Nitrate Removers???
- Thread starter aqua blue
- Start date
j21kickster
Active Member
My best nitrate remover is a water change. Its cheap and effective, more so than those nitrate reducing filters.
aqua blue
Member
Originally posted by j21kickster
My best nitrate remover is a water change. Its cheap and effective, more so than those nitrate reducing filters.
I am currently doing a 5 gallon water change every 2 weeks. My tank has about 40 "net" gallons. Would it be better to do a 10-15 gallon water change once a month instead?
I am new to this hobby and just looking for other options to control and reduce nitrate build up. I will eventually start adding some cured live rock but that will take me a little while at $4 a pound. I think I would need about 50 lbs. for my tank.
Thanks,
broomer5
Active Member
fritzwilly
I've never used any nitrate removing products so I can't comment.
I do believe that if you want to reduce/remove nitrates by performing water changes - you're much better off doing a monthly 20-25% or higher water change compared to small weekly ones, especially with a high to medium fish load in the tank.
But it all depends on "how high" the nitrates are that you're wanting to control in the first place, and how low you want to get them doing just water changes alone.
I've never used any nitrate removing products so I can't comment.
I do believe that if you want to reduce/remove nitrates by performing water changes - you're much better off doing a monthly 20-25% or higher water change compared to small weekly ones, especially with a high to medium fish load in the tank.
But it all depends on "how high" the nitrates are that you're wanting to control in the first place, and how low you want to get them doing just water changes alone.
aqua blue
Member
The Nitrate level in my tank is staying around 10 ppm. It drops closer to 5 ppm after water changes. The longer the tank is up the less effect the small water changes seem to have on dropping the nitrate level.
I am just trying to learn more about other options and methods for controlling nitrates before they rise to a higher level and cause more problems.
Aren't inverts more intolerant of higher nitrate levels than fish?
I would like to add some more crabs and maybe some cleaner shrimp down the road, but I want to get the nitrate levels under control first.
Thanks for all the helpful advice.
Fritzwilly
I am just trying to learn more about other options and methods for controlling nitrates before they rise to a higher level and cause more problems.
Aren't inverts more intolerant of higher nitrate levels than fish?
I would like to add some more crabs and maybe some cleaner shrimp down the road, but I want to get the nitrate levels under control first.
Thanks for all the helpful advice.
Fritzwilly
fshhub
Active Member
10, is that all??
leave it be, it aint broke!
10 is a darn good rating, most of us would love to have 10 or less
and you want some, if you have or ar going to get filter feeders like feather dusters adn corals and clams, they need food too, but 10 is an excellent reading that i would not worry about at all
leave it be, it aint broke!
10 is a darn good rating, most of us would love to have 10 or less
and you want some, if you have or ar going to get filter feeders like feather dusters adn corals and clams, they need food too, but 10 is an excellent reading that i would not worry about at all
aqua blue
Member
Thanks for the reply fhhub. I am new to this hobby but growing more addicted each day. There are so many things to watch, learn, and enjoy as your tank progresses.
I have lost 1 Blue Devil Damsel due to the other Blue Devil Damsel. And I lost one Turbo Snail. The snail fell off the glass one day but had movement when I would turn him over. That momement became less each day and after 3 days I found the hermit crabs lining up for the buffet. I did not know if the snail would cause too much of a ammonia spike so I removed it, boiled it , fed 4 small pieces to the hermits and saved the shell for one of them as they grow. I thought maybe the 10ppm nitrate level may have caused the death.
Still Learning, Alway Enjoying the Hobby.
Thanks,
Fritzwilly
I have lost 1 Blue Devil Damsel due to the other Blue Devil Damsel. And I lost one Turbo Snail. The snail fell off the glass one day but had movement when I would turn him over. That momement became less each day and after 3 days I found the hermit crabs lining up for the buffet. I did not know if the snail would cause too much of a ammonia spike so I removed it, boiled it , fed 4 small pieces to the hermits and saved the shell for one of them as they grow. I thought maybe the 10ppm nitrate level may have caused the death.
Still Learning, Alway Enjoying the Hobby.
Thanks,
Fritzwilly
fshhub
Active Member
snails die, and turbos often do it after falling, as you apparently know, one thing that could be affecting them is the salinity, they seem to like ita little higher(we keep ours about 1.025)
another thing, a hermit may have wanted its shell, but i really doubt your trates were teh problem, 10 is really good by far
another thing, a hermit may have wanted its shell, but i really doubt your trates were teh problem, 10 is really good by far