Help!!! Nitrate issues

[4nReefer]

I've been having extremely high nitrate on my tank. I took down my canister and now I only have a hob protein skimmer and a mechanical filter. I've moved my water changes from once every 2weeks to once a week. All other water parameters has been perfect so far. My question is what is the most natural way to conquer nitrates without using chemical.

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[Dkuhlmann]

How long has your tank been set up?
What size is your tank
How many gallons are you doing in a WC?

 

[4nReefer]

How long has your tank been set up?
What size is your tank
How many gallons are you doing in a WC?

My tank has been set up for about 9months.
I have a 75gal tank and I do a 15gal water change.

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[Dkuhlmann]

So just how high are your nitrates? what do you have for sand and rocks? What do you have in your sump tank? How long have you had the high nitrates?

A 50% WC will help get them down.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

Nevermind I see you are running a canister. They are nitrate traps. I would look into setting up a sump tank. There are instructions to set one up in the newbie forum.

 

[4nReefer]

Nevermind I see you are running a canister. They are nitrate traps. I would look into setting up a sump tank. There are instructions to set one up in the newbie forum.

Yeah I took down the canister, I'll be setting up a sump this weekend, hopefully that helps. I have life sand and life rocks.

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[mcgyvr]

I will probably suggest you look into carbon dosing.
Please post your exact nitrate and phosphate readings..

Excess nitrates are pretty common in a tank of your age...
Typical causes may include excess feeding, lack of a sufficient bacterial colony and insufficient maintenance...
Carbon dosing (as simple as pouring a set amount of distilled vinegar into your tank daily to encourage higher bacterial counts) is a great way to get your tank back on track.

 

[candymancan]

Get or make a reactor with seachem denitrate.. Thats what i use and my nitrates are 0-5 keep the flow down to like 20-30gph a youre done. I have no sump.. sumps arent needed Imo and live rocks are just like lava rock.. They arent really able to hold aberobic bacteria in the center.. Denitrate or matrix in low flow would take care of nitrates.


Abd i disagree about canisters.. if you have a prefilter pad on the inlet you wont have food or crap going in the canister causing nitrate buildup... My canister used to get FILTHY after a month or two on my fresh water 135.. but after i put a prefilter on the inlet.. i took it apart after 2 month and it had hardly any detrius in it.

Dont use canisters for mechanical filtering.. put a prefilter on it and use it for bio only