Nitrate trouble ( possibly due to G6)

[hawkfish203]

Seems my nitrates are pretty high and I'm wondering if it's caused by the G6 I'm running? It has these three baskets that you put what they call "G Nodes" Which they say "feature a complex pore system where beneficial bacteria will thrive" And going against my better judgement I have been going with there recommendation that they can stay in there for six months before being changed. So as of right now they have been in there for about three months. My nitrate is at 20 right now but, I did do a large water change yesterday and will be doing small water changes over the next several days to help fix this problem. What does everyone think that these "G Nodes" are causing this problem?

 

[florida joe]

The problem is the lack of bio and or mechanical nitrate reduction for the bio load you introduce into the system

 

[hawkfish203]

So what your telling me is that I may not have sufficient filtration for my bio load?

 

[hawkfish203]

Right now I have a 125 with a 35 gallon sump with a Euro Reef 180 in the sump, where the water comes in I have filter floss and under that I have Chemi Pure elite there is cheato in the fuge and I have a Phosban 150 on the sump that I'm currently not running. Then I have the G6 that I run phosguard in and the G Nodes. I run carbon in the Phosban Reactor now and then. Just so you know what your working with.

 

[florida joe]

Quote:
Originally Posted by HAWKFISH203 http:///t/387996/nitrate-trouble-possibly-due-to-g6#post_3418512
So what your telling me is that I may not have sufficient filtration for my bio load?
There are two zones of filtration we deal with nitrification and di nitrification what I am saying is your nitrification is dealing with the bio load presented the dinitrification is not keeping up with the nitrates production hence the high nitrate readings

 

[hawkfish203]

So how would you go about fixing this?

 

[florida joe]

My advice to you is simply research ways of reducing nitrates through higher forms of algae as well as what is required to promote anaerobic bacteria growth

 

[hawkfish203]

So possibly a turf scrubber?

 

[florida joe]

Yes or a refuge running caulerpa

 

[1guydude]

+1 on the caulupra....HA suks up the most nutrients but a fuge with calupra will do the same.

 

[hawkfish203]

Can I put that in with the cheato?

 

[hawkfish203]

Thanks guys Just ordered some caulerpa

What do you think is a sufficient amount of time to wait in between 10% water changes to get the nitrate down before it gets here.

 

[btldreef]

You can do daily water changes, if you really wanted to.