Whats the best way to lower nitrates

bina770 · 05/14/2009, 12:33 PM

i need to lower my nitrates and possible ammonia. Whats the best and fastest way

Ehaze · 05/14/2009, 12:48 PM

sulphur denitrator, or massive water change.

billdogg · 05/14/2009, 12:51 PM

water changes - several large waterchanges

thegrun · 05/14/2009, 01:19 PM

A refugium.

jenglish · 05/14/2009, 01:23 PM

Fastest is big waterchange. If you contnue doing what you were doing to get them that high it will only come back though.

Bruno3047 · 05/14/2009, 01:24 PM

Fastest way is to dose Amquel.

Binds ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, along with chloramine and chlorine.

lucas73 · 05/14/2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jenglish
Fastest is big waterchange. If you contnue doing what you were doing to get them that high it will only come back though.

+1

hyperfocal · 05/14/2009, 02:10 PM

A HUGE waterchange. If your nitrates are over 100, a 75% water change will drop them to 25+ which is still too high for a reef tank.

BigJay · 05/14/2009, 02:18 PM

A few things come to mind, there are many ways to skin this cat (or skim it har har har).

1. Feed less to introduce less pollutants. Some people go way overboard with the food, not suggesting you're one of them.
2. Reduce bioload, do you really need that many tangs?
3. Skim more or add a better skimmer, thus remove organics before they break down.
4. Add a refugium with plenty of light and macro algae, because plants eat nitrates.
5. Change more water, which will dilute the nitrates.
6. Run a denitrator device, which will slowly remove nitrates.
7. Use a DSB or Plenum, the bacteria in anoxic zones break down nitrate.
8. Look up bacterial and carbon dosing (aka ZeoVit or Vodka dosing). It encourages the growth of bacteria that consumes nitrates and phosphates.
9. Run ozone, it breaks down organics and supposedly increases skimmer efficiency.

letik · 05/14/2009, 03:04 PM

Go to Petco/ Deathco store and ask for the water conditioner they use on their tanks to remove amonia, nitrates etc. That's how these dudes are able to keep stuff..
It comes in one plastic bottle, I just don't rememebr the exact name.

letik · 05/14/2009, 03:11 PM

something like this
http://www.petco.com/product/11426/K...rsandAdditives

but again go to some petco and ask what they use! It's quick fix, but you should read what other people recommended not to ever use this crap again!

hope it helps

IslandCrow · 05/14/2009, 03:14 PM

Don't use additives that "bind" nitrates. At best they're only going to mask the nitrates from test kits. For a quick solution, large water changes (as suggested) are your best bet, but that's not a good long-term solution. I'm not sure about your intent here, though. Reducing nitrates is generally not time critical, and it's best combated with regular water changes, responsible feeding, not overstocking, sufficient amount of live rock, protein skimming and overall reef husbandry. There are all sorts of popular methods like denitrators, deep sand beds and carbon dosing, but I've managed to keep my nitrates undetectable for years without ever using any of those methods.

letik · 05/14/2009, 03:22 PM

IslandCrow, I know what you mean, but if you look at the question again!
-lower nitrates and possible ammonia. Whats the best and fastest way-
the answer I gave is most likely what he needs.

I never used any additives ever but how fast can you replace 25 gals of water..?

IslandCrow · 05/14/2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

IslandCrow, I know what you mean, but if you look at the question again!
-lower nitrates and possible ammonia. Whats the best and fastest way-
the answer I gave is most likely what he needs.

I never used any additives ever but how fast can you replace 25 gals of water..?

Yeah, I forgot about the ammonia. I'm curious about why there would be ammonia in a 21 month old tank, but that should obviously be the immediate concern, and Amquel is a good emergency "cure". My point was that it doesn't actually help with the nitrates, but your point is certainly valid.

400M1963 · 05/14/2009, 08:40 PM

You need a good skimmer rated at several times tank volume to head these swings off at the pass. EuroReef gets high marks here.

