Reef Discussion

[Susan Bates]

Hi i have been fighting high nitrates for a while now, I have tried everything, i was wondering if i have 2 many rocks packed 2 close, i have been looking at other tanks and some seem to be packed more than mine so i am not sure, any ideas please

 

[slin1977]

Your tank looks great every time you post A Full Tank Shot, why chase NO3 numbers if it's doing well.

Yes removing that Rockwall will help reduce phos and nitrate, I did the experiment on my tank years ago and on a clients tank.

 

[NiCd]

I will with Nils, unless you are seeing negative effects high no3 levels would not worry me.

There is a member on here and RTAW that goes by @parrdog , his tank has always had what most would refer to as high nitrates and it is just utter perfection

 

[Susan Bates]

Your tank looks great every time you post A Full Tank Shot, why chase NO3 numbers if it's doing well.

Yes removing that Rockwall will help reduce phos and nitrate, I did the experiment on my tank years ago and on a clients tank.

Thanks are you referring to the one with the green morths on it, i need another tank lol

 

[Susan Bates]

I will with Nils, unless you are seeing negative effects high no3 levels would not worry me.

There is a member on here and RTAW that goes by @parrdog , his tank has always had what most would refer to as high nitrates and it is just utter perfection

mine sit around 40 salifert test kit, do weekly 100lt water change of 400lt, and change sock every day have cut back feeding, and have put 10 lts of the stuff Slin have recommended, and purchased big skimmer, wonder if i should try no pox again ??

 

[Sam Parker]

Try something other than API, could be as low as 5 if API says that.

How much are you feeding now?

Is thecwater you change with zero nitrate?

Is your sump free of any detritus?

Cheers :)

 

[slin1977]

Yap, your tank is a strange one, logic tells me that your bacteria population needs boosting.

But saying that I agree with Sam about the test kits, even recently heard of a hanna test kit testing 5.5 kh and the coral were bleached.... salifert confirmed 13.5 kh !!!!! Got to cross reference sometimes:)

 

[NiCd]

Yeah those levels do not make sense. Unless you dump a crap ton of food in you could run no skimmer, socks etc and be fine with those water changes.

 

[Susan Bates]

Try something other than API, could be as low as 5 if API says that.

How much are you feeding now?

Is thecwater you change with zero nitrate?

Is your sump free of any detritus?

Cheers :)

I use salifert test kit, my sump is spotless , i feed 1 cube brine shrimp 1/2 cyclops , 1 pinch of flakes and 1 of grain daily

 

[Susan Bates]

Yeah those levels do not make sense. Unless you dump a crap ton of food in you could run no skimmer, socks etc and be fine with those water changes.

not dumping a lot of food, i know it is strange, my tank crashed about 18months ago, and ever since the nitrate have been a problem, pulling my hair out

 

[Sam Parker]

I use salifert test kit, my sump is spotless , i feed 1 cube brine shrimp 1/2 cyclops , 1 pinch of flakes and 1 of grain daily

My apologies, I misread :)

Does seem like a bit of food. Maybe half that for a while?

Alternatively, could try a little carbon dosing?

 

[NiCd]

What are your phosphates like?

 

[Susan Bates]

My apologies, I misread :)

Does seem like a bit of food. Maybe half that for a while?

Alternatively, could try a little carbon dosing?

i have carbon in the sump, i have 3 large tangs , 2 clowns, 1 angle , 2 x flame hawks , wrasse , blenny and dragnet, would that be enough food

 

[Susan Bates]

What are your phosphates like?

0.03

 

[Sam Parker]

i have carbon in the sump, i have 3 large tangs , 2 clowns, 1 angle , 2 x flame hawks , wrasse , blenny and dragnet, would that be enough food

By carbon I meant carbon dosing, not pellet carbon. Ie, vodka, vinegar, sugar. It will promote bacteria and help reduce nutrients.

Yeah ok. That is a fair bio load for a 400l tank. Might need to get a bit more aggressive on the nutrient export to support them.

 

[Susan Bates]

By carbon I meant carbon dosing, not pellet carbon. Ie, vodka, vinegar, sugar. It will promote bacteria and help reduce nutrients.

Yeah ok. That is a fair bio load for a 400l tank. Might need to get a bit more aggressive on the nutrient export to support them.

thanks for your help, would no pox be any good? what would you recommend for more aggressive export

 

[Sam Parker]

Nopox would work yes (that is a carbon dosing program). Perhaps look into a small sulphur reactor to tackle the nitrates?

 

[Susan Bates]

Nopox would work yes (that is a carbon dosing program). Perhaps look into a small sulphur reactor to tackle the nitrates?

thanks i will check out the reactor and start dosing the no pox, i will try anything at this stage

 

[Sam Parker]

you can DIY:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2009-01/diy/index.php

or buy off the shelf:
http://aqua-medic.co.uk/product/sulphur-nitratereductor-sn-400/

 

[macca_75]

so is NOPOX more "powerful" than Vodka @Sam Parker - interested in any articles suggsting that. I current dose Vodka and have started hitting an issue with the "slime" attaching to rocks, etc in the display tank.

My nitrates are somewhere between 5-10ppm (Red Sea Pro) and I dose 12ml Vodka x 2 daily.