High Nitrate removal

[homer1475]

So cyano is on your sandbed? No where else?

Thats an easy fix, and more then likely didn't come from your WC.

Just siphon the sandbed to get rid of it. Our sandbeds are organic sinks, and cynao loves, loves free rotting organics(rotting fish food, fish poop, dying algae, etc).

Personally if it were me, I would do as large as a WC I could do(I would bring them down to around 20ppm) and start implementing either carbon dosing, sulfer denitrator, or some other means of lowering nitrates. And don't be in a hurry, all of those methods take time to work.

 

[PeterEde]

Been C dosing for over a month. Have a lot of CUC. There's very little if any waste on the sand bed. But I guess there's always stuff you cant see.
I am inclined to think my nitrate problem is the extra life that was incidentally introduced over time.
amphipods, a lot of baby shrimp, crabs, worms etc.
50% WC dropped Nitrate by half 2 weeks ago and it began rising straight away. It's now back to 50ppm
Phosphate is actually 0 tonight or my NYOS kits is lying

 

[homer1475]

It's now back to 50ppm
Phosphate is actually 0 tonight or my NYOS kits is lying

This is the exact reason you have cyano. This is the imbalance I was speaking of. While I'm certainly no fan of the redfield ratio, if you keep your PO4 in balance(somewhere close to the 10/1 ratio) with your NO3, cyano will for the most part stay away.

FWIW....
Never had luck with the NYOS nitrate kit(always read 5ppm even though I was adding nitrate), so I have never ventured into any of their other test kits. Your 0 could just be an ultra low number, but not exactly 0.

0 phosphates and high nitrates.... Hmm just had this discussion with someone yesterday, and they assured me this can never happen(I've been at this long enough, I know better). lol

Anyways.....
I would try and get a better test on your phosphates(hanna ULR is a great kit for the low levels we like to keep), as 0 phosphates can lead to the dreaded dino's.

 

[homer1475]

Been C dosing for over a month. Have a lot of CUC. There's very little if any waste on the sand bed. But I guess there's always stuff you cant see.
I am inclined to think my nitrate problem is the extra life that was incidentally introduced over time.
amphipods, a lot of baby shrimp, crabs, worms etc.
50% WC dropped Nitrate by half 2 weeks ago and it began rising straight away. It's now back to 50ppm
Phosphate is actually 0 tonight or my NYOS kits is lying

Just a note here.....

You have been carbon dosing on a phosphate limited system. If the bacteria we are trying to feed with the carbon, do not have phosphates also, carbon dosing stalls.

Many people who carbon dose, end up having to dose phosphates in order to keep the nitrate reduction going.

FWIW.....
A month of carbon dosing is just getting started. Carbon dosing takes a couple months to get working to a degree that you can actually see the nitrate reducing. Again not a quick fix, and a month is not anywhere near long enough to see any benefit. But with your limited phosphates, your just dumping carbon in which IME is contributing to your cyano issue as well.

 

[PeterEde]

Phosphate has only just bottomed out. I wondered how Nitrate removalwould work with such low Phosphate. What to dose to get Phosphate up?

 

[homer1475]

Think @Randy Holmes-Farley suggests trisodium phosphate, or saltpeter. You can buy that and use this calc to get your mixture. Just play with the calc to get a potency you like(when I did it, I mixed to a ratio that 1ml of solution raised my phsophates by 0.1.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

I did not like mixing my own, so just used brightwells neophos. I know randy doesn't like this product as it's purity can be a concern according to him. I, and many others have no issue with the product, so use at your own discretion.

 

[PeterEde]

Think @Randy Holmes-Farley suggests trisodium phosphate, or saltpeter. You can buy that and use this calc to get your mixture. Just play with the calc to get a potency you like(when I did it, I mixed to a ratio that 1ml of solution raised my phsophates by 0.1.

James' Planted Tank - Dosing Calculator

I did not like mixing my own, so just used brightwells neophos. I know randy doesn't like this product as it's purity can be a concern according to him. I, and many others have no issue with the product, so use at your own discretion.

Not sure I can get much or any brightwell in Australia.
Will have to look around

 

[Simon_M]

Cycling my DT and I have Nitrite at 2 ppm and Nitrate at 50 ppm. Using RedSea starter system. I hadn't considered that the Nitrate reading may be off because of the Nitrite reading. Both Salifert test kits use the same deep red/mauve colour to indicate a reading so likely a similar chemistry. When RedSea says Nitrate levels will "drop" perhaps they mean the Nitrite will reduce and the Nitrate reading will "appear" to drop e.g. the correct reading will be measured? The advice to do an emergency 80% WC would perhaps upset the process so I will leave it (this is a fishless DT at the moment). This thread shows that there are often no quick fixes for a problem e.g. one dose of NoPoX does not act as a miracle cure.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Also, cyano loves low flow, so along with the other things you're doing, you might try to increase flow to that area of the sandbed.

