NITRATE REDUCTION: Top 3 ways to keep Nitrates down?

[Shameless_Dood]

Coral Mass! More coral = more zooxanthele consuming those nitrates. Lots of people end up having to dose nitrates because the coral is consuming it.

 

[Luciferene]

I picked other as I don't do any nitrate control but have trouble keeping it above 0.

Been feeding heavily both for fish food, coral food, and amino and which made nitrates barely register on my test kits. Also don't have an algae issue.

Since I don't do regular WC nor have a real skimmer/sump/nutrient export, I'm guessing it's my LRs, Seachem Matrix, and maybe the quasi-skimmer built-in for Seachem Tidal.

It might also be the fact that the tank ran as FOWLR without much lighting for almost a year which may have allowed denitrifying bacteria to take hold before it turned into a reef tank.


1.No particular method
2. Yes but only have trouble keeping it higher
3. ~10ppm for an established system but can't speak with experience. My experience with nitrates in FW is that it can be toxic at high level, but a lot less so than people make it out to be, especially for an older tank. But in new tanks, nitrates can be a sign of other problems brewing.

 

[weamdog]

Been struggling with this a lot lately when i noticed my frags starting to suffer. Turns out my skimmer got clogged with some chaeto which sent me upwards to 75ppm. That coupled with the chaeto suffering from lack of nutrients. Who would have thought that a company such as triton who builds systems around using chaeto as a nutrient export does not include supplements for sustaining chaeto growth, ugggh.

Anyways, I've discovered the hard way that no3 and po4 are tied together pretty closely. When the phosphate is low and nitrates are high, dosing nopox doesn't work. Right now I'm running two sulfer denitrators until i can get my hands on an auto zeolith reactor. Since I've started adding chaetogro, my fuge and chaeto reactor are doing much better. It's taken me about a month to lower my nitrates down to around 25 more or less one drop at a time. I've also started using tropic marin's new syn-biotic salt for small changes. 5g of that in a 260ish system definitely changes the water chemistry as my ORP drops substantially which I'd imagine is due to the bacteria explosion. One of these days my tank will catch up with itself.

 

[Cre8or30]

Depend on which way I look at my API test kit will tell me he the or not I have high nitrates.

 

[Joe Grubbs]

For my 180g Pennsula, I feed very heavy to support my over stocking of fish in a mixed reef with SPS, LPS, & Soft. Tank has been running for >5yr. Using a skimmer, vinegar, biopellets, and auto water change. I maintain between 1 and 5 ppm NO3 along with a PO4 of < 0.3. Oh, and I do dose Reef Nution A& B for the corals.

 

[WallyB]

I cast my (3 votes), but in reality it is (4 items in the list)

0) Water Changes are not very effective in Larger Tanks

1) Less Feeding Helps, but it works better then other way around (More Feeding to bring up Nitrates)
2) Protein Skimmer is beneficial for Nitrate Reduction removing Waste before it become Nitrate.

3) Growing Algae outside Tank work best for me, since Tunable (Self Regulating, and easy to adjust with PhotoPeriod)
----> Helps with PH and Higher Oxygen Levels (lower CO2) running Opposite to DT Lighting.

3a) My Upflow-Algae Scrubber 3b) Grows Cheato.
Which works really well and easier to havest than GHA in a WaterFall Type ATS.

 

[chaoticreefer]

I messed up on my vote, while I knew it was for "Nitrates" but while voting I was thinking of Phosphates methods. But two out of the 3 are right, I would need to change "Nitrates Liquid Removers" over to "Water Changes". My nitrates have never been a problem in respect to being too high, exact opposite has been a problem where I would have to add nitrates to keep them up. My phosphates is what goes crazy in my tank, trying to keep my nitrates up in order to combat phosphates.

 

[Paul Carpenter]

Since I already have overstocked my tank, thus requiring very heavy feeding ….. that horse has bolted the barn. I use a combination of sand bed/live rock denitrification, organics removal with skimmer, ATS and as the mechanism of last resort …. a sulfur reactor.

