Question about Dr G's Nitrate Remover

[foxandhound]

Hey everyone, so I just did my first water change. I did a 10% water change. Everything tested well after except one thing...my nitrate level is still a litle high.
The fish store guy said I could do another 10% water change. He also said since the only level that was a little high was my Nitrates I could try Dr. G's Nitrate Remover.
Ok so here's my questions:
1. The product comes in a fine mesh bag bound with a cable tie, the directions say to use 50 grams per 50 gallon. I have a 75 gallon tank. Do I remove the cable tie, take out the extra 75 grams (Its the 150 gram container) and retie the bag????
2. Where do I place the product?
3. Finally, is this a good product or should I simply forget about it and do another 10% water change.
One other question... I have a sump and a phosphate reactor but no protein skimmer. Is this a sign that I need a protein skimmer, for whats it worth I did make the beginners mistake of overfeeding. I set up the tank a few days ago and everyone seemed so stressed and hungry from the move I thought some food would help. Wont' happen again
Thanks in advance everyone...Happy Halloween!

 

[bender77]

What exactly is your nitrate level?

 

[btldreef]

They're trying to make money off you. Continue water changes. You could add carbon (I recommend Chemi Pure Elite). Sounds like your tank is just completing it's initial cycle. Water changes should be enough. What exactly is your reading and what test kit are you using?

 

[foxandhound]

I was testing with API liquid test kit, was 40ppm yesterday before the water change.
Today, it was 20ppm after the 10% water change. All other levels are normal.
Yea, I dont want them making money off me...what weekly add-ins do you use?
I have been using weekly additions of these items, which of these are unnecessary and silly???
Seachem Prime
Seachem Reef Plus (Vitamin & Amino Acids)
Instant Ocean Reef Accelerator
Instant Ocean Sea buffer
Instant Ocean Nitrate Reducer
Kent Purple Tech
Kent Tech M. Magnesium
I also have a phosphate reactor, so I added phosban. I am now feeding my fish every 2 days.
Maybe it's time for me to ditch some/all products and get a skimmer and bigger sump?

 

[btldreef]

I don't use any of those products, most are a waste.
If your parameters read ok, no reason to be adding anything, regularly scheduled water changes is usually enough.
Protein skimmers are a good idea, but not necessary. What size tank? What fish? What are you feeding? 20ppm isn't terrible. API nitrate is known to read high. I prefer SeaChem for nitrate tests.

 

[foxandhound]

Man, I feel taken a bit.
I have a 75G (bought it used and it came with the fish)...a maroon clown, false perc. clown, blue hippo tang, coral beauty fish, & blood shrimp. We also have som Xenia and mushroom coral. Probably going to rehome the coral beauty for another small fish. We are adding a nice CUC, a couple peppermint shrimp. Possiblyget an arrowhead crab for bristle and fireworms???
I am feeding Spectrum every 2 days, seaweed every 4 days. I have a frozen variety pack for weekly treats. What do you think?
I was going to get an odyssea protein skimmer, but read the reviews and I guess I will wait until I can get an eshopps or something.

 

[mr. limpid]

I would keep doing water changes to get nitrates down, having Xenia should also help in this department. How long have you had the tank set up in your place? If not that long may just be a short cycle from the move. Also the two different clowns will eventual fight I would keep one species per tank, your hippo isn't going to be happy long in that 75 gal tank. The coral beauty is nice fish, is there a reason you want to re-home it? As for arrow crab they actual tear worms apart and create more than less, a six line wrasse will eat small worms, large worms will need to be removed manual.

 

[foxandhound]

Hey Jack, Thanks for the info. I have had the tank for about a week. The clowns came together...well, everything did. They have lived together for 6 months or more. Probably more. Do you think one will go after the other at a certain stage in their life? I will rehome one if I see this.
I thought the coral beauty might nip at the corals, but I guess she doesnt. I am adding to the corals as I learn, so I thought I'd rehome her, but maybe not.
I love that hippo, What is the minimum size for a hippo? What symptoms of problems should I look for...how to know when it is time to rehome?
Thanks for the info on the arrow crab. How about a pinstripe wrasse for eating worms? Will a wrasse eat peppermint and blood shrimp?

 

[mr. limpid]

Yes clowns will eventual as the mature fight (they are part of the damsel family). Yes the angle may nip at coral some do and some don't. Since you already have one I would just watch it and move if need to, you may get lucky. The hippo will start to show sign in many ways, stop eating hiding not come out and even color change, you'll know when it is time. Pinstripe wrasse may eat worms and shrimp, look up reef safe wrasse to see all the different type.