05/14/2009, 12:33 PM	#1
bina770 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: chicago Posts: 251	Whats the best way to lower nitrates i need to lower my nitrates and possible ammonia. Whats the best and fastest way

05/14/2009, 12:48 PM	#2
Ehaze Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Thornton, Colorado Posts: 1,259	sulphur denitrator, or massive water change. __________________ 75g SPS tank, 30gal sump/refuge. Melev RO/DI, Coravue duel calc reactor, MSP 200 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40, Mag drive 9.5 return, autotopoff.com ATO, 2 CoralVue 250W SE finished pendants(with 20k Radium bulbs), powered by 2x Icecap ballasts, controlled by a ACJR.

05/14/2009, 12:51 PM	#3
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	water changes - several large waterchanges __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/14/2009, 01:23 PM	#5
jenglish Marquis de Carabas Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,523	Fastest is big waterchange. If you contnue doing what you were doing to get them that high it will only come back though. __________________ Jeremy Brown liquor never hurt anybody “Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse" Pierre-Simon Laplace I should want to cook him a simple meal, but I shouldn't want to cut into him, to tear the flesh, to wear the flesh, to be born unto new worlds where his flesh becomes my key. Current Tank Info: broken and dry

05/14/2009, 02:10 PM	#8
hyperfocal Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Edge of oblivion Posts: 1,708	A HUGE waterchange. If your nitrates are over 100, a 75% water change will drop them to 25+ which is still too high for a reef tank. __________________ "Froth at the top, dregs at bottom, but the middle excellent." -- Voltaire Current Tank Info: getting back into the hobby

05/14/2009, 01:19 PM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	A refugium.

05/14/2009, 01:24 PM	#6
Bruno3047 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 1,018	Fastest way is to dose Amquel. Binds ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, along with chloramine and chlorine.

05/14/2009, 02:18 PM	#9
BigJay Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Southlake, Texas Posts: 1,872	A few things come to mind, there are many ways to skin this cat (or skim it har har har). 1. Feed less to introduce less pollutants. Some people go way overboard with the food, not suggesting you're one of them. 2. Reduce bioload, do you really need that many tangs? 3. Skim more or add a better skimmer, thus remove organics before they break down. 4. Add a refugium with plenty of light and macro algae, because plants eat nitrates. 5. Change more water, which will dilute the nitrates. 6. Run a denitrator device, which will slowly remove nitrates. 7. Use a DSB or Plenum, the bacteria in anoxic zones break down nitrate. 8. Look up bacterial and carbon dosing (aka ZeoVit or Vodka dosing). It encourages the growth of bacteria that consumes nitrates and phosphates. 9. Run ozone, it breaks down organics and supposedly increases skimmer efficiency. __________________ PBITAWA

05/14/2009, 03:04 PM	#10
letik Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New York Posts: 154	Go to Petco/ Deathco store and ask for the water conditioner they use on their tanks to remove amonia, nitrates etc. That's how these dudes are able to keep stuff.. It comes in one plastic bottle, I just don't rememebr the exact name.

05/14/2009, 03:11 PM	#11
letik Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New York Posts: 154	something like this http://www.petco.com/product/11426/K...rsandAdditives but again go to some petco and ask what they use! It's quick fix, but you should read what other people recommended not to ever use this crap again! hope it helps

05/14/2009, 03:14 PM	#12
IslandCrow Reef Monkey Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Rockledge, Fl Posts: 5,759	Don't use additives that "bind" nitrates. At best they're only going to mask the nitrates from test kits. For a quick solution, large water changes (as suggested) are your best bet, but that's not a good long-term solution. I'm not sure about your intent here, though. Reducing nitrates is generally not time critical, and it's best combated with regular water changes, responsible feeding, not overstocking, sufficient amount of live rock, protein skimming and overall reef husbandry. There are all sorts of popular methods like denitrators, deep sand beds and carbon dosing, but I've managed to keep my nitrates undetectable for years without ever using any of those methods. __________________ All opinions in the above message should be taken with 35 ppt salt. -Mike C. Current Tank Info: I have a reef screen saver on my phone, does that count?

05/14/2009, 03:22 PM	#13
letik Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New York Posts: 154	IslandCrow, I know what you mean, but if you look at the question again! -lower nitrates and possible ammonia. Whats the best and fastest way- the answer I gave is most likely what he needs. I never used any additives ever but how fast can you replace 25 gals of water..?

05/14/2009, 08:40 PM	#15
400M1963 Premium Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: NE, USA Posts: 282	You need a good skimmer rated at several times tank volume to head these swings off at the pass. EuroReef gets high marks here.