tarunteam Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 I have high nitrates (60ppm) but no phosphate in my tank. What would be the best way to reduce nitrates without phosphates in my tank? I also use GFO to control algae. I do about 2 gallons over a week. Though i slacked off last week as I was on vacation. Link to comment
tarunteam Posted June 29, 2016 Author Share Posted June 29, 2016 More frequent water changes That's what i'm trying to avoid. Link to comment
Mariaface Posted June 29, 2016 Share Posted June 29, 2016 Add phosphate and bacteria? Link to comment
NYfishies Posted June 30, 2016 Share Posted June 30, 2016 Add phosphate and bacteria? What she said. NeoPhos + Reef BioFuel + MicroBacter7 Link to comment
CronicReefer Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 I just checked your build thread. Your tank is so small I would just do a 100% water change. If you had a larger tank I would suggest alternative methods but in small tanks large water changes are the easiest, quickest, most cost effective way to reduce pollutants. Just make sure you match salinity, temp, and alkalinity to within 10% and you should be fine. Link to comment
chipmunkofdoom2 Posted July 1, 2016 Share Posted July 1, 2016 Water changes are really the only good way to get rid of nitrates. There are sulfur-based denitrators, but from what I understand they're a bit more challenging to set up. You could reduce the amount of GFO you're running and dose carbon (if you're running a good skimmer). Just be careful of any quick fixes related to nitrates. It probably took a while for all those nitrates to accumulate, and it's going to take a while to get rid of them. Unless you do large, frequent water changes. Link to comment
IronChefItaly Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Plants or macro algae are great at consuming nitrates - possibly consider a LARGE refugium. Many people who keep successful tanks past 5 years practice large sequential water changes at least once a year to remove build up of any unwanted compounds among other benefits. Link to comment
aviator300 Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 A tank that small just needs water changes. When I was new I used to have skimmers, refugiums, chemipure, denitrate, Chaeto, GFO, and all kinds of stuff like that. It didn't work at all on my tanks from 3 to 10 gal. I have added Nothing at all to my current 7 gal except floss. I change 1/3 of the water weekly (takes about 15 min once the new waters made up). I don't test for anything except PH and Spgr twice a week and just watch my tank carefully daily. I brush the inside glass and blow off the rocks daily. I have no idea what my Nitrates and Phosphates are but everything looks great. Bottom line is that in a small tank, the answer to most issues is water changes, water changes, and more water changes. Link to comment
Tamberav Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 100% water change... or... add phosphate + carbon source (like vodka) + Microbacter ---------- that seems like a lot more work though. Warning, has the ability to crash a tank. I did 100% water changes on my 6g and corals loved it, always got a burst of growth after, prob because I didn't dose. It can be a danger to shrimp and such though, sometimes messes with their molt. Link to comment
Sal10104 Posted July 5, 2016 Share Posted July 5, 2016 That's what i'm trying to avoid. thats your best bet. you got a 12g? right just do a 5g water change one day, wait a week then do another 5g and your nitrates will be super low. Link to comment
tarunteam Posted July 5, 2016 Author Share Posted July 5, 2016 thats your best bet. you got a 12g? right just do a 5g water change one day, wait a week then do another 5g and your nitrates will be super low. Yep. Looks like that is the consensus. Looks like i'll be doing lots of water changes from now on in addition to skimmer. thats your best bet. you got a 12g? right just do a 5g water change one day, wait a week then do another 5g and your nitrates will be super low. 100% water change... or... add phosphate + carbon source (like vodka) + Microbacter ---------- that seems like a lot more work though. Warning, has the ability to crash a tank. I did 100% water changes on my 6g and corals loved it, always got a burst of growth after, prob because I didn't dose. It can be a danger to shrimp and such though, sometimes messes with their molt. Yep, water change seems easier. A tank that small just needs water changes. When I was new I used to have skimmers, refugiums, chemipure, denitrate, Chaeto, GFO, and all kinds of stuff like that. It didn't work at all on my tanks from 3 to 10 gal. I have added Nothing at all to my current 7 gal except floss. I change 1/3 of the water weekly (takes about 15 min once the new waters made up). I don't test for anything except PH and Spgr twice a week and just watch my tank carefully daily. I brush the inside glass and blow off the rocks daily. I have no idea what my Nitrates and Phosphates are but everything looks great. Bottom line is that in a small tank, the answer to most issues is water changes, water changes, and more water changes. Water change it is. Plants or macro algae are great at consuming nitrates - possibly consider a LARGE refugium. Many people who keep successful tanks past 5 years practice large sequential water changes at least once a year to remove build up of any unwanted compounds among other benefits. Don't have space for a large refugium. I do have some macro here and there. Probably not enough to elimiate enough nitrates. Water changes are really the only good way to get rid of nitrates. There are sulfur-based denitrators, but from what I understand they're a bit more challenging to set up. You could reduce the amount of GFO you're running and dose carbon (if you're running a good skimmer). Just be careful of any quick fixes related to nitrates. It probably took a while for all those nitrates to accumulate, and it's going to take a while to get rid of them. Unless you do large, frequent water changes. Thinking will probably go with water change. I have a over sized skimmer attached that is doing gods work. I just checked your build thread. Your tank is so small I would just do a 100% water change. If you had a larger tank I would suggest alternative methods but in small tanks large water changes are the easiest, quickest, most cost effective way to reduce pollutants. Just make sure you match salinity, temp, and alkalinity to within 10% and you should be fine. Water change it is. What she said. NeoPhos + Reef BioFuel + MicroBacter7 +1. Will consider if water changes over a month don't work out. Add phosphate and bacteria? Tried that last week. Too much algae growth. Link to comment
Reefaddiction Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Macro algae (chaeto) did the trick for me. I was up there at around 40ppm and then started a small refugium in my 14g biocube. Now my nitrates are like 0-2ppm and stay there consistently. You don't need a large refugium, and they do make hang on back (HOB) refugiums. I'd be carefully with all the quick fix products out there. Keep up with your water changes, 100% water changes are not necessary, and give it some time and this should get better. Link to comment
wmo168 Posted May 17, 2017 Share Posted May 17, 2017 Water change and chemicalpure thingie Link to comment
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