How many of you rely on anaerobic bacteria for nitrate and phosphate control.

[FBAA]

Let me start by saying that anaerobic bacteria has been around ~600million years and have evolved for longer that aerobic bacteria. They have developed ways of striping oxygen from molecules like nitrates, phosphates and sulfates to maintain their metabolism.

How many of you use this through dosing to reduce nitrates and phosphates.

While I am a firm believer in using the tools at hand (Bacteria) I have found that most don't understand how it works.

Nitrates are reduced when they are converted from NO3 to N2 and N2 can be degassed.

Phosphates on the other hand don't react the same way. They are reduced to phosphine PH3 or Phosphoric acid H3PO4 and react with free oxygen to create phosphates. This keeps the entire process inside of the block/rock until it is saturated. This process reduces the phosphate initially but does not remove it from our systems. How do we solve this?

 

[FBAA]

Anyone?

 

[NoahLikesFish]

I do in freshwate

 

[FBAA]

So freshwater has a higher oxygen content. How do you do that

 

[NoahLikesFish]

Deep substrate and stagnant water

 

[NoahLikesFish]

I don’t water change or filter and my nitrates don’t go past 5

 

[NoahLikesFish]

And I have a (hopefully tomorrow) lucrative water lettuce and hornwort farm

 

[NoahLikesFish]

Phosphate isn’t as much of a problem in fw and I don’t test for it.

 

[NoahLikesFish]

I’d assume the bag of lava rock in my tank is anaerobic because it’s under rocks and substrate

 

[NoahLikesFish]

i would go check out father fish and read Diana walstad‘s book if you wanna learn about anaerobics and stuff. Diana focuses more on plants but she talks about algae alleopathy aerial advantage anerobics and stuff. I’d probably get a rooting macroalgae to help fight too much anaerobic activity

 

[NoahLikesFish]

both talk about predominantly freshwater but there is lots of stuff that CAN apply to saltwater and there is stuff directly related to saltwater

 

[NoahLikesFish]

let Me know what you Learn that applies to salt, I’m probably not going to do anaerobics but I might if I find significant evidence it works. Mostly because cost though

 

[FBAA]

Will do. I have learned much so far.

 

[ReeferSamster]

Let me start by saying that anaerobic bacteria has been around ~600million years and have evolved for longer that aerobic bacteria. They have developed ways of striping oxygen from molecules like nitrates, phosphates and sulfates to maintain their metabolism.

I have 110 gallon (DT+sump+frag tank) reef system. which only rely on live rock for denitrification and water changes for phosphate and further nitrate removal. I have some fish which I feed everyday, so I do have the eventual nitrate producing bioload: an ocellaris, a bluespot jawfish, a bangaii cardinal, a copperband for aiptasia control and a yellow tang for algae pruning.

I dont have a skimmer and don't use any sort of chemical export as 24/7 maintenance tool. No GFO, no carbon. I just used live rock and water changes for the past 20 years.

The only technology in the tank are my lights, gyres for water movement and a heater. The world takes care of itself, with the assistance of water changes.

I found that even with daily feedings and consumer bioload, I can still stick to approximately 1-2 week water changes (if I don't get lazy) without any noticeable increase in nitrate, which is anecdotal evidence that there is at least some form of denitrification taking place with approximately 120 lbs of live rock in my DT, sump and common plumbed frag tank.

I am getting fidgety lately, and I know when I get that way due to complacency, I end up tinkering with something or adding something. I am maybe considering a skimmer for further organic processing and oxygenating my tank. Maybe even a UV sterilizer if I get bored again later. Not sure if it will improve anything, because my little world is doing well, in harmony with good balance. I practice "low-tech" reefing style.