Adding LR too fight no3??

[MattL22]

I have a 220 I was running bio pellets and when I took them off my no3 went too 50 so I'm adding a 60 gal as a fuge and was gonna grow macro but now I'm thinking maybe I'll add 50-60 lbs of live rock to help the no3

What u think?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I have a 220 I was running bio pellets and when I took them off my no3 went too 50 so I'm adding a 60 gal as a fuge and was gonna grow macro but now I'm thinking maybe I'll add 50-60 lbs of live rock to help the no3

What u think?

I don't think the LR will help alot with NO3. It will help with the process that produces NO3 from ammonia, and you might have a few anaerobic places that produce denitrifying bacteria...but it won't give you anywhere near the help that a fuge will. That being said, adding the live rock will help with a ton of other stuff, so I'm not trying to discourage you from adding. I'd do both. My .02.

 

[jackson6745]

I don't think the LR will help alot with NO3. It will help with the process that produces NO3 from ammonia, and you might have a few anaerobic places that produce denitrifying bacteria...but it won't give you anywhere near the help that a fuge will. That being said, adding the live rock will help with a ton of other stuff, so I'm not trying to discourage you from adding. I'd do both. My .02.

+1 Well Said.

IME growing macro is far more effective at lowering nitrate than adding more rock.

 

[ReeferRookie]

I really really need to set up a fuge. Lol

 

[swseipel]

Why do you want to stop bio pellets?.... just curious because I was going to start using them

 

[MattL22]

My nitrates where very low I grew 0 algae in display but my acros didn't do well not sure why but I've been doing better since I removed them !

 

[schooncw]

I was always under the Impression that very large pieces of live rock was a great deal of help lowering nitrates. They harbor vast quantities of denitrifying bacteria. Has anything changed, since I was In the Industry 15 years ago?

 

[Reefing Madness]

The Macro has a 2 fold effect, it will lower both Nitrates and Phosphates in your tank, efficiently over what just Live Rock can accomplish.

 

[MattL22]

Here's the 6O gal fuge I'm gonna add to my system !

I'm torn I'd really like to just go bb with this and grow macro but.......

Part of me really really wants a deep sand bed and 10 or so garden eels maybe few curious worm fish

R deep sand beds even considered good anymore?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Here's the 6O gal fuge I'm gonna add to my system !

I'm torn I'd really like to just go bb with this and grow macro but.......

Part of me really really wants a deep sand bed and 10 or so garden eels maybe few curious worm fish

R deep sand beds even considered good anymore?

You've got lots of people that still use DSBs. I'm one of them.

 

[MattL22]

How long have u run it? Do u grow macro also?

 

[MattL22]

Just did a 60 gal wc and nitrates didn't budge ??? What's going on?

 

[Reefing Madness]

May be leaching from something
Test kit may be off
Do a 50% water change, that should bring the number of nitrates down by half, if it doesn't, I'd say you have a leaching problem.

 

[mcarroll]

Detritus is usually the biggest contributor to excessive nitrates. Scout your sand bed, rocks and sump (etc) thoroughly for detritus deposits and see what you come up with.

Hopefully you find some nasty deposits because once you deal with them your problem with be gone!

FWIW, deep sand beds can be kept OK, but make sure it's easy to remove from wherever you put it because if they get loaded with detritus they can be like a nutrient time-bomb and you'll want to deal with it easily. Putting it in a removable tray is one smart option I've seen. Read up on the Jaubert method (aka Monaco method) to make sure you have a good role model!

-Matt

 

[MattL22]

Hi thanks guys I'm not sure what's going on but next wc ill blow all the detritus off the rocks and will start vacuuming the sand bed

I've got my new 60 gal in place above my sump in my fish closet gonna use it bb so I can easily suck detritus out into a sock every few days
Will also grow some macro

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hi thanks guys I'm not sure what's going on but next wc ill blow all the detritus off the rocks and will start vacuuming the sand bed

I've got my new 60 gal in place above my sump in my fish closet gonna use it bb so I can easily suck detritus out into a sock every few days
Will also grow some macro

That sounds like a good plan to me. There are lots of ways to decrease nitrate, and while I think live rock helps, other methods act more quickly and can also export phosphate.

My refugia are 44 gallon brute cans mostly filled with live rock (I had it already, but wouldn't have spent the money to fill the cans with it otherwise) with the top 6-12 inches of open water covered in macroalgae.

This method works well for my sort of system (a mixed reef), but I'll admit that I'm sure there is a thick coating of detritus/mud on the bottom that I cannot ever remove. That said, my sump also had such mud, and while I could remove it, I don't bother.