Nitrates and Bio Media

[JGTPA]

I have a 3.5 year old 170 gallon mixed reef and have been trying to lower my nitrates with minimal success. I added ceramic media (logs) to my sump when I originally set up the tank and it just dawned on me that these may actually be a large part of the problem so, I'm thinking about removing them. My questions are. 1. Could these be a large part of my Nitrate problem and should I remove them? 2. Is is safe to remove them all at once? I'm just worried about removing too much bacteria at once and crashing the tank. Any advice?

 

[TX_REEF]

first of all, your tank looks great. What problem are you trying to solve?

Second, bio-media does not generally reduce nitrate, it converts ammonia into nitrate as a final product. nitrate must be removed via water changes or other export methods such as macroalgae or an algae turf scrubber.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

how high is nitrate?

 

[JGTPA]

@TX_REEF and @Randy Holmes-Farley . Thanks for the compliment on the tank! My nitrates range between 25 - 35 (usually closer to 25). I'm sure that it's mostly due to the bioload and the amount of food that I feed. I personally think that a lot of folks underfeed their fish. So, I try to provide species appropriate diet and feeding frequency. I try to balance that with not truly overfeeding, but I definitely would qualify as an overfeeder in most people's definition. I'm not chasing a specific number, but I'd like to start adding some more hard corals. I currently have soft corals with the exception of a candy cane. With the exception of the candy cane, I've seen coral growth slow significantly. Nitrates are really my only parameter that's out of whack so, I'm trying to get them down before adding any other corals. I was wondering if all of the debris that collects in the ceramic media (after 3.5 years) can basically turn into a "nitrate factory".

 

[sgdnycct]

I have a 3.5 year old 170 gallon mixed reef and have been trying to lower my nitrates with minimal success. I added ceramic media (logs) to my sump when I originally set up the tank and it just dawned on me that these may actually be a large part of the problem so, I'm thinking about removing them. My questions are. 1. Could these be a large part of my Nitrate problem and should I remove them? 2. Is is safe to remove them all at once? I'm just worried about removing too much bacteria at once and crashing the tank. Any advice?

I can’t see how they could be the cause of your nitrates. That’s said, with that size tank and maturity I don’t see how removing them would cause a problem.

 

[exnisstech]

Deleted.
Asked a question already answered.

 

[Isaac Alves]

A tiny bit of daily carbon dosing would probably bring that down to 20ppm which is probably a good place with those mushrooms, toadstool and cabbage leather(?)...would keep them happy. You've got some big poopers in there...keeping that tank at 20ppm is probably the sweet spot between feeding, pooping, and small water changes. I wouldn't remove those blocks...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@TX_REEF and @Randy Holmes-Farley . Thanks for the compliment on the tank! My nitrates range between 25 - 35 (usually closer to 25). I'm sure that it's mostly due to the bioload and the amount of food that I feed. I personally think that a lot of folks underfeed their fish. So, I try to provide species appropriate diet and feeding frequency. I try to balance that with not truly overfeeding, but I definitely would qualify as an overfeeder in most people's definition. I'm not chasing a specific number, but I'd like to start adding some more hard corals. I currently have soft corals with the exception of a candy cane. With the exception of the candy cane, I've seen coral growth slow significantly. Nitrates are really my only parameter that's out of whack so, I'm trying to get them down before adding any other corals. I was wondering if all of the debris that collects in the ceramic media (after 3.5 years) can basically turn into a "nitrate factory".

I'm not a fan of these sorts of media since I think various potential cons outweigh the pros, but I do not know what effect, if any, you will see on nitrate by removing them. I would remove them independent of nitrate.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, these are my nutrient target ranges and the article show reef aquarium justifications for those ranges:

Randy’s Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges

Thoughts on Nutrient Target Ranges by Randy Holmes-Farley Almost nothing in the world of reef aquarium chemistry causes as much discussion as selecting and maintaining ranges for nitrate and phosphate. Some aquarists want low targets, some want...

www.reef2reef.com

• 4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:
  • Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
  • Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
  • Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
  • Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
  • Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
  • Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

 

[JGTPA]

I can’t see how they could be the cause of your nitrates. That’s said, with that size tank and maturity I don’t see how removing them would cause a problem.

Its 170 gallon display (app 200gal total volume) and 3.5 years old.