 

[btldreef]

I would move the maroon clown sooner than later. Once it matures and you have a tank full of corals, it's going to be hard to catch and a single maroon is a very aggressive fish.
The hippo tang really needs 125+G and a 6ft long tank. They're open water swimmers in the wild and smaller tanks stress them out and hinder their growth. Hippo tangs are one of the easier to become stressed and sick. For whatever reason, they are far more susceptible to certain parasites such as ich. Being that your tank size already isn't ideal, I would trade this fish soon, before you have issues.
Some wrasses will eat bristle worms, but it's not a guarantee. Six lines will eat smaller ones, but can also be very aggressive towards it's other tank inhabitants, especially ones added after it. I had one kill a mandarin and attack just about every other fish in my tank. But the bigger question is: Why are you trying to rid your tank of bristle worms? They're excellent scavengers and one of the best members of your clean up crew, as they'll eat left over fish food, etc.
The Coral Beauty Angelfish is one of the better dwarf angels to try with corals. Almost no one has issues with them. Keep it well fed with a proper diet and plenty of live rock to graze from and you should be fine.
The Instant Ocean Nitrate Reducer is like snake oil, it doesn't work. The reef accelerator and amino acids might actually be adding to your nitrates. Stop using them and see how it goes. Water changes really should be enough. Try feeding less pellets and switch to a good omnivore blend such as Emerald Entree and Mysis shrimp. I'd start with half a cube every other day, or even every third day and supplement the other days with algae sheets. Use pellets as a treat, not a main component to their diet. Pellet and flake food is known to increase nitrate levels as well.

 

[smartorl]

Totally not questioning you on the maroon advice, I totally agree. I used to wonder why lfs carried them only to have them dumped back on them once they got more mature and impossibly nasty. One of the lfs's I frequent is like the dog pound and actually euthanize many maroons as they just have no use for those that people dump off. Which is how I got mine.
She is first maroon I have owned in 15 years or more. She is a wuss. I watched her at the store, she was housed with several butterflies and they chased her. Over the weeks, the owner's tales of her and her mild manners swayed me over and I brought her home. She is a 5 in maroon and is a total mess. I had to pull her out of my 280 and put him in the 90 because the fish in there shredded her fins and were chasing her like crazy. This tank is normally very mild.
I have her in my 90 and she hides up on top of a powerhead. I have had her for about a year now and she is scared of her shadow. She is a beautiful fish. Occassionally, my dottyback will go after her and she'll get a nipped fin. I wish more of them were as quiet as this one. Obviously, she is NOT the norm.

 

[btldreef]

I wish I could find one that mellow! They're beautiful fish, just bullies

 

[florida joe]

Nitrates are removed two ways biological and physical. In as much as your nitrates are not that high I would NOT DO a water change for a few weeks. If you want di nitrification via anaerobic bacteria you have to feed the bacteria. Be aware that the colonization of anaerobic bacteria is a slow prose. Spend some time researching nitrate reduction via higher forms of algae

 

[smartorl]

I know! I adore this fish and wish more were like her. I can hand feed her and she's like a puppy. Again, stressing she is not normal.

 

[penny1]

buy a skimmer, buy two little fishes nitrate pellets, put the pellets in the reactor, aim the reactor outtake hose to the skimmer(to control the cloudness), in a month tops your nitrate ploblem will end, go to youtube, tap two little fishes nitrate remover, and u will figure it out. cool man.

 

[flower]

Hi, I'm just jumping in, and I read what was already posted. A whole week...LOL..Welcome to our obsession!
The minimum size tank for a Hippo tang is a 100g tank. Here's the thing...the fish has this ability to go flat under rock...to remove this fish once it gets too large, you will have to remove every rock in the tank...it will move from one rock to the next to get away from you. You will find it under the last rock to remove. If you wait, the corals will attach to the rocks, and then when you dismantle the tank to get the Hippo, you will destroy the coral to get to it. So now is the time to remove it. Keep fish that can stay in your tank at the mature size....removing fish that outgrow the tank is hard on all the other fish when you go chasing around the tank to get it out... and it really stresses out a fish you have become attached to later on. A stressed Hippo tang is very susceptible to disease.
There are lots of ways to get the same results....Water changes is the cheapest method to remove nitrates and the phosphates....I use the macroalgae. Then there is the Aquaripure nitrate filter which works awesome...I have one on each of my tanks. IMO, Nothing beats macroalgae for keeping the tank water pristine. Since you have coral, a refugium would be recommended, and keep the macros in that. Macros can become invasive, and you don't want it choking out the coral. If you don't have a sump, a HOB or in-tank refugium will work just as well.
The #1 rule:....NEVER...EVER...dose your tank for ANYTHING you have not tested for to see if you even need it. #2 rule: Never dose medicine in the main tank, set up a hospital tank and move the sick fish to that to medicate.
A skimmer is a really good idea to get. I like the Octopus and Tunze brands the best...stay away from Coralife, Bac-pac and cyclone brands...I had and hated every one of them. I have not tried the Eshopps brand you mentioned. API test kits are known for high nitrate readings when your nitrates are not high at all...I like the SeaChem brand test kits, they come with a regent so you can double check the readings to be sure they are accurate.