I’ve tried everything the last 30 years. There is nothing simpler or more effective than Heavy skimming and dosing Vodka. I have a 500 gal reef (700 gal system) , many large fish, up and running now 22 years. I travel a lot , home maybe a total 7 months a year now so need simplicity and stability. I keep NO3 between 1 and 5. About 6 times a year I might add lanthanum CL if phosphates rise above 0.09. I’m a fan of refugiums but My above routine Is simpler and cheaper.
i don’t enjoy tinkering with my system as much as I used too..

 

[Greybeard]

Zeovit

 

[brandon429]

Unverified readings are 99% of nitrate actions, whether dosing up or down. It’s a painful assertion agreed.

we should name out the single best nitrate tester available today, that way we can see which % of nitrate actions here were based on that tester, then the rest can be assumed fifty points off in a direction.


is it Hanna digital?

 

[ReefGeezer]

1. What methods do you employ to keep nitrate levels in check?
Denirtifying bacteria in porous rock, binding DOC & nitrate via biomass, and limiting DOC via skimming. I have and would dose vinegar if necessary.

2. Do you have a problem keeping your nitrate level at an acceptable range?
No.... BUT... I simply don't target a particular number or even a range other than "low".

3. What is an acceptable range for you and nitrates in your reef aquarium?
I like to see some free nitrate when I test using a Salifert kit, but seldom do. I still get some algae growth though, so I know there is some available even if it is just transient.

 

[MartinWaite]

Between auto filter roller (X-filter) my over sized protein skimmer, MarinePure block and cheato I struggle to get a nitrate reading but when I did have a problem and ended up with really high nitrates I go to Quantums nitrate remover there is no better remover IMO there is plenty of people who control their nitrates by dosing it. The number 1 will be the Mastertronic when it comes out this year and then connect to the powertronic and then nitrates should become a thing of the past. Roll on Focustronic I want my Mastertronic connected to my system.

 

[Nicolo]

NITRATE REDUCTION: How are you keeping Nitrates down?

Nitrate is an ion that has long dogged aquarists. It is typically formed in aquaria through the digestion of foods, and in many aquaria it builds up and can be difficult to keep at natural levels. In the past, many aquarists performed water changes with nitrate reduction as one of the primary goals. Fortunately, we now have a wide array of ways to keep nitrate in check, and modern aquaria suffer far less from elevated nitrate than they have in the past. In some case, aquarists have even found that they have reduced it too far, and nitrate dosing can even be beneficial.

Elevated nitrate is often associated with algae, and indeed the growth of algae is often spurred by excess nutrients, including nitrate. The same can be said for other potential pests in aquaria, such as dinoflagellates. Nitrate itself is not acutely toxic at the levels usually attained in aquaria, at least as it is so far known in the scientific literature, but elevated levels do seem detrimental to the health of fish. Additionally, elevated nitrate can spur the growth of zooxanthellae in corals, which can darken corals and may decrease the growth rate of a host coral.

For these reasons, most reef aquarists strive to keep nitrate levels down. Some are very successful, and others are not. This article provides some background on nitrate in the ocean and in aquaria, and describes a number of techniques that aquarists have successfully used to keep nitrate levels down to more natural levels in reef aquaria. - @Randy Holmes-Farley


This question of the day comes to you as a request by one of our members! Today let's talk about how YOU are keeping your nitrates down. Let's discuss and talk nitrate reduction methods!

1. What methods do you employ to keep nitrate levels in check?

2. Do you have a problem keeping your nitrate level at an acceptable range?

3. What is an acceptable range for you and nitrates in your reef aquarium?

Quarter teaspoon of white sugar per 25 gallons

 

[tweeter]

I picked other as I don't do any nitrate control but have trouble keeping it above 0.

Been feeding heavily both for fish food, coral food, and amino and which made nitrates barely register on my test kits. Also don't have an algae issue.

Since I don't do regular WC nor have a real skimmer/sump/nutrient export, I'm guessing it's my LRs, Seachem Matrix, and maybe the quasi-skimmer built-in for Seachem Tidal.

It might also be the fact that the tank ran as FOWLR without much lighting for almost a year which may have allowed denitrifying bacteria to take hold before it turned into a reef tank.


