nitrate facts

[saxerphoner]

I'm fairly educated on the nitrogen cycle and most of the ins and outs of how things move through the process. I was just curious about nitrates. Are nitrates the end of the line? What happens to nitrates in a tank without macro algae? Once they are there, will they stay there until diminished with water changes or are they absorbed or disipated in another manner? I know these are probably some elementary questions to most out there but I think these answers could be helpful to us rookies.


Thanks!!!

 

[alde]

Give this artical a read. It should help.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

 

[LittlePuff]

In a saltwater cycle, there is an extra step. The nitrates are converted into a harmless gas. The bacteria that do this are in live sand/rock, not in a filterpad. So, you need to make sure that the bacteria that make nitrates don't accumulate to overwhelm your live rock/sand with tons of nitrates. I think most people here clean out their filters and rinse their cartridges at least weekly to prevent this.

Last thing, get a skimmer, it will remove the waste before it has a chance to cycle.

 

[boxfishpooalot]

I think plants do most of the nitrate removal. And phosphate removal too.

Even Randy HF says his plants remove 95%+ of his nutrients in his system. Im begining to really beleive this.

The problem mostly lies in tanks where not enough iron and light are missing.

Did you guys post in the dinoflagellate poll?

 

[LittlePuff]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8266969#post8266969 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boxfishpooalot
The problem mostly lies in tanks where not enough iron and light are missing.

 

[boxfishpooalot]

Iron is an essential micronutrient for macroalgae. It helps them split the Co2 molecule to O2 durring photosythesis.

And light is what makes them grow

plants remove nitrate and phosphate.

 

[JeffersonReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8303917#post8303917 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by boxfishpooalot
Iron is an essential micronutrient for macroalgae. It helps them split the Co2 molecule to O2 durring photosythesis.

And light is what makes them grow

plants remove nitrate and phosphate.

This guy knows what hes talking about. He gave me the EXACT same advice a few months ago... and my chaeto, caulerpa, and tang heaven is growing out of my ears!

I dont know if this question was also answered.. but nitrates are stored in the water column. The bacteria in live rock, etc break ammonia into nitrite, and in turn to nitrate... which for the most part sits in most of our aquariums. In a perfect world, it would turn to nitrogen gas and float off into oblivion. But in the captive reef, we need to export. You MUST do water changes. Also, macroalgae and CORRALINE algae help tremendously. Xenia and clams also consume nitrates. HTH.