Nitrate factory

[maury]

I had seen someone refer to a cannister filter as a nitrate factory in a previous post. Have done a board search, but cannot find an explanation for this. Can someone tell me why a cannister filter can be called a nitrate factory?

 

[amphiprion]

All mechanical/bioligical filters produce high nitrates. They break down ammonia to nitrite to nitrate, but that is as far as it goes. The only way to lower nitrates at this point is by water changes. Or go to the Berlin method, get rid of the cannister, get live rock, deep sand bed.

 

[mr . salty]

Thai is caused by the filter trapping large ammounts of waste.This waste is the cause of the high nitrates.Keep the canister clean and there should be no problem.I would suggest you rinse it out good in the old water from your water changes.Never clean it in fresh/non saltwater as this would kill the bacteria.