What removes nitrate in a reef tank? (new, coming from freshwater)

[DragonStone]

Hello! I am coming from Freshwater, and fully understood the Ammonia cycle in fresh:

Fish makes ammonia, bacteria turns it into nitrite then nitrate -> plants take up nitrate and oxygenate water.
With my large freshwater Discus tank I don't really have to do water changes frequently and ammonia and nitrates stay very low because of the full cycle.

I realize with salt...the plant part is missing. What takes up the nitrate after it's changed to that from ammonia by the bacteria? Is it only water changes?
I have a very small nano reef (9G) that I am just starting.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

Same in salt water, I use a refugium with chato algae growing in it to take up nutrients in the water, coral will also use the nitrates . Otherwise frequent water changes will be needed.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Hello! I am coming from Freshwater, and fully understood the Ammonia cycle in fresh:

Fish makes ammonia, bacteria turns it into nitrite then nitrate -> plants take up nitrate and oxygenate water.
With my large freshwater Discus tank I don't really have to do water changes frequently and ammonia and nitrates stay very low because of the full cycle.

I realize with salt...the plant part is missing. What takes up the nitrate after it's changed to that from ammonia by the bacteria? Is it only water changes?
I have a very small nano reef (9G) that I am just starting.

With a refugium or an algae scrubber that same principle applies. There are algaes like Chaetomorpha that are commonly used to reduce nitrates. Also, the protein skimmer removes some organics before they break down, as well as any filter media.

 

[Uncle99]

I route is the ammonia processed into nitrite and then sub processed into nitrate in which some is taken up by corals, some by your system micro-fauna and some gasses off as nitrogen.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

A lot of people don't care much for BRSTV on youtube, but you can come up to speed on the aspects of nutrient control , water parameters , equipment use, etc. watching their videos

 

[DragonStone]

With a refugium or an algae scrubber that same principle applies. There are algaes like Chaetomorpha that are commonly used to reduce nitrates. Also, the protein skimmer removes some organics before they break down, as well as any filter media.

I keep seeing this Chaeto thing mentioned - can you provide me a link? Is this something I would set up in the back of my AIO somehow?

 

[lil sumpin]

BRStv ya gotta be wary of, they will try to upsell you stuff you likely don’t even need! Since you have a nano, as previously mentioned, water changes will be a very consistent way to handle nitrate and phosphate build up. 1-2 gallons a week and you should be straight.

Unfortunately I haven’t had any luck w chaetomorpha in my nano. I chose to run it in my HOB Aquaclear 50 but I don’t think it’s a suitable enough size for it to grow and absorb nutrients for export. After completing the cycle, I started to use a heterotrophic bacteria in the form of PNS pro bio. At first it didn’t seem to be doing much either but now in months 5-6, my nitrates are consistently 20-25.

 

[PotatoPig]

I keep seeing this Chaeto thing mentioned - can you provide me a link? Is this something I would set up in the back of my AIO somehow?

It’s a stingy but firm macroalgae that doesn’t readily spread and is free floating so doesn’t bind to substrate. You can get it from your LFS or somewhere like algae barn.

It needs a grow light on it, and should be kept in a container in a sump or a compartment to stop it from getting sucked into the return pump.

Periodically you trim and remove it.

Some people keep this, and/or, other macroalgae in the display.

Other than that, nitrates are removed by corals, uninvited algae, and water changes.

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

I keep seeing this Chaeto thing mentioned - can you provide me a link? Is this something I would set up in the back of my AIO somehow?

Their is a lot on this subject, video link below

refugium

 

[twentyleagues]

There are a few ways to go about this. Macro algae are pretty much like plants in freshwater. Think of them basically the same. Need room to grow, light and nutrients. Probably not that much help in your current set up. Unwanted algae hair algae yup its here too is a good up taker of nutrients but its not desirable usually, turf algae and slime algaes, these can be grown in a algae scrubber. They make small versions that could be used in your tank. Carbon dosing is another route you can take need a skimmer if you dont have one. Probably the easiest way is just simple waterchanges.

 

[exnisstech]

I keep seeing this Chaeto thing mentioned - can you provide me a link? Is this something I would set up in the back of my AIO somehow?