1.No particular method
2. Yes but only have trouble keeping it higher
3. ~10ppm for an established system but can't speak with experience. My experience with nitrates in FW is that it can be toxic at high level, but a lot less so than people make it out to be, especially for an older tank. But in new tanks, nitrates can be a sign of other problems brewing.

The Seachem Tidal has helped my tank also. I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[amazongb]

I have to dose to keep them up.

 

[NashobaTek]

I do occasional water changes, but I let the macro algae handle the nitrates. It stays around 10-20.

 

[NashobaTek]

I do occasional water changes, but I let the macro algae handle the nitrates. It stays around 10-20.

 

[sp1187]

ATS, blocks & other being cutting back on frozen and feeding pellets.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

NITRATE REDUCTION: How are you keeping Nitrates down?

Nitrate is an ion that has long dogged aquarists. It is typically formed in aquaria through the digestion of foods, and in many aquaria it builds up and can be difficult to keep at natural levels. In the past, many aquarists performed water changes with nitrate reduction as one of the primary goals. Fortunately, we now have a wide array of ways to keep nitrate in check, and modern aquaria suffer far less from elevated nitrate than they have in the past. In some case, aquarists have even found that they have reduced it too far, and nitrate dosing can even be beneficial.

Elevated nitrate is often associated with algae, and indeed the growth of algae is often spurred by excess nutrients, including nitrate. The same can be said for other potential pests in aquaria, such as dinoflagellates. Nitrate itself is not acutely toxic at the levels usually attained in aquaria, at least as it is so far known in the scientific literature, but elevated levels do seem detrimental to the health of fish. Additionally, elevated nitrate can spur the growth of zooxanthellae in corals, which can darken corals and may decrease the growth rate of a host coral.

For these reasons, most reef aquarists strive to keep nitrate levels down. Some are very successful, and others are not. This article provides some background on nitrate in the ocean and in aquaria, and describes a number of techniques that aquarists have successfully used to keep nitrate levels down to more natural levels in reef aquaria. - @Randy Holmes-Farley


This question of the day comes to you as a request by one of our members! Today let's talk about how YOU are keeping your nitrates down. Let's discuss and talk nitrate reduction methods!

1. What methods do you employ to keep nitrate levels in check?

2. Do you have a problem keeping your nitrate level at an acceptable range?

3. What is an acceptable range for you and nitrates in your reef aquarium?

The most logical choice for managing nitrogen availability is not available on the selection list!
A simple bio-filter.

Having control over the nitrogen input and the nitrogen export.

Why nitrate is produced?
How nitrates may build up in a well-lit aquarium, why not all produced nitrate-nitrogen is used up?
Managing an LNS or a HIHO system?
Food source? Protein content and C/N ratio?
Nitrates are a safely stored nitrogen reserve. Nitrates are the end product of the aerobic remineralization process and are produced if ammonia is available. Nitrates are not responsible for algae growth and are harmless except at very high levels. if nitrate-nitrogen is used as a nitrogen source by organisms, growth is slowed down, they all prefer ammonia as a nitrogen source. Nitrate production installs a propper carrying capacity and may not be considered a threat. The same can not be said of TAN. What if TAN stays available for growth and no nitrates are produced?
Nitrates are needed to reduce continuously produced HS. Without nitrate, the nitrogen cycle can not be closed. Without the presence of nitrate, certainly in a marine system, anaerobic remineralization will end up in sulfate reduction and HS production.

Why battling nitrate?
What is your reason?

Why lowering nitrate levels? Someone lowering the nitrate level must have a good reason as a lot of methods used for lowering the nitrate level may create a much greater risk factor for the system as nitrate ever may become. The cure may become a lot worse as the disease.

Passive or and active nitrogen management and what is the difference?

Nitrate has never been a real problem, not only because it is harmless but also because the nitrogen content and nitrate level is easily managed as nitrate is continuously exported as N2. A normal nitrifying biofilm may export +- 16% of TAN.
Nitrate can only build up if something else limits the consumption, they are the messenger, not the cause.
What is the role of a skimmer in creating nitrogen surplus, hopefully ending up in the nitrate reserve?

A safely stored nitrogen reserve is easily managed by using a simple biofilter.

 

[Susan Bates]

I have always struggled with Nitrates, just can not keep them down and I have tried everything