nitrate issues

crypt keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by littlej2455
http:///forum/post/3085799
I have used this product before on my tank, and I know it sounds kind of crazy, but it actually does what it says. It actually lowers nitrates and nitrites.
What do you mean I don't know what I am talking about?
You don't know what you are talking about because ich is not always there. It shouldn't ever be there. IF you knew what you were doing and what you are talking about you would know this.
 

spanko

Active Member
Originally Posted by Salt Life
http:///forum/post/3084632
since I got the niger trigger my nitrates have gone back up to between 80ppm-160ppm.
what can I do besides water changes to keep my water params more stable? ( I have ALWAYS had nitrate problems)
trite and ammonia are at 0.
I feed the niger every other day.
my fuge is full of chaeto and it doesn't seem to really reduce the trates.
advice or things to help would be great.

I don't know anything about the trigger, it's eating and defecating habits however I do know that nitrates are a result of the nitrification process happening continually in our tanks.
That said your tank specifically its biofilter is producing nitrates faster than you can get them out (doh!!!).
Remind me again what size is your tank?
How often and in what quantity are you doing water changes?
Is your Chaetomorpha growing and if so how often are you harvesting it?
 

littlej2455

Member
Originally Posted by crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/3086034
You don't know what you are talking about because ich is not always there. It shouldn't ever be there. IF you knew what you were doing and what you are talking about you would know this.
"Ich is so widespread that many experts feel that it is present in the environment of most aquariums, especially in larger holding tanks, rearing ponds of breeders, collectors, and wholesalers. In fact, just about every aquarium fish will come into contact with this protozoan at several times in its life. Because it is so widespread, most fish have developed a good immune response against the disease to allow them to fight off the protozoan infection before it ever causes any symptoms. Captive fish that develop ich usually get the disease when their immune systems are not functioning as well as they should be because of stress. We know that stress lowers the immune response and when fish are stressed that is when ich is most prevalent."
I have more sources too, if you want to see them.
http://www.peteducation.com/article....+2160&aid=2421
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
In fact, just about every aquarium fish will come into contact with this protozoan at several times in its life.
This is just not true. Considering the vastness of our ocean reefs and good quarantining measures by the home hobbyist a one time infestation if that is all that should accrue
Ok so once again I am confused this is the statement taken from the link you posted since
we understand that we cannot kill ich while it is on the fish,
But then they say some of the best treatments historically have been Formalin or malachite green, or a combination of the two.
And as is wildly known Formalin should only be used as a dip. Seems contradictory don’t you think.
Because it is so widespread, most fish have developed a good immune response against the disease to allow them to fight off the protozoan infection before it ever causes any symptoms.
How can that statement be validated if there are not symptoms?
 

littlej2455

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3086203
This is just not true. Considering the vastness of our ocean reefs and good quarantining measures by the home hobbyist a one time infestation if that is all that should accrue
Ok so once again I am confused this is the statement taken from the link you posted since But then they say some of the best treatments historically have been Formalin or malachite green, or a combination of the two.
And as is wildly known Formalin should only be used as a dip. Seems contradictory don’t you think.
How can that statement be validated if there are not symptoms?
Formalin is there to help build their immune system to fight of the disease. This is why sometimes people use formalin in the acclamation process, to help build the immune system of their fish before introducing the fish to their tank.
 

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by littlej2455
http:///forum/post/3086317
Formalin is there to help build their immune system to fight of the disease. This is why sometimes people use formalin in the acclamation process, to help build the immune system of their fish before introducing the fish to their tank.
With all due respect I have no idea where you get your information. What I can tell you though is that Formalin 10 % which is what we use is formaldehyde, methyl alcohol and water how this builds up a fishes immunity is something you will have to explain to me. As far as its use in acclamation of a new fish it is in fact used as a dip to attempt to rid the fish of any external protozoans
 

littlej2455

Member
Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3086339
With all due respect I have no idea where you get your information. What I can tell you though is that Formalin 10 % which is what we use is formaldehyde, methyl alcohol and water how this builds up a fishes immunity is something you will have to explain to me. As far as its use in acclamation of a new fish it is in fact used as a dip to attempt to rid the fish of any external protozoans
I have provided all of my sources.
 

6mmmedic

Member
I have to agree that your skimmer is way too small. Get a G3 of or a Coralife superskimmer 220. I would agree to make the live rock do the filtration and not bio balls. Who cares about whether Ich is always present or not. If your fish are not infected now and havent been then big deal. I would NEVER use copper on live rock...its then trash for anyone but you. Have you tried using some reef carbon or activated carbon?
 

small triggers

Active Member
personally, in my 150 g i have a ASM G3 skimmer and it works great, i also run 2 media bag of EXTRAphos (not to be put in a reactor). Works great keeps my nitrates around 40ppm.
You could always add a nitrate reactor after your fuge or do the media bags like i have. Also, do you clean off your rocks? i use a turkey baster to blow them off before i do a water change, and of course you could always do more water changes (YIPPEE)
 

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/3085297
Stop testing for nitrates. Is there something wrong with the fish? If you are just worrying about the numbers, but the fish are fine...well, stop it.
all the fish are fine, I just figured that was pretty high for it to be at.
 

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by 6mmmedic
http:///forum/post/3088024
I have to agree that your skimmer is way too small. Get a G3 of or a Coralife superskimmer 220. I would agree to make the live rock do the filtration and not bio balls. Who cares about whether Ich is always present or not. If your fish are not infected now and havent been then big deal. I would NEVER use copper on live rock...its then trash for anyone but you. Have you tried using some reef carbon or activated carbon?
I don't have space in my sump for a bigger skimmer, I was looking at the G3 but it is too wide.
 

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by littlej2455
http:///forum/post/3086317
Formalin is there to help build their immune system to fight of the disease. This is why sometimes people use formalin in the acclamation process, to help build the immune system of their fish before introducing the fish to their tank.
Formalin is a carcinogen. It is toxic to fish, which is why it is only used as a dip rather than a prolonged treatment.
Originally Posted by Salt Life

http:///forum/post/3096625
all the fish are fine, I just figured that was pretty high for it to be at.
It is kind of high. Have you thought about sugar or vodka dosing? Please read up on it. And welcome back.
 

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/3096635
Formalin is a carcinogen. It is toxic to fish, which is why it is only used as a dip rather than a prolonged treatment.
It is kind of high. Have you thought about sugar or vodka dosing? Please read up on it. And welcome back.

yes I have thought about the sugar dosing, I was actually asking CK about it a couple weeks ago while I was reading some articles about it. pretty confusing though, put too little in, your just wasting your time, put too much, you cause yourself algae issues. no one seemed to know the right amounts to add either... I will do some more research on it though.
 

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by small triggers
http:///forum/post/3088291
personally, in my 150 g i have a ASM G3 skimmer and it works great, i also run 2 media bag of EXTRAphos (not to be put in a reactor). Works great keeps my nitrates around 40ppm.
You could always add a nitrate reactor after your fuge or do the media bags like i have. Also, do you clean off your rocks? i use a turkey baster to blow them off before i do a water change, and of course you could always do more water changes (YIPPEE)
a while back I was looking at the Aquaripure denitrators, didn't really get any responses about them in threads and the email responses I got back from the owner weren't that helpful so I passed on it.
 
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