Nitrate problem OZ vs extra skimmer

[lestat737]

Hi,

I have a Mixed SPS/LPS 130G total volume. Got 2 tangs, 2 clown, 1 mandarin, 1 6line wrasse. I am feeding 2 soup spoon full of DT evryday. Adding nori/granular for SPS/1 cube of mysis per day.

I run under cabinet in sump an AquaC 180 (rated 100-200G), refugium/cheato.
Water change 5 gallon per week

So now after 1.5 year of running the system I got 20ppm of nitrate.

I will be correcting the nitrate with some heavy water change meaning 5 gallon evry day.

But then what? if I m going to heavy feed like this? Should I add an OZone producer or should add another external hang on skimmer sort of like the AquaC Remora/tunzeDOC.

The option of an Ozone machine is sort of more apealing since evrything would stay clean in the cabinet and not hanging on the tank. And the AquaC ev-180 has an JG fitting specialy for an OZ injector.

IF I would use OZone injected in the skimmer would it be dangerous for the plastic.. I rtead somewhere that OZ can damage plastics.

Dave

 

[teamdulski]

I'd be interested to know how much LR you have and how much flow. I'd say the DT's everyday might be part of the issue.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

5g daily will not do anything to correct the nitrates. 5/130 = .038, meaning you are changing only 3.8% of your water, .038 x 20 (ppm) = .76, which means each water change you are removing 0.76 ppm of nitrate. Actually, that will begin to go down after the first day because you will have less overall nitrate (each water change you do, you are actually removing some of the "clean" water you just put in last water change.

You need to do a few large water changes. As much as you can, if you are serious about getting them down, 50% or more.

Then to keep them down I would do 15%-20% every week or two (an increase from your current 3.8% weekly).

Also, cut back on, or stop using, the DTs.

 

[wrott]

20ppm NO3 is not bad, 10ppm would be better. If you really want to get them down get a denitrator reactor or stop dosing DTs and cut back on feeding a little.
I don't think O3 will decrease NO3 (NO3 cannot be oxidized any further--it can only be reduced back to N2 or utilized in nutrient export via macroalgae, etc..), it just oxidizes protein(and everything oxidizable) and kills microorganisms, thusly increasing ORP.

 

[xenon]

Add a 60lb remote deep sand bed in a 5g bucket and in 4weeks your nitrates will be 5ppm or less.

 

[wrott]

What xenon said sounds like even a better idea w/ least expense. I've heard about alk issues (alk drops) as an initial drawback to RDSBs.

 

[lestat737]

I have about 80lps of LR, a small 10lbs deep sand bed in sump.

50% water change is making more and more sense. On paper..

Its just the time constraint it represent.

If I keep feeding heavily wouldnt you think that an Ozonemaker will reduced the amount of Nitrate in the end. Which is best extra skimmer or Oz.

60lbs of sand in a bucket.... humm arent you suppose to wait for months for the aragonites to have denitrifacation properties.

 

[lestat737]

I have about 80lps of LR, a small 10lbs deep sand bed in sump.

50% water change is making more and more sense. On paper..

Its just the time constraint it represent.

If I keep feeding heavily wouldnt you think that an Ozonemaker will reduced the amount of Nitrate in the end. Which is best extra skimmer or Oz.

60lbs of sand in a bucket.... humm arent you suppose to wait for months for the aragonites to have denitrifacation properties.