# Nitrates



## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

Hey ..

I've had nitrates on the high side since my tank started. After several water changes it went down to 15ppm. It one day reached 5-10 ppm.

I feed the tank heavily and do two water changes (20 percent) every week. I have two liters of siporax in my tank. I have quite a lot of live rocks. 

I scrubbed my saltwater mixing bin (it was brown at the bottom - but I think that's because of calcification?) hoping to lower the nitrates from that.

I have purigen. A great skimmer (180i vertex), socks (but thinking of taking them out?), gfo and carbon running.

I bought the zeo rocks and I have the reactor - I want to install this system but my husband and I don't know how to plumb the reactor and take the other offline. 

What do you guys do to keep your nutrients down?


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## kamal (Apr 21, 2009)

My gut reaction would be to review the type of food being fed and maybe then review the amount. I have found some foods more polluting than others, but I didnt investigate enough to say if it was because one was consumed more than another or one was just poorer quality. 

I currently run a skimmer, siporax (passively) and GFO in a reactor.

Good luck with this


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

To lower nitrates, you have to:
- physical removal: water changes
- biologically: 
1) denitrification by anoxic zones ie of internal porous matrix of LR, Siporax, deeper layers of sandbed, sulphur reactor, etc. 
2) Biomass binding (requires proper P ratio) 
- increasing bacterial biomass by liquid or solid carbon dosing that sloughed off biofilms are removed by protein skimming, ie VSV (vodka, sugar vinegar), biopellets. 
- increasing algal growth, ie macro algae or algal turf scrubber

- limit N input: reduce/control reeding
- bind N input to the system: zeolites of ZeoRock

A protein skimmer is* part of *nutrient control and should never be solely relied upon as such.

Will write more later...


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## Taipan (Feb 12, 2012)

*.....What he (wtac) said.....*

....what he (wtac) said. I felt smarter just by reading that..... 

I'll be following along......


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## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

kamal said:


> My gut reaction would be to review the type of food being fed and maybe then review the amount. I have found some foods more polluting than others, but I didnt investigate enough to say if it was because one was consumed more than another or one was just poorer quality.


I'm not sure I have much choice on this one. I have a few seahorses that require two feedings a day of pe mysis, brine and I feed some algae to my rabbitfish. Plus starving borbs and jawfish  My stocking choice is quite high with their need to eat constantly. I do put a few drops of selcon and vitachem..would that add to the pollution? I do drain some of the excess liquid that melts from the frozen food before adding supplements. 


> To lower nitrates, you have to:
> - physical removal: water changes
> - biologically:
> 1) denitrification by anoxic zones ie of internal porous matrix of LR, Siporax, deeper layers of sandbed, sulphur reactor, etc.
> ...


So going through your list and mentally ticking it off. I do have a pretty good sandbed (for my jawfish it's a necessity!) I can't control feedings. I do two water changes a week with my siphon going into the sand bed each time to suck the dirt and excess feces.

I've read about algae scrubbers from d2mini's massive tank build. Maybe this could be a good solution? With anything added though, it can be detrimental to my LPS. Any companies that make a good one?

I would rather use my zeorocks and magic potions that I bought for my system - could I run my rocks passive through a colander and just shake it twice a day?


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

Do you have space for a refugium?


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## Nighttrooper (Apr 19, 2011)

I use marinePure balls for nitrate.
How often do you clean the filter sock?


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

The use of zeolites and the Zeovit system without an already ULN system is an extremely expensive exercise in total futility.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

YOu should rethink the type of tank you want to have. You can't really expect to pull off a ULN sps reef tank while atr the same time housing seahorses... 

5-10 PPM Nitrate is just fine for a Seahorse tank....


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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

Jiinx did I read that right..your sea horses are in with the Borbs and other fish?


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## Mikeylikes (Nov 22, 2013)

I would also rinse my food before feeding. Make sure you don't over feed either.


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## Jiinx (Apr 5, 2012)

solarz said:


> Do you have space for a refugium?


With two socks, a sump, a return pump and two big reactors..space is limited. I'd have to re do my plumbing.



