Do Zoanthids help in lowering Nitrates?

[Appoloreefer]

I had heard that some corals can help lower and intake Nitrates and that Xenias and Zoanthids did this. The reason I am asking is because my Nitrates are right around 40ppm and I have done water changes 20% and I have a 125 gallon tank. It finished cycling the second week in June and all I have in it is Live Rock and two damsels. I added some blue leg hermits due to diatoms but then I left my lights off for two days and they were gone. I do not over feed my fish because I only have two and I use RODI water. The ammonia, PH and Nitrites are all good. I was just curious if anyone has used corals and if they really do work in lowering Nitrates. I know some soft corals actually do better in high nutrient water.

 

[oreo54]

Google Scholar

scholar.google.com

See Nitrate section in the pdf

 

[Quietman]

Yeah...a tank full 'o corals will help manage nutrients.

Some more than others...but corals have the slowest take up rate for nutrients compared to microalgae and cyano and then macroalgae (generically - species have different rates) so you'd need a mature tank and a lot of fast growing corals.

But then there's the question: do you really want tank full of fast growing GSP and Xenia?

 

[Appoloreefer]

Yeah...a tank full 'o corals will help manage nutrients.

Some more than others...but corals have the slowest take up rate for nutrients compared to microalgae and cyano and then macroalgae (generically - species have different rates) so you'd need a mature tank and a lot of fast growing corals.

But then there's the question: do you really want tank full of fast growing GSP and Xenia?

Actually I do want GSP to grow on my back of the tank and have a full tank of soft corals, but I know that the tank needs to be more mature than it is right now. I would like to get a couple more fish as well. I will continue to do water changes. Thanks for the information. I do not currently have a sump but will be putting in one soon. I think I will get some macroalgae and put in my tank for I think it could go in the tank until I get the sump up and running.