Nitrate removal in 220 gallon FOWLR bare bottom .

ajiisss

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
312
Reaction score
88
Location
80924
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What's the best and cost effective way to remove nitrates in long term . I reach 20-30ppm nitrates every 2 weeks . Then I do a water change. I tried chaeto in sump it keeps dying and making a mess in my sump. What else every one tries
 

Miami Reef

Clam Fanatic
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2017
Messages
11,165
Reaction score
20,734
Location
Miami Beach
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Do you have algae problems? I don’t see anything wrong with having a little higher nitrates, especially not for a FOWLR.

Anyway, besides for water changes and feeding less, you can add a little vodka to the tank. It provides food for the denitrifying bacteria which turn nitrates into a gas that will precipitate out of the water. You need a protein skimmer to dose vodka and please do research on proper vodka dosing for your tank size.
 

Thespammailaccount

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
4,274
Reaction score
15,567
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A surfer denitrator will take your nitrates to zero and fine for fish only tank however they require a solid understanding of how they work in order to prevent problems
 

Thespammailaccount

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
4,274
Reaction score
15,567
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Another option would be vodka dosing but you have to monitor nitrate/phosphate ratio if one drops to zero the system would become limited and would have to correct accordingly
 
OP
OP
A

ajiisss

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
312
Reaction score
88
Location
80924
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Do you have algae problems? I don’t see anything wrong with having a little higher nitrates, especially not for a FOWLR.

Anyway, besides for water changes and feeding less, you can add a little vodka to the tank. It provides food for the denitrifying bacteria which turn nitrates into a gas that will precipitate out of the water. You need a protein skimmer to dose vodka and please do research on proper vodka dosing for your tank size.
I dont have algae problems yet tank is 3-4 months old . Feeding less is what I feel guilty. My fish is very hungry all the times I feed 3-4 times daily
 

Azedenkae

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
2,448
Reaction score
2,317
Location
Seattle
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What's the best and cost effective way to remove nitrates in long term . I reach 20-30ppm nitrates every 2 weeks . Then I do a water change. I tried chaeto in sump it keeps dying and making a mess in my sump. What else every one tries
Long term? Algae scrubber. Same concept as chaeto, but algae is much easier to keep alive. You can get a cheap submersible light and then whatever mesh-like product to hold algae and tada. Cheap, reliable, long-term.
 
OP
OP
A

ajiisss

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
312
Reaction score
88
Location
80924
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Long term? Algae scrubber. Same concept as chaeto, but algae is much easier to keep alive. You can get a cheap submersible light and then whatever mesh-like product to hold algae and tada. Cheap, reliable, long-term.
You mean just a submersible light and a net like media around it ? that sounds an easy way.. some of teh algae scrubbers in market I see is 500 +
 

Thespammailaccount

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
4,274
Reaction score
15,567
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Any recommendations? I have a brightwell no3 brick in sump.
I would only recommend a sulfur denitrator to an advanced reefer and/or someone who knows someone to help them learn how to do it correctly and even when done correctly issues can arise I know of one reefer who’s tank was nuked because the reactor malfunctioned
 

Thespammailaccount

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 3, 2020
Messages
4,274
Reaction score
15,567
Location
Houston
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You mean just a submersible light and a net like media around it ? that sounds an easy way.. some of teh algae scrubbers in market I see is 500 +
You can build a diy algae scrubber pretty cheap with a kit like this some extra pvc and a pump
 
OP
OP
A

ajiisss

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
312
Reaction score
88
Location
80924
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
MicroBacter 7 was pretty good at removing NO3 from my setup. Almost too good...
I added Biopellets and added microbacter7 and the nitrates is zero now. Now people say I could get a dino outbreak would like to keep it in 5ppm range ... jeez what all things are in this hobby.
 

Siberwulf

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 25, 2021
Messages
404
Reaction score
399
Location
DFW
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I added Biopellets and added microbacter7 and the nitrates is zero now. Now people say I could get a dino outbreak would like to keep it in 5ppm range ... jeez what all things are in this hobby.

It's a balancing act. Also, there's tons of opinions out there and every setup is dfferent. Did you need to add both Biopellets and MB7? Maybe, maybe not.

Ideally you're looking to control about two things in this main convo: Nitrates and Phosphates. Chaeto can be a good way to do this, but if it's dying in the sump, then you probably don't have adequate lighting in there. Its very photosynthetic (which makes sense). And mind you, Chaeto doesn't remove those from the system, just from the water. Pruning your Chaeto back removes it from the system.

My gut says you may be over feeding. Maybe cut back a feeding a day and see if you can stretch out the ramp up in NO3 more gradually. And once you have a good understanding in the daily change in NO3. Then once you get that down, you can figure out how much MB7 to keep it measurable, but not too high. (I'd say aim between 2-5ppm)
 
OP
OP
A

ajiisss

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 12, 2021
Messages
312
Reaction score
88
Location
80924
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It's a balancing act. Also, there's tons of opinions out there and every setup is dfferent. Did you need to add both Biopellets and MB7? Maybe, maybe not.

Ideally you're looking to control about two things in this main convo: Nitrates and Phosphates. Chaeto can be a good way to do this, but if it's dying in the sump, then you probably don't have adequate lighting in there. Its very photosynthetic (which makes sense). And mind you, Chaeto doesn't remove those from the system, just from the water. Pruning your Chaeto back removes it from the system.

My gut says you may be over feeding. Maybe cut back a feeding a day and see if you can stretch out the ramp up in NO3 more gradually. And once you have a good understanding in the daily change in NO3. Then once you get that down, you can figure out how much MB7 to keep it measurable, but not too high. (I'd say aim between 2-5ppm)
Yes I added both MB7 and Biopellets ..I was told higher nitrates are not good for angels they require pristine water quality... Thats why added bioplettes and here it goes now its zero.. I don't have a dino problem it its only 1 week since my nitrates went to zero... So shall I take the biopellets out? yes I overfeed as I have lot of fishes ..
 
Back
Top