This is JMO running 3 systems with chaeto refugiums. I do not consider growing and harvesting chaeto very effective at nutrient reduction. Chaeto refugiums along with a tray of rock rubble on the bottom make a great place for smaller critters to grow and populate without predation. These organisms eventually make their way into the DT as a food source for fish and corals. I use mechanical filtration to catch solids and do water changes. Skimmer in one tank two without skimmers. I have found that as my tanks mature water changes become less important for reducing nutrients. My tanks have pretty much stabilized and nitrate and phosphate levels don't really get high even if I don't perform scheduled water changes. This takes years tho not weeks or months so water changes would be my recommendation for nutrient reduction in younger tanks at least untill the tank matures and becomes stable.

 

[DragonStone]

Thank you all! I am thinking of just putting a ball of Chaeto Algae into the AIO back compartment and letting that suck up nutrients/nitrates??

 

[DragonStone]

This is JMO running 3 systems with chaeto refugiums. I do not consider growing and harvesting chaeto very effective at nutrient reduction. Chaeto refugiums along with a tray of rock rubble on the bottom make a great place for smaller critters to grow and populate without predation. These organisms eventually make their way into the DT as a food source for fish and corals. I use mechanical filtration to catch solids and do water changes. Skimmer in one tank two without skimmers. I have found that as my tanks mature water changes become less important for reducing nutrients. My tanks have pretty much stabilized and nitrate and phosphate levels don't really get high even if I don't perform scheduled water changes. This takes years tho not weeks or months so water changes would be my recommendation for nutrient reduction in younger tanks at least untill the tank matures and becomes stable.

Thank you!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hello! I am coming from Freshwater, and fully understood the Ammonia cycle in fresh:

Fish makes ammonia, bacteria turns it into nitrite then nitrate -> plants take up nitrate and oxygenate water.
With my large freshwater Discus tank I don't really have to do water changes frequently and ammonia and nitrates stay very low because of the full cycle.

I realize with salt...the plant part is missing. What takes up the nitrate after it's changed to that from ammonia by the bacteria? Is it only water changes?
I have a very small nano reef (9G) that I am just starting.

I know this is not really the point of your question, but it is worth throwing out for folks...

There are some really significant unknowns that get glossed over by nearly every discussion of the nitrogen cycle in reef tanks.

Most notably, whether nitrite and nitrate are ever produced in many reef tanks since most of the organisms we keep (corals, macroalgae, anemones, etc.) are happy to take up ammonia directly, and thus intercept it before it becomes nitrate.

Even if nitrate slowly accumulates, that does not necessarily imply that nitrate is the end product of most of the ammonia produced by fish.

 

[X-37B]

I prefer the red algaes for the fuge. Not messy and some fish will eat it. This is my old 30g remote fuge. I eventually removed all algae as it kept nitrate at zero.
The 3+" sandbed was also a factor in controlling nitrates.
Fuge and what it looked like after I removed it all.

 

[DragonStone]

I prefer the red algaes for the fuge. Not messy and some fish will eat it. This is my old 30g remote fuge. I eventually removed all algae as it kept nitrate at zero.
The 3+" sandbed also was also a factor in controlling nitrates.
Fuge and what it looked like after I removed it all.

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THIS IS SO PRETTY! Where Can I buy this?

 

[X-37B]

THIS IS SO PRETTY! Where Can I buy this?

I got mine at a lfs. Its available online though. Some of it is dragons breath and the rest is red ono.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Hope you're successful just, " putting a ball of chaeto in your tanks AIO compartment". I've had mixed results getting it to thrive, and with it removing enough nutrients when it does grow. I also use carbon dosing and granular ferris oxide,(GFO), to help in the removal of nitrates and phosphates respectively.

 

[Ernie Mccracken]

Water changes, first and foremost. Otherwise:

• Macro algae, usually chaeto that is grown in the sump fuge
• Micro algae, that stuff in your display and also can be grown in a turf scrubber
• Carbon dosing, e.g. vodka or vinegar
• Direct bacteria dosing, products like micro bacter7

 

[saltcats]

I love my dragon's breath, beautiful red colour and it's growing nicely but not too fast