When dry rock becomes live, will I notice a drop in nitrates?

[glb]

I have a 3-mos old 40g fowlr that I started with dry rock and sand. Once the rock becomes live, will there be a noticeable drop in nitrates?

 

[Mr. Bill]

Dry rock becomes 'live' during the initial cycle when it's populated with the bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrite, and then nitrate. The anaerobic bacteria that converts nitrate into nitrogen gas doesn't populate every tank unfortunately, and where it does, it's rarely enough to notice any substantial drop in nitrate as the conversion is much slower. Very few sw aquarists can boast zero nitrates without some type of removal system, such as an algae turf scrubber or a refugium with macro algae.

 

[brandon429]

Well said. I was going to give anyone who sets up a pure live rock driven system (beyond normal stock ratios in favor of denit.) only a small percent chance of being able to register the nitrate processing a carbon/export or plant system will remove. I know there are some, repeatability.

My system is live rock at 5 lbs per gallon, maintained live rock, and the system still has some nitrates

The process does occur in lr but in the end lack of consistency or upkeep with the bioloading we want phased out Berlin method into all the stuff today

We get the looks of live rock, it's ageless character, filtration for ammonia, rarely waste processing for nitrate, and if not occasionally maintained/exceptional flow system, live rock can produce nitrate via breakdown of surface accumulations.

 

[glb]

I know that it takes time for the denitrifying anerobic bacteria to grow in the rock. I'm not looking for zero nitrates, especially with fowlr, but I was just curious about when my dry rock would work as efficiently as live rock. Thanks everyone!