Lowering Nitrates
- Thread starter travis89
- Start date
farslayer
Active Member
Whether or not LR is precured is not as relevant, if it is outside of the water for too long it must be cured again. Things don't just stopy dying off because previous die off was removed. LR can stay out for about 20 minutes before it must be cured again, regardless of whether or not it was previously cured.
Yes, get at least 40lbs of rock and add it, you will not cycle your tank, I"ve done this many times before and have never had trouble. Activated carbon won't improve the nitrate situation but will clean your water. Go with more LR, weekly water changes (10 to 15 per cent) and cut back on feedings. Compare your readings now with those in the next few weeks and you'll be amazed at the difference.
Yes, get at least 40lbs of rock and add it, you will not cycle your tank, I"ve done this many times before and have never had trouble. Activated carbon won't improve the nitrate situation but will clean your water. Go with more LR, weekly water changes (10 to 15 per cent) and cut back on feedings. Compare your readings now with those in the next few weeks and you'll be amazed at the difference.
ophiura
Active Member
Originally Posted by Farslayer
This gives you surface area for corraline to grow and corraline will reduce nitrates.
.
Just to throw in a bit of debate
I have to say I am not so sure about this. I am assuming it is a nutrient export idea similar to growing macros...the problem, IMO, is that things like hair algae will grow much faster in many tanks that coralline algae and outcompete the coralline from the start. Coralline is a player in the alkalinity/pH/calcium equation I would say. But in general I would not personally consider coralline growth to be a major player in reducing nitrates. JMO tho.
What are you feeding?
How much are you feeding? (eg if frozen is it a whole cube?)
Can you get a skimmer?
Have you had this checked with another test kit?
Can you add a refugium, even a hang on version?
This gives you surface area for corraline to grow and corraline will reduce nitrates.
.
Just to throw in a bit of debate
What are you feeding?
How much are you feeding? (eg if frozen is it a whole cube?)
Can you get a skimmer?
Have you had this checked with another test kit?
Can you add a refugium, even a hang on version?
travis89
Active Member
yes Ihave had it tested with another kit and it comes out the same. I have a skimmer, I feed pelletrs,flakes, and frozen mysid shrimp(i think that's how you spell it).I would probably get the filter after I get everything else. I have since being told to cut down been feeding each fish about 4-5 pellets, close to 3 shrimp or 4-5 small flakes. How many shrimp and snails should I have in my tank?
farslayer
Active Member
I agree with ophiura, but I think the corraline approach is maintenance rather than solution. Hair algae will certainly overtake the corraline, but if you don't have a hair algae problem then the corraline will certainly help. If you have extremely excessive amounts of excess nutrients then the corraline would not be of too much help unless you manually cut back the hair to give it a chance to grow. I've had to do this before in my 29G puffer tank, the hair was a pain but I was able to cut it back enough to let the corraline grow. I went from about 40ppm to 0 in about 5 weeks. Ever since I've had wonderful corraline and no hair, been that way for almost three years now.
But you're right, it's not a solution, but something which is for long term care
But you're right, it's not a solution, but something which is for long term care
dreamreef
Member
So from what I gather you only have 5.5 inches of fish in a 46 gallon tank. If you have 1 lb of live rock per gallon and this minimal amount of fish, overfeeding must have a lot to do with nitrates being a bit high. I always double check for any snails or crabs that may have died everytime I do a vacuum and 20% water change, just to make sure nothing is adding to the nitrates, etc. But like someone else said, try to figure out the MAIN reason for the high readings, that way you know exactly what was causing the nitrates to become higher than desired. Most people suggest 1.5-1.75 lbs of live rock per gallon, and I have a bit over 1 lb per gallon in a 72 bow, with many more fish than you, and am running a canister(which will soon be upgraded to a refugium) and haven't had a prob with nitrates since I figured out how much and how often to feed them.
farslayer
Active Member
Protein skimmers are good, but they don't remove nitrates, they remove material from the water and prevent it from becoming nitrates. I have a CPR Bak Pak 2 with the surface skimming box attachment, but I employe lots of LR and maintain undetectable nitrates. I have a clown, blue faced goby, watchman goby, pistol shrimp, cleaner shrimp, dusky jawfish and crabs and snails. Try the suggestions here and check back with the board in a few weeks, I think you'll be happy with the results. BTW, what skimmer do you have??
jester805
Member
I would recommend about 30 snails (turbo or astria). You could also get about 20 or 30 smaller crabs (red leg or blue leg). The crabs will move all around your substrate and help to keep it clean.
I just added the AquaC Remora and it made a huge difference in cleaning up the water.
I also need to get more live rock and live sand. I have probably 40 to 50 pounds of LR and 80 pounds of LS in my 75.
I just added the AquaC Remora and it made a huge difference in cleaning up the water.
I also need to get more live rock and live sand. I have probably 40 to 50 pounds of LR and 80 pounds of LS in my 75.
N
nereef
Guest
Originally Posted by jester805
I would recommend about 30 snails (turbo or astria).
when you say turbo, i hope you don't mean 30 Turbo fluctuosa. there's no way you need that many.
I would recommend about 30 snails (turbo or astria).
when you say turbo, i hope you don't mean 30 Turbo fluctuosa. there's no way you need that many.
N
nereef
Guest
good luck buddy.