pulling the trapped air between the water surface and the lights. jbj tells me there is a heat transfer problem if your water level is to high also.
if you add the original or any other pump in the inside of your tank as i did - remember to lay something flat under the pump and o top of your sand to keep it from gettig sucked into the pump impeller also.
another area i foud a problem with was
[hr]
> beleive this !!!!!!1
my live fish store i was buying my r.o water wasn't as pure as i thougt. they obviously were not changing filters often enough and i was actually gettig phosfates as well as amonia with new water .
remember - when in doubt - check it for yourself.
after all this - i finally am very happy with my results so far and am actually getting the nerve to upgrade my 175 fish only tank into a reef tank.
people - beleive this - i was still using air stones untill about 3 years ago and stil have dolomite in that tank ....lol
if it works ..................lol
here is a new pic ( had to use camera phone - kodak on the blink ) of the final design on the 12 gallon jbj nano ...............
really wish i had bought the 24 gallon now ...lol . extra room is a factor in the 12 gallon.
ain't life just grande !!!!!
M
