Filter question

[Texas Reefer]

What do y'all think about using the Tetra Whisper In-Tank Power Filter in my sump with a Seachem Purigen bag inside it, to help reduce nitrates? My Jawfish is raising my 'trates!

 

[mike007]

I really don't think that will cure your nitrate problems. Does your tank have live rock? In order to reduce nitrates it is best to reduce your nutrients. Most nitrate problems are cause by poor husbandry. That means inadequate water changes, overfeeding etc. Purigen but the denitrate would probably be a better choice. My question is how can a Jawfish cause these issues?

 

[Texas Reefer]

I have 100 lbs live rock in my 90 g, born Oct. 25. I do probably feed my fish too much. Do you think the tank could still be cycling and the nitrates will come down some naturally? Another member mentioned Jawfish can throw parameters off. My nitrates have never gotten below 20 ppm, and then got up to 40 ppm after I got the Jawfish. I do water changes every 10-14 days and will do one tomorrow.

 

[mike007]

Most of nitrate problems I see are from overfeeding. Fish are pigs and they will eat and eat. You only want to feed what they will eat in 2-3 minutes and never let food go into rock are sand. Continue your water changes and vacuum your sand bed. If all else fails you might want to consider carbon dosing.

 

[Small triggers]

And yes your jawfish could be adding to the problem...but only because you possibly over feed or don't do enough water changes where you stir a portion of your sand (only if you have shallow sand) to keep detritus from building up in it...with the jawfish constantly moving sand around he's releasing built up detritus...

 

[Bad Company]

I have a blue spot jawfish, and he is a pig! I run a waterall algae scrubber, and my nitrates are undetectable with an API test kit. See thread explaining here in R2R:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/eq...5-months-no-nitrates-anymore.html#post1719809

It works great! I waterchange about 5% once a month as a side effect of siphoning.