nitrates in a 10 gallon

[farmerbob]

My nitrates in my 10 gallon are consistently between 20-40ppm even with weekly water changes and a canister filter of SeaChem DeNitrate. I know everyone recommends a refugium for nitrate control, is there a way to do an effective refugium for a 10 gallon? I put some of those sawtooth whatever plants in my tank in hopes it would help, but 24 hours later there's no improvement.
You guys are all super-geniuses, help me out!

 

[doodle1800]

What kind of filtration are you using? How often do you feed? How many fish are in there? Any LR? Substrate?

 

[beaslbob]

Bob: the plants will help but may take a longer than a day for noticible nitrAte reduction.
If your nitrates are 40ppm a 10% water change with nitrate free water will only lower them to 36 ppm. Your bioload could very well be producing nitrates at a much higher rate. Therefore 10% weekly water changes has not lowered your nitrates.
20-40 ppm is acceptable for fish but should be lower for a reef tank. Additionally, I once had a nitrate kit that was reading too high. So they could be lower.
Do everything you can to get the plants growing. They are the best at nitrate reduction and a whole host of other things.
Bob

 

[farmerbob]

I've got 3 small fish, a small emerald and fiddler crab, along with a couple of snails and small hitchhiers. I feed the tank twice a day.
Filtration is a Penguin mini-biowheel filter and a submerged canister powerhead/filter that I used to run in my turtle tank. I've got the canister full of SeaChem denitrate, but I haven't changed it out since I put it in several months ago, so maybe that's why they're high?

 

[doodle1800]

Rid the biowheel portion of your filter. Its a nitrate producer. Don't know about the cannister filter but I'd clean it. You might also want to change the pads in your penguin and remove any charcoal inside the pads by slicing it with a razor and dump them out.

 

[doodle1800]

What kind of bottom (substrate) do you have?

 

[farmerbob]

one other question, these sawtooth-blade whatever plants, do I need to sink them down into the aragonite or are they fine just as a bunch around the filter intake? I put it there because one of my fish loves to bite at the intake and get himself stuck.

 

[farmerbob]

Really? Remove the charcoal and biowheel?? Could this also be why our nitrates are high in our 30 gallon? We've got a similar setup on that one, but it's an Emperor 280 biowheel and a Jebo submersible cannister filter.
My substrate is Aragalive IndoPacific Black Aragonite.

 

[doodle1800]

Yes - charcoal is not necessary all the time. Plus they take a "dump" if left in too long. A "dump" meaning the nitrates they collect while working. The same thing with the bio wheels. Ok to have for a little while but they will produce nitrates - don't need them, IMO. Us the filters to collectt large debris. Let the plant life and LR do the filtering, along with your substrate. Also don't mess with your sand too much after your tank is established. Stirring up the tank sand will also produce nitrates.

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by farmerbob
Really? Remove the charcoal and biowheel?? Could this also be why our nitrates are high in our 30 gallon? We've got a similar setup on that one, but it's an Emperor 280 biowheel and a Jebo submersible cannister filter.
My substrate is Aragalive IndoPacific Black Aragonite.
I respectifully disagree. You have nitrAtes in both tanks because of the lack of plant life. Enough plant life and nitrAtes in both tank will go down with or without the carbon and/or biowheel.

 

[doodle1800]

I agree with Bob. But right now you don't have enough plant life to do what he states. I'm saying do the removing now and if and when your plant life takes off, then that's a different story.

 

[beaslbob]

thanks doodle. And we both agree.
What I am actually saying is add more plant life. Get it from fellow tank keepers in the local area or whereever. I did not mean to wait around for the existing stuff to grow.
I am sure we both agree that more plant life is the answer.

 

[doodle1800]

I should practice what you preach and get some myself (plant life). I have some caulerpa growing but not enough yet.

 

[doodle1800]

farmer bob - do some research on bio wheels and get others opinions on that - along with charcoal. I'm not saying this is the main cause, but every little bit helps. Look up over feeding also.
Rich

 

[reefnut]

There are other ways to reduce and maintain nitrate with out having to fill your display with algae.
1- Check your equipment. Sounds like that could be a problem.
2- Do a series of water changes to get the nitrates down.
3- Feed once a day.
What do you have for a clean up crew.
My 6g doesn't get above 5ppm with nothing but weekly water changes.

 

[farmerbob]

With the plants, will they live floating or should I plant them into the aragonite?