 

[PeterEde]

Also, cyano loves low flow, so along with the other things you're doing, you might try to increase flow to that area of the sandbed.

I have a Nero 3 pushing water to the front and an new programable DC return. there is plenty of flow pushing waste from the front area. If I had it any higher water would exceed the weir capacity

 

[polyppal]

Which reactor and how big is your system.
Nitrates went up again. Driving me nuts

I use the standard size BRS reactor and about 2 cups of pellets on a 68g.

the pump they sell it with is a Sicce 1.5, which is fine for GFO/carbon, but I honestly think it’s a little weak for turning pellets, id recommend a sicce 2.0

BRS GFO & Carbon Reactor - Single

BRS Media Reactor - Chemical Filtration Made Simple High Capacity: Holds up to 3 cups of Carbon or 2 cups of GFO, ensuring effective filtration. Durable Construction: Made from heavy-duty RO Canisters, this reactor is built to last. Transparent Media Cartridge: Allows for easy viewing and...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[gbroadbridge]

Not sure I can get much or any brightwell in Australia.
Will have to look around

You can buy it off amazon.
You wont find it at any LFS.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Cycling my DT and I have Nitrite at 2 ppm and Nitrate at 50 ppm. Using RedSea starter system. I hadn't considered that the Nitrate reading may be off because of the Nitrite reading. Both Salifert test kits use the same deep red/mauve colour to indicate a reading so likely a similar chemistry. When RedSea says Nitrate levels will "drop" perhaps they mean the Nitrite will reduce and the Nitrate reading will "appear" to drop e.g. the correct reading will be measured? The advice to do an emergency 80% WC would perhaps upset the process so I will leave it (this is a fishless DT at the moment). This thread shows that there are often no quick fixes for a problem e.g. one dose of NoPoX does not act as a miracle cure.

If you're using the Reef Mature system, bear in mind that it is designed to be used in a tank with live rock.

If you're cycling with artificial or dead rock, I'd strongly advise against using the NoPox component as it almost invariably leads to Dinos.

 

[JWsticks]

White sugar works just as good as NOPOX for a carbon source.

I've done this to reduce nitrates from 100ppm down to 0 in 1 week and had to dose P04 as that was limited.

The PO4 supplement used for planted tanks works fine for this purpose.

Obviously, I had no livestock and I'm too lazy to change water.

Hope this helps.

 

[polyppal]

There’s a recipe for nopox in the chemistry section, believe it’s just essentially vodka/vinegar/water

 

[PeterEde]

If you're using the Reef Mature system, bear in mind that it is designed to be used in a tank with live rock.

If you're cycling with artificial or dead rock, I'd strongly advise against using the NoPox component as it almost invariably leads to Dinos.

cycling finished long ago. At 5 months now.
Mix or LR and dead rock and a load of bio media

 

[PeterEde]

There’s a recipe for nopox in the chemistry section, believe it’s just essentially vodka/vinegar/water

2 weeks into NoPox. Just play the waiting game but as I am at no measurable PO4 should I does PO4 for NoPox to work.
Just feels like reduction has stalled.

 

[JWsticks]

2 weeks into NoPox. Just play the waiting game but as I am at no measurable PO4 should I does PO4 for NoPox to work.
Just feels like reduction has stalled.

You will need to dose P04 if you're measuring 0ppm using a Hanna.

I've experienced similar issue where dosing Vodka / sugar dosing was not having an impact to nitrates due to 0 P04.

 

[gbroadbridge]

2 weeks into NoPox. Just play the waiting game but as I am at no measurable PO4 should I does PO4 for NoPox to work.
Just feels like reduction has stalled.

NoPox needs Phosphates to reduce Nitrates.

I use the below to make up a phosphate additive.

75g Food Grade monosodium phosphate anhydrous (MSP-A) - E 339(i) | eBay Australia

Monosodium Phosphate anhydrous can be used as • Acidulant • Emulsifying Agent • Nutrient • Buffering Agent • Protein Modifier. It is soluble in water with a solubility of 85g in 100ml at 20°C. MSP can be used as a gelling aid by use of its acidulation properties.

www.ebay.com.au

 

[PeterEde]

You will need to dose P04 if you're measuring 0ppm using a Hanna.

I've experienced similar issue where dosing Vodka / sugar dosing was not having an impact to nitrates due to 0 P04.

Using NYOS test kit for PO4. It used to be a shade of blue around .1. Now completely clear