NITRATE REDUCTION: Top 3 ways to keep Nitrates down?

[esther]

I use a 3-4" sand bed along with thick porous real live rock(Tonga, pukani) for primary nitrate reduction. Secondary I use a refugium with a quality light.

The anoxic zones do such a good job I'm debating on removing the chaeto to keep NO3 at detectable levels.

What do you use for your refugium light?

 

[Crashnt24]

What do you use for your refugium light?

I'm using a Kessil a360x refugium led. I love this light, night and day difference between my old Kessil h80 refugium led.

If I run this light on 100% intensity, I have to throw away a full 13gal trash bag full every week.

 

[robbyg]

@revhtree you forgot one of the most effective methods. Roller Mats or properly maintained filter socks.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

@revhtree you forgot one of the most effective methods. Roller Mats or properly maintained filter socks.

I do love my roller mat.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

My top 3 methods to keep nitrates in check?
1. The C/N ratio, the protein content, of the food! Is decisive for nitrate production.
2. A skimmer limits growth, the consumption of inorganic nitrogen, and does not remove released inorganic nitrogen. Creates a nutrient unbalance, promotes nitrate build up.
3. AAM, active algae management. Can be used for correcting the nutrient unbalance created by the skimmer. May prevent nitrate to build because nitrogen is taken up in relation to the availability and not only on the basis of the availability of phosphate. If the availability of nitrogen increases, relatively more nitrogen is absorbed.

As some of the nitrate nitrogen produced is constantly naturally exported from the system, it is not normal for the nitrogen reserve to build up in a properly fed system. Removing nitrate will not solve anything if the cause is not addressed. Nitrate is safely stored useful nitrogen and can be removed very easily if necessary, without using products that can cause far more problems than could be determined from the presence of nitrate.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

My top 3 methods to keep nitrates in check?
1. The C/N ratio, the protein content, of the food! Is decisive for nitrate production.
2. A skimmer limits growth, the consumption of inorganic nitrogen, and does not remove released inorganic nitrogen. Creates a nutrient unbalance, promotes nitrate build up.
3. AAM, active algae management. Can be used for correcting the nutrient unbalance created by the skimmer. May prevent nitrate to build because nitrogen is taken up in relation to the availability and not only on the basis of the availability of phosphate. If the availability of nitrogen increases, relatively more nitrogen is absorbed.

As some of the nitrate nitrogen produced is constantly naturally exported from the system, it is not normal for the nitrogen reserve to build up in a properly fed system. Removing nitrate will not solve anything if the cause is not addressed. Nitrate is safely stored useful nitrogen and can be removed very easily if necessary, without using products that can cause far more problems than could be determined from the presence of nitrate.

 

[kennyreef]

Mean while I feed heavily including Amino and still it’s hard to keep NO3 at Desiré levels

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Mean while I feed heavily including Amino and still it’s hard to keep NO3 at Desiré levels

adding amino ( NH3) acids will increase the C/N ratio depending on the side chain, the type of amino, but also will increase the total nitrogen availability and the N/P ratio , increasing an existing nutrient unbalance, making phosphorus the growth limiting factor.

Feeding heavily? Low or high protein food ( C/N ratio)? From marine origin? If the food contains a lot of cellulose it will have a normal C/N ratio but a lot will end up as detritus because the carbon in cellulose may not be used up in a marine environment. This may lead to a relatively high nitrate production. if such food has a high protein content ( +35%) it may lead to a lot of Nitrate production.