Reducing Nitrates
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Ron Reefman
Active member
The natural way is with a refugium and some Chaeto or other macro algae. But that's a longer term solution.
Why don't you want to do a bigger water change. The beneficial bacteria are mostly attached to the rock, sand and glass, not free floating in the water column.
Why don't you want to do a bigger water change. The beneficial bacteria are mostly attached to the rock, sand and glass, not free floating in the water column.
PatW
New member
A large water change should not create a mini cycle.
The whole point of cycling a tank is to develop a large population of bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrite to nitrates. The bacteria are largely attached to the surfaces of rock and sand. A water change even a large one should have little or no effect on the bacteria population.
As for reducing nitrates, I do not know of any chemicals commonly used in aquariums that will absorb nitrates. You can use algae like chaeto in a refugium to reduce algae but that is usually done as an ongoing procedure.
Another method of reducing nitrate is carbon dosing. You add either alcohol, vinegar or use bio pellets in a reactor. This process stimulates the bacteria to multiply and as they multiply to consume nitrates. You use a skimmer to remove the bacteria and in the process to reduce nitrates. The process requires a skimmer that is "oversized" for the system. And like using chaeto, the process is generally used to control nitrate levels in an aquarium and not as a one time reduction.
For your situation, water changes are probably the easiest and cheapest way to go. You can either do a couple of large water changes or a series of smaller ones.
The whole point of cycling a tank is to develop a large population of bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrites and nitrite to nitrates. The bacteria are largely attached to the surfaces of rock and sand. A water change even a large one should have little or no effect on the bacteria population.
As for reducing nitrates, I do not know of any chemicals commonly used in aquariums that will absorb nitrates. You can use algae like chaeto in a refugium to reduce algae but that is usually done as an ongoing procedure.
Another method of reducing nitrate is carbon dosing. You add either alcohol, vinegar or use bio pellets in a reactor. This process stimulates the bacteria to multiply and as they multiply to consume nitrates. You use a skimmer to remove the bacteria and in the process to reduce nitrates. The process requires a skimmer that is "oversized" for the system. And like using chaeto, the process is generally used to control nitrate levels in an aquarium and not as a one time reduction.
For your situation, water changes are probably the easiest and cheapest way to go. You can either do a couple of large water changes or a series of smaller ones.
Crusinjimbo
New member
Research incorporating an algae turf scrubber into your filtration system. Simple, inexpensive and very effective and removing NO3 and PO4.
AlSimmons
New member
Just out of curiosity when your doing these water changes are you removing as much detritus as you can as well? The Nitrates are probably high because your tank is struggling to process all the crap within it. Remove this and you'll lower that. Just as an example, depending on the size of the tank, if something dies you might see a Nitrate spike. Until that fish/invertebrate either decomposes completely, is consumed by the CUC or is removed from the system the Nitrates will continue to be elevated. A water change would just be a Band-Aid IMO. Kind of masking what's really going on.
AlSimmons
New member
What kind of rock did you use? If you used live rock maybe it was full of organics from the start. You add a few fish/corals, start throwing food in the tank and voila. If you weren't making an effort to remove this crap from the beginning then it's fairly easy to understand why you might be battling an elevated Nitrate reading now IMO.
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OldReefGuy
Well-known member
AIS,
Agree with your statement regarding proper husbandry and keeping Nitrates in control.
Agree with your statement regarding proper husbandry and keeping Nitrates in control.
joeybemate
New member
There are a few main ways that people use:
1. Carbon dosing. This requires the least set up if you already have a protein skimmer, and is the one I employ as I have a red sea tank which has it's filtration system attached to the back of the tank and no sump. This one can be done with red sea's nopox or you can diy with vodka. Research it first.
2. Set up a refugium with some macro algae like dragon's breath, caulerpa or chaeto in your sump. The macro algae will consume nitrates to grow and when you trim back the growth you will remove the nitrates permanently from your aquarium. Research how to set up a refugium.
3. Set up an algae scrubber. Of the three methods, this one is probably the most complex to set up, but is also extremely effective and the effort you put in will pay off. This one also requires a sump.
1. Carbon dosing. This requires the least set up if you already have a protein skimmer, and is the one I employ as I have a red sea tank which has it's filtration system attached to the back of the tank and no sump. This one can be done with red sea's nopox or you can diy with vodka. Research it first.
2. Set up a refugium with some macro algae like dragon's breath, caulerpa or chaeto in your sump. The macro algae will consume nitrates to grow and when you trim back the growth you will remove the nitrates permanently from your aquarium. Research how to set up a refugium.
3. Set up an algae scrubber. Of the three methods, this one is probably the most complex to set up, but is also extremely effective and the effort you put in will pay off. This one also requires a sump.
PsychoticBeauty
New member
Couldn't you just do the work and bypass all that?
sde1500
Active member
Could have been high from the start due to a big ammonia spike starting the cycle.
What work, and skip all what?
I use to waterchange biweekly and clean out my mechanical filtration and had chemipure and purigen replaced every three months and i just couldnt figure out why my nitrates werent dropping.
it was from my past horrible husbandry that caused my initial problem. and i found out it was leeching from my sand bed. all the dead snails and trapped food from overfeeding, i did a soft stir of my sand bed, more like combed through it a little everytime i water changed to help release some of the trapped detritus and wahtever else was trapped there.
NoPox from Red Sea helps too, this is a form of carbon dosing.
it was from my past horrible husbandry that caused my initial problem. and i found out it was leeching from my sand bed. all the dead snails and trapped food from overfeeding, i did a soft stir of my sand bed, more like combed through it a little everytime i water changed to help release some of the trapped detritus and wahtever else was trapped there.
NoPox from Red Sea helps too, this is a form of carbon dosing.
AlSimmons
New member
I've done that... (Vinegar) After awhile though that reef rash held court. (work/husbandry)
Just as an example, the cycle is the same no matter what. I've kept some big bruisers cichlids with a UGF and a couple HOB filters as well. The Nitrates were high, but not disgustingly high... That lace rock was purely aesthetical. FWIW I've tested the NItrates of my LFS water once before. BLOOD RED.... Everythiug from the sps to the LPS seem to be ok for some reason. (go figure) There not really in the business of keeping these things for long periods of time though.
Just as an example, the cycle is the same no matter what. I've kept some big bruisers cichlids with a UGF and a couple HOB filters as well. The Nitrates were high, but not disgustingly high... That lace rock was purely aesthetical. FWIW I've tested the NItrates of my LFS water once before. BLOOD RED.... Everythiug from the sps to the LPS seem to be ok for some reason. (go figure) There not really in the business of keeping these things for long periods of time though.
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