Nighttrooper said:


> I use marinePure balls for nitrate.
> How often do you clean the filter sock?


once a month give or take a couple of weeks.



fesso clown said:


> The use of zeolites and the Zeovit system without an already ULN system is an extremely expensive exercise in total futility.


I agree. I just wanted to see if it works. ULN - ultra low nutrients? I just want my nitrates at 5. I don't want to strip my nutrients away completely..just have them less than 10.



fesso clown said:


> YOu should rethink the type of tank you want to have. You can't really expect to pull off a ULN sps reef tank while atr the same time housing seahorses...
> 
> I know  I gave up on big fishes too. I'm just trying to have too many things in one tank. I don't want no nutrients - just want to lower them.
> 5-10 PPM Nitrate is just fine for a Seahorse tank....





fury165 said:


> Jiinx did I read that right..your sea horses are in with the Borbs and other fish?


 I got them in December on one of those impulse purchases..one of my seahorses swims with the other fish catching food with them. The others they know I feed them with a dropper and come to the top of the water waiting. They all play nice...

So algae scrubber??  Does anyone have one?  Should I just stick to bigger water changes...


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## Cichlidrookie (Apr 6, 2014)

*DIY King*

You can try making your own. Looks easy enough, here is a link of DIY master.






He is good at explaining what is does and how to build one.

Good luck.


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## altcharacter (Jan 10, 2011)

i'd have to agree. Seahorses in a reef tank with other fish doesn't really work. They need quite a bit of food


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## Lilphil26 (Sep 15, 2015)

Algae turf scrubber would help?


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Not judging at all but That is not going to end well. If you don't choose to pull the SeaHorses and set up a deticated tank for them than the decision will be made for you without a happy ending. What temperature are you keeping the tank at. 
Perhaps your nitrate issue will take care of itself without the SeaHorses in there.


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

After installing an algae scrubber my nitrates went to 0 and phosphates almost undetectable. GFO, heavy skimming, marine pure, siporax, NOPOX and weekly feeding didn't even get me that low. I now actually need to feed twice a day (all the fish and coral) to keep the nutrients high enough. I have no experience with seahorses, so no comments there.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Jiinx said:


> So going through your list and mentally ticking it off. I do have a pretty good sandbed (for my jawfish it's a necessity!) I can't control feedings. I do two water changes a week with my siphon going into the sand bed each time to suck the dirt and excess feces.
> 
> I've read about algae scrubbers from d2mini's massive tank build. Maybe this could be a good solution? With anything added though, it can be detrimental to my LPS. Any companies that make a good one?
> 
> I would rather use my zeorocks and magic potions that I bought for my system - could I run my rocks passive through a colander and just shake it twice a day?


From a chemistry perspective, zeolites are best suited for sustaining ULN vs part of bringing down significant amounts of NO3. You are better selling it off an either buying/DIY an ATS or sulfur reactor.

When you gravel vac, plunge down no deeper than 20%of the depth. Hitting bottom only messes up the O2 gradient (more O2 at the surface, less deeper down) and you will never achieve any de-NO3 from the sandbed. Adding a bunch of sand sifting snails will help keep the lower depths clean and their slow turning over the substrate will not significantly disrupt O2 gradient.

Will a drop in NO3 adversly affect your LPS, yes IF you do not compensate with additional feedings for the coral.

IMHO/E, your NO3 levels are fine for what you want to keep and you are just chasing numbers. I think what you want to achieve is to enjoy your system and not be a worrying slave to it.

There's tons of products and methodoligies for NO3 control but all fall under the 3 basic principles:
1) physical removal
2) biological de-NO3 in anoxic zones
3) biomass binding w/biomass removal (biofilm skimmed out/consumed)/"harvesting" (macroalgae)

Finding one or a combination to suit your needs and being patient enough to allow it to mature and function is the tough part


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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

If even you got the nitrates and nutrient issues under control, the bigger issue is the temperature your reef tank is set to is too hot for seahorses. I had a dedicated tank and even with no heater, the ambient temperature of our place kept it at a constant 77-79 degrees in the winter (we rarely have to turn on the house heater) A mistake I will never make again &#55357;&#56862;


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