nitrates

shobby

shobby

Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3094362
BUTTTTTT....and I am not sure how else to do this, you really need to find the cause of the high trates

I know, but I don't know how to go about finding the problem. I did rinse out some of the bio balls, maybe this will help, but other than that I have know idea.
Shell
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Bio balls will and do become nitrate factories IF not taken care of. That is A possibility but I am not certian of that. I am not if front of the tank.
Is there any sediment in the sump?
Are there any sponges or floss in the system? If so how often do you change or clean them?
 
shobby

shobby

Member
Yes, there is sediment in the sump, does that mean something?
Thanks for all of the ideas, I have the perfect light to fit on the sump. Thanks for all of your help.
Shelley
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
LR rubble is as much of a problem in a tank with poor maintenance, overstocking, overfeeding, etc as bioballs are, IMO.
For a new hobbyists, a nitrate issue is far better than an ammonia issue. Bioballs are very good at what they do, and provide a decent amount of a security blanket.
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3094886
LR rubble is as much of a problem in a tank with poor maintenance, overstocking, overfeeding, etc as bioballs are, IMO.
For a new hobbyists, a nitrate issue is far better than an ammonia issue. Bioballs are very good at what they do, and provide a decent amount of a security blanket.
Agreed, I think any form of filtration is a good one. The person must understand what type and style they are using and take care of the tank according to thier filtration method in use.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Scrubbers, IMO, are neither easy to add nor the solution to the root cause. It is merely another possibility to help resolve the issue.
Nitrate issues are caused by (and all these need to be assessed):
Overstocking
Overfeeding (what and how much do you feed)
Maintenance - water changes, filtration, etc...all foam pads need to be cleaned every few days, bioballs rinsed every so often, functional skimmer, possibly a refugium, good circulation in the tank, siphoning if you have crushed coral, source water issues
There is a cause to your nitrates and it is typically at the point of the food going in. What and how much do you feed?
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
In reviewing a couple of the posts above, several things have not been covered including the feeding.
I believe your circulation is too low (2 powerheads).
How much LR do you have? What is your substrate? What foam or pads do you have in the system? Can you get pictures of your tank and the filtration?
 
posiden

posiden

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/3095574
Scrubbers, IMO, are neither easy to add nor the solution to the root cause. It is merely another possibility to help resolve the issue.
Nitrate issues are caused by (and all these need to be assessed):
Overstocking
Overfeeding (what and how much do you feed)
Maintenance - water changes, filtration, etc...all foam pads need to be cleaned every few days, bioballs rinsed every so often, functional skimmer, possibly a refugium, good circulation in the tank, siphoning if you have crushed coral, source water issues
There is a cause to your nitrates and it is typically at the point of the food going in. What and how much do you feed?
I would re-read the thread from the start. Your questions were answered eairlier when you asked befroe.
They feed flake, they have bio balls and the maintence of them has not been too good, They use public water ect........
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Indeed, I missed the flakes, tap water and unknown amount of LR. All of these, IMO, would contribute to a nitrate issue. I think I confused this with another nitrate thread %% anyway, indeed, it is there, my apologies.
I don't think the sponges or substrate are covered and this could be a contributing thing.
Nitrate in most tanks accumulates unless exported via water changes or algae growth (either in a refugium or nuissance). In anaerobic areas such as deep in LR or in a Deep sand bed, nitrate may be converted by bacteria. But otherwise it accumulates.
IMO, 5 -10 is not much of an issue overall. Are the readings verified at the LFS?
(phew, there is another thread I'm on called "nitrates"...otherwise I'm not in good shape for the work week :p )
 
shobby

shobby

Member
I have a sponge where the intake is, clean it at least twice a week but usually three times, being that I change the water that often, have to to keep the nitrates down. 5 to 10 is not bad but it keeps rising past that, so I keep water changes to keep it low. I have a blue/white filter thing below where water passes, clean it at least once a week, and I have a poly fiber filter, changed twice in last month.
Not over feeding, there are weeks that I only feed them every other day, try to every day, but days go by that I look at the tank and there is too much algae, so I will go every other day, just in case I am over feeding.
Only tested once at LFS, and it was out of the world. Way high.
Shell
 
windlasher

windlasher

Member
Originally Posted by shobby
http:///forum/post/3094258
You just buy regular clams out of the seafood department? They will live even though they have been on ice in a showcase? Is there a diffenece in clams?
Shelley
Yep - They are not frozen, just hibernating. Put them in Clean SW and they will BURP. Then drop them in your tank. DOne Deal. There are a few threads on here about this.
 
shobby

shobby

Member
Will the clams open if they die? I bought four, 2 are a little bit opened but not wide open. How do you tell if it is dead?
Shelley
 
windlasher

windlasher

Member
Originally Posted by shobby
http:///forum/post/3096256
One other question, what does burp the clam mean?
Shell
they just come to the surface and open. usually my CUC gets to them and all I find is a shell after a day or two.
BURP means that they will BURP out water, contaminates, sand etc. usually takes about 5 mins and then you drop them in the tank.
 
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