HURRY !How to drop Nitrates NOW!!!!

UnderwaterExotic · 04/01/2006, 08:52 PM

What is the best way to drop nitrates? I tried water changes, skimmer, nothing seems to be working. IT is an established tank and i dont know where they came from! IS there something or some type of resin i can use! I am using purigen right now too! HURRY! My Nitrates are around 75-100!! OUCH I need Help quick! The only other thing i can think of is adding a better skimmer and leaving it running 24/7!

flowerseller · 04/01/2006, 09:35 PM

Are you confident in the test kit readings you're getting?

UnderwaterExotic · 04/01/2006, 09:40 PM

Sure am, i have tried 3 different ones!

graveyardworm · 04/01/2006, 10:08 PM

Water changes Water changes Water changes, and macro algae.

Here's an article about nitrate http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...t2003/chem.htm

UnderwaterExotic · 04/01/2006, 11:47 PM

Water changes are doing nothin!

antony1103 · 04/02/2006, 12:13 AM

Is your water filter with RO/DI. The nitrates could be comming from your tap water.

Alaskan Reefer · 04/02/2006, 12:32 AM

If water changes are doing nothing, it's your supply water -- tap?

ratziel · 04/02/2006, 12:53 AM

Getting a better skimmer will not remove nitrates already in the water. I've heard of people getting results from a product called AZ-N03. It converts your nitrates to a form that can be removed by your skimmer but I believe it takes 30 days. I've never heard of water changes not helping nitrate levels. Here are some possibilities. 1. Water is source of nitrates. 2. Your sandbed has crashed meaning you have more gunk in the sandbed than it can deal with and now it's spewing out nitrates. 3.Your rock has saturated with nitrates and is now leaching them. 4. There is a nitrate trap such as a dirty filter pad etc. HTH

Bebo77 · 04/02/2006, 01:02 AM

ok your water changes.. are you testing the water you are using for the water changes? if your other levels are low its the water you are adding during a water change that is doing this....

2. Skimmer, are you not leaving your skimmer on 24/7 now? how are your ammonia/ nitrites levels?

chocolateblnt · 04/02/2006, 02:00 AM

This situation came up before in another thread in the nano section ... and it turned out the guy had so much impacted shat a.k.a nitrates in his sand bed, that when he posted the pic of the bucket he gravel vacced into, it looked as if he took a dump in it. So try gravel vaccing a few spots ... if this is true you should get a small army of nassarius ... detriwhore

snails that eat detritous and aerate the sand releasing possible nitrates into the water where it can be skimmed/changed/filtered.

agfahy · 04/02/2006, 06:49 AM

Load up, and I mean "LOAD UP", on macro algaes . Grab 3-5 species, throw them in your sump w/ light 24/7 and run miracle mud. MAngrove doesn't hurt either. If that doesn't fix the problem, assuming you do water changes, then I don't know what to tell you.

archie1709 · 04/02/2006, 09:54 AM

Well, how's your bioload, underwater exotic?

04/01/2006, 08:52 PM	#1
UnderwaterExotic Moved On Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Mayville, NY Posts: 1,343	HURRY !How to drop Nitrates NOW!!!! What is the best way to drop nitrates? I tried water changes, skimmer, nothing seems to be working. IT is an established tank and i dont know where they came from! IS there something or some type of resin i can use! I am using purigen right now too! HURRY! My Nitrates are around 75-100!! OUCH I need Help quick! The only other thing i can think of is adding a better skimmer and leaving it running 24/7! Last edited by UnderwaterExotic; 04/01/2006 at 09:29 PM.

04/01/2006, 09:35 PM	#2
flowerseller Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: McLean, VA Posts: 101	Are you confident in the test kit readings you're getting? __________________ Chip Frederick McLean, VA Current Tank Info: 220h mixed reef, 68g custom NAGA frag tank, 34g RBTA farm, 78g custom sump, DIY - downdraft skimmer, kalk reactor, and calcium reactor.

04/01/2006, 10:08 PM	#4
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Water changes Water changes Water changes, and macro algae. Here's an article about nitrate http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...t2003/chem.htm __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

04/02/2006, 12:13 AM	#6
antony1103 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 628	Is your water filter with RO/DI. The nitrates could be comming from your tap water. __________________ Anthony Current Tank Info: I help with Penn State's 125 and 500 gallon reef aquariums.

04/02/2006, 12:32 AM	#7
Alaskan Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Eagle River, Alaska Posts: 2,360	If water changes are doing nothing, it's your supply water -- tap? __________________ Unattended children will be given double shot espresso and a free puppy. Current Tank Info: 125g FOWLR -- Conversion Back To SPS In Progress

04/01/2006, 09:40 PM	#3
UnderwaterExotic Moved On Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Mayville, NY Posts: 1,343	Sure am, i have tried 3 different ones!

04/01/2006, 11:47 PM	#5
UnderwaterExotic Moved On Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Mayville, NY Posts: 1,343	Water changes are doing nothin!

04/02/2006, 12:53 AM	#8
ratziel Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Indiana Posts: 456	Getting a better skimmer will not remove nitrates already in the water. I've heard of people getting results from a product called AZ-N03. It converts your nitrates to a form that can be removed by your skimmer but I believe it takes 30 days. I've never heard of water changes not helping nitrate levels. Here are some possibilities. 1. Water is source of nitrates. 2. Your sandbed has crashed meaning you have more gunk in the sandbed than it can deal with and now it's spewing out nitrates. 3.Your rock has saturated with nitrates and is now leaching them. 4. There is a nitrate trap such as a dirty filter pad etc. HTH

04/02/2006, 01:02 AM	#9
Bebo77 Premium Nonpaying Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lost Posts: 14,377	ok your water changes.. are you testing the water you are using for the water changes? if your other levels are low its the water you are adding during a water change that is doing this.... 2. Skimmer, are you not leaving your skimmer on 24/7 now? how are your ammonia/ nitrites levels? __________________ Gabriel Current Tank Info: 300 Gal Envision Tank(98Lx30Wx26T) 120 Gal SoCalCreations Sump, Deltec TC2560, 2 LumenarcsMini 1 Reg on a light mover W Radiums 250& 400, Gallaxy ballasts, Red Dragon 10m3 return W/ 2 WavySeas, 2 6155 Tunze streams

04/02/2006, 02:00 AM	#10
chocolateblnt Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sunnyvale, Nor*CAL Posts: 1,736	This situation came up before in another thread in the nano section ... and it turned out the guy had so much impacted shat a.k.a nitrates in his sand bed, that when he posted the pic of the bucket he gravel vacced into, it looked as if he took a dump in it. So try gravel vaccing a few spots ... if this is true you should get a small army of nassarius ... detriwhore snails that eat detritous and aerate the sand releasing possible nitrates into the water where it can be skimmed/changed/filtered.

04/02/2006, 06:49 AM	#11
agfahy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 106	Load up, and I mean "LOAD UP", on macro algaes . Grab 3-5 species, throw them in your sump w/ light 24/7 and run miracle mud. MAngrove doesn't hurt either. If that doesn't fix the problem, assuming you do water changes, then I don't know what to tell you.

04/02/2006, 09:54 AM	#12
archie1709 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 401	Well, how's your bioload, underwater exotic?