Plants as Nitrate Reducers

[Guest Justin Papez]

Hey Nano Reefers!

 

I have a 3 gallon SW fish tank with live rock, live sand, and currently one fish (a orange spotted goby). I cycled my tank properly but my nitrates still seem to run a little high. are there any SW plants I can add to my filters that will help to reduce nitrates? Thanks.

[Jacobnano]

No need to double post

 

There are many macro algae for something in the display tank. You can use cheato and mangroves (more of a tree) for a nitrate exporter that usually isn't in the display.

[Oceanus]

In you're case, I'd say go for chaeto. Mangroves would work too, but you have to mist them daily.

[ldballoon4]

what are your nitrates? test kit?

[Guest Justin Papez]

ranges between 15 to 20 ppm

[Bamato]

Water changes are probably the best nutrient export in your case. How often are you doing them?

[skimlessinseattle]

Water changes are probably the best nutrient export in your case. How often are you doing them?

+1

[Markushka]

I use an 'algae screen' in my sump, but I have a little more room to work with.

[Guest Justin Papez]

I change more than 10% of my water every week. If my nitrate range is 20 ppm is this okay? I know that 0 is most desirable but will fish be able to survive if it stays within the range of 15 ppm to 20 ppm? I hope to eventually have 0 ppm and am buying chaeto to throw in the filter to see if that helps. I feel like I am doing as much as I can but still am not able to eliminate my nitrates!

[amored]

i have 20 ppm of nitrates and my clown and all my inverts are totally fine.

 

i am going to be adding some chaeto soon to reduce this, but from my experience, fish and inverts can survive happily in 20 ppm.

[moto826]

spray your rocks with a pump or turkey baster and get all the floating gunk out mabey do a few bigger water changes till you get it as close to 0 as you can then do one more big one and it should get it there and cut back in feeding

Hope this helps

[Guest Justin Papez]

Yeah I think I'm doing everything right. I believe part of the problem is I am unable to get RO water where I'm currently at. I cycled the tank properly, it is not overloaded with fish and invertebrates, I do water changes often, never over feed, stir the sand up, and blow the rocks off. Oh well it's a small tank so I assume fluctuations will be normal. Thanks for all the help.

 

P.S. Does chaeto added to the filter actually make a difference? (I was actualy thinking about getting some) Also, if you throw chaeto in the filter does it release spores or anything? I don't want it migrating to my display tank

[Oats]

I have found it hard to keep Chaeto in one spot, as parts of it come loose easily. I don't believe it releases spores, but hopefully someone else with more knowledge will help with that. It should work in your filter as long as it has light on it.

[KPclown]

Yea Cheato is pretty good for removing nitrates as it grows pretty fast. The problem is that it is really messy and doesn't look that good in a display tank. If you have a sump that usually works the best for cheato. . .

[Guest Justin Papez]

I have two filters on my 3 gallon tank (the company accidently sent me a second one). One is sufficient for the tank but I run both of them to get a nice flow in the tank. I believe what I will do is keep one filter with carbon and a filter pad in it and remove the carbon and filter pad from the second filter and replace it with chaeto!

[rcasiano]

Gut out one of the filter and get a handful of Cheto and Fuge light...