Nitrate reduction techniques?

[NittyGritty]

Hey gang,

What are your forms of nitrate reduction outside of refugiums and water changes?

D

 

[TigeBell]

I do carbon dosing. I use vinegar and I'm pleased with the results. All results are within the suggested ranges for nitrates and phosphate that John at Your Reef and Randy suggest on reefkeeper. :beer:

 

[NittyGritty]

What's your dosing rate? Did you incorporate Microbactor7 as well or just the vinegar?

 

[TigeBell]

I sent you a pm.

What I sent

I dose 1/3 of a cup daily at this time. Still trying to get a doser and my bioload is rather low (16 smaller fish at this time). I followed what Randy Holmes Farley and Cliff Babcock outlined here: http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/116-vinegar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium

 

[TigeBell]

Oops, forgot to mention that I do run 2 cups of GFO and probably need a little more. I just started the GFO this month. 300 lbs of sand and 310 lbs of rock.

I also feed three times a day on weekends and twice a day on weekdays. Mysis at 7 pm; Reef Nutrition ROE (1 tbs) and Oyster Feast (tbs) at 4 pm; and Two Little Fishes Sea Vegies at 3 pm. On the weekends I add a few pellets at noon since I'm home at that time.

 

[Poriferan]

Water changes?

 

[NittyGritty]

Yes, outside of WC as originally stated.

 

[Saltwaternooby]

Too many Wc can be counter productive Imo.

 

[NittyGritty]

How so?

 

[NittyGritty]

Well, besides the current water saga going on of course

 

[psykobowler]

Too much water change alters the water chemistry drastically. For example, I keep my magnesium 1480+. If I were to remove significant water I have to bump magnesium up too. Each salt mix has different alk level. You will have unstable alk with frequent water change.

 

[usingthejohn]

Too much water change alters the water chemistry drastically. For example, I keep my magnesium 1480+. If I were to remove significant water I have to bump magnesium up too. Each salt mix has different alk level. You will have unstable alk with frequent water change.

If you utilized the same salt mix wouldn't the swing be eliminated, or at least minimized?

 

[psykobowler]

Most salt mix has magnesium under 1400. I always have to bump it up when I change water. Doing more water change means adding more mg frequently which is counter productive. Unless alk is kept at new saltwater level it will experience fluctuation too.

 

[NittyGritty]

Ahhh got it =)

 

[glarior]

Sulfur denitrator. Best money ive ever spent. I have few live rocks, two 2ft sharks, 4ft eel and a 3ft eel. I feed them sardines, squid, octopus and my nitrates stay 5ppm. No water change for the last year. Plan on doing a large water change next weekend since its been a year. If you have a smaller tank diy algae scrubber works great too. I built a huge scrubber but switched to the sulfer denitrator. My 2 cents

 

[greenhead]

I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

 

[glarior]

http://www.marinedepot.com/filters_korallin_biodenitrator-ap.html

This is the one ive been using

 

[NittyGritty]

Sulfur denitrator. Best money ive ever spent. I have few live rocks, two 2ft sharks, 4ft eel and a 3ft eel. I feed them sardines, squid, octopus and my nitrates stay 5ppm. No water change for the last year. Plan on doing a large water change next weekend since its been a year. If you have a smaller tank diy algae scrubber works great too. I built a huge scrubber but switched to the sulfer denitrator. My 2 cents

Word. Thanks for sharing. Been pondering this as well.

 

[NittyGritty]

I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

Nopox seems to be the commercial carbon dosing product of choice. Thanks for the insight!

 

[sc50964]

I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

I share the same experience.