Nitrate Question
- Thread starter zero1870
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jacksonpt
Active Member
Nitrates are a natural byproduct of organic waste (think poop, dead critters, leftover food, that sort of thing) breakdown in a tank. It will naturally work itself out if you don't add to it... but that's a big if.
If you really need to remove it, then I don't think there are any sure-fire ways aside from water changes (assuming your new water doesn't have nitrates in it). A protein skimmer will reduce trates, but I'm not sure if that's the type of option you're looking for.
Things like reducing feedings (both how much you feed and how often you feed) and having a good array of scavengers in your tank will help prevent nitrate buildup in the first place.
If you really need to remove it, then I don't think there are any sure-fire ways aside from water changes (assuming your new water doesn't have nitrates in it). A protein skimmer will reduce trates, but I'm not sure if that's the type of option you're looking for.
Things like reducing feedings (both how much you feed and how often you feed) and having a good array of scavengers in your tank will help prevent nitrate buildup in the first place.
sly
Active Member
I have a 72 gallon tank with 0 ppm nitrates always... Lots of live rock will do wonders to reduce nitrate. I also have a fuge with mangroves and chaetomorpha algae which also consume nitrates. Deep sand beds will reduce nitrates (but I don't use one).
Last, nitrasorb pads will work but IMO are not a good option. Natural > Chemical
If you overstock it will be harder to keep your nitrates down. If you don't clean out your foam prefilters you will have high nitrates as well. Also if you don't use a prefilter over your wet/dry (if you have one) then you will accumulate ditrius and it will produce nitrates as it decays. Cleaning your substrate will help as well (as long as you don't have a deep sand bed, if you do then leave it alone). Remove any sources of decay before you do anything else. It does no good to try to fix the problem if you don't fix the source.
Last, nitrasorb pads will work but IMO are not a good option. Natural > Chemical
If you overstock it will be harder to keep your nitrates down. If you don't clean out your foam prefilters you will have high nitrates as well. Also if you don't use a prefilter over your wet/dry (if you have one) then you will accumulate ditrius and it will produce nitrates as it decays. Cleaning your substrate will help as well (as long as you don't have a deep sand bed, if you do then leave it alone). Remove any sources of decay before you do anything else. It does no good to try to fix the problem if you don't fix the source.
sly
Active Member
Originally Posted by peckhead
what is a prefilter on a wet dry? where is it located...above the bio balls? or below?
You should have some sort of filter before your water gets to your wet/dry. Foam, floss or that white blue mesh that was mentioned will work fine. If you don't filter the water that goes to your wet/dry, it will collect dirt which will decay and release nitrates.
Often you hear people complain about wet/dry filters being nitrate factories... this is why. If you don't pre-clean the water, they will be.
If you haven't been using a filter before your wet/dry, then you probably need to clean off your bioballs. When I cleaned mine (2 years ago) I pulled them all out and put them in a 5 gallon bucket of salt water and simply agitated them around with my hand vigoursly to knock off all the dirt. Then I scooped them out and rinsed them one last time with clean water through a sieve and put them back in. It's important when cleaning them to not let them dry out for too long or to keep them submerged in water for too long. Just clean them and get them back in there. Then put a filter pad in before the bioballs (usually in the lid just laying there) and then clean the filter pad as needed.
what is a prefilter on a wet dry? where is it located...above the bio balls? or below?
You should have some sort of filter before your water gets to your wet/dry. Foam, floss or that white blue mesh that was mentioned will work fine. If you don't filter the water that goes to your wet/dry, it will collect dirt which will decay and release nitrates.
Often you hear people complain about wet/dry filters being nitrate factories... this is why. If you don't pre-clean the water, they will be.
If you haven't been using a filter before your wet/dry, then you probably need to clean off your bioballs. When I cleaned mine (2 years ago) I pulled them all out and put them in a 5 gallon bucket of salt water and simply agitated them around with my hand vigoursly to knock off all the dirt. Then I scooped them out and rinsed them one last time with clean water through a sieve and put them back in. It's important when cleaning them to not let them dry out for too long or to keep them submerged in water for too long. Just clean them and get them back in there. Then put a filter pad in before the bioballs (usually in the lid just laying there) and then clean the filter pad as needed.