nitrates

2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
:confused: I have now had my saltwater tank for approx. 2 years and I have done everything I know of to get my nitrate down to 0. I stays between 25 - 50. I don't know what else to do. Everything else (ammonia, ph. etc) is great. I have talked with people where I buy my lr and fish and they can't seem to help me. Can anyone give me any more suggestions as to what I can do. I want to put corals in but until I get my nitrates down where they stay down I can't. Please help me.:help:
 
shawnhardy

shawnhardy

Member
Build a refugium with macro algae. It takes nitrate out of the water as it grows. Search for Fuge or Refugium on here and you will find a lot out about it.
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
I have changed water, put a sump pump, put granules in a hose that is suppose to bring them down and everything else short of starting the whole tank over.:confused:
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Nitrates must be exported to lower levels.
Water changes help but are not enough.
An algae refugium will also help, it might or might not be enough.
A DSB will also help but there in some question about long term viability.
Reducing feedings or stocking levels will also help.
Are you feeding any frozen Brine Shrimp?
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
I have about a 4" sand bed. I make sure not to feed to much because I know that excessive food can make nitrates rise. No I am not feeding the frozed brine shrimp. I'm really frustrated with this. The first saltwater tank I had I never had any of the problems I have had with this one. I'm at my wits end. I don't want to quit because I love these tanks. Please help :help: :help:
 
rossim

rossim

Member
The 35 is a little on the high end, but wouldn't corals do fine with a nitrate level of 20? Are most people able to get the nitrate levels to zero without a fuge?
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
In my first tank my nitrate levels stayed around 0 and I had beautiful corals. And since I've never had any problems with my tank I'm not sure what your talking about "wetdry w/ bioball or biowheel HOB or spong filters?:confused:
 
shawnhardy

shawnhardy

Member
How were you able to keep your nitrates at zero in your old tank? What type of setup did you have? Will a DSB really keep nitrates at zero?
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
I have the same setup there as I do now except I used well water on the other one and I am now using spring water on this one. Don't know if the DSB will keep them at zero but like I said I didn't have any problems with that one so this nitrate thing is really frustrating me.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Spring water could be a large source of Nitrate. You need to use pure water like Distilled or RO/DI for best results.
A Live DSB will in fact lower Nitrate to near zero levels. It needs to be live with critters, worms, etc to process Nitrate though. 4 inches of sand is a DSB but not necessarily a Live DSB.
 
mburnickas

mburnickas

Member
My nitrates are always zero in my 75. I hav a 4 to 5" DSB with billions of worms in it.
I also have a Wet/Dry and again so far, it is working great.
Do you run a skimmer?
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
I will start using the distilled water but I thought I had read hear somewhere that spring water was preferred over distilled. What type of worms are you talking about? Everytime I do a water change I check. No I do not have a skimmer. What type would you suggest?
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
A skimmer would also be a big plus for several reasons.
Don't ever use Spring water.
Cirratulid worms are good but most of the beneficial worms are microscopic. They can be acquired by obtaining a good quantity of high quality live sand.
 
2ndtimer

2ndtimer

Member
I have LS now but I will obtain more. I will also get a skimmer and use distilled water. What type of skimmer would you suggest?
 
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