Originally Posted by
florida joe
http:///forum/post/3058656
I do not want to disagree with your uncle BUT you have high nitrates because your nitrification is doing its job. You denitrification is not up to the task of keeping up. Adding bio-balls is not the answer they do nothing for di-nitrification. There are two basic ways in which we achieve di-nitrification. Dissimilatory, which is through anaerobic bacteria and assimilatory where higher forms of algae which directly take nitrogenous waste into their tissue mass or vodka dosing with also uses bacteria to uptake nitrogenous waste both of these methods need harvesting to remove the nitrates from our tanks. You nitrogen cycle is predicated on the amount of waste you put into your tank. More waste more nitrifying bacteria. which grow very fast once established and colonize on most surfaces in the water column. The denitrification however is a slow process in developing and processing nitrates, as the water has to pass through anaerobic zones slowly through advection. What needs to be looked at in cases of chronic high nitrates are ways for dinitrification to keep up with the nitrate production. As mentioned above I prefer caulerpa in a refug. or vodka dosing as in my opinion they are the two most powerful methods I know. Many people use Cheato, personally I have not found it especially in larger tanks to be that effective
I am sure you are aware of all this but sometimes I like to ramble
thank you for responding joe, What type of caulerpa would be the safest but the most effective? do all species of caulerpa go asexual or? I keep my fuge light on 24/7 with the chaeto, that is the only thing I really need to do with the caulerpa?
