High Nitrates

[WIReefer]

Would highly suggest the Hanna testers been using for a while and can’t beat them!

 

[Reef.]

Yeah I just bought some Salifert tests just now. But I will buy the Hanna phosphate test.

Sorry to come back to this again but do chemicals like Seachem pristine or prime Or the IO nitrate reducer have any credibility?

some have a very good use but you only use them when you need them, you know where your issue came from so it’s easy fixed, water changes. I only use carbon and a little Purigen, if I need anything else later I’ll add it.

out of those you listed I wouldn’t use any personally as a big water change would probably be as good if not better, why add chemicals if you don’t need to.

 

[Starkrost]

HA! I’d vacuum the sand but I think my pistol shrimp would come get me during the night. He is perpetually rearranging the sand bed. Then the Trochus snails go over and knock all his nice clean edges in.

 

[proxy001]

The reason why I was saying dont disturb the sand bed is because its a very new tank. In a established tank, sure, change the sand, remove the rocks, add some rock, its bulletproof. On the other hand now Im thinking my sand needs cleaning, thank you haha

 

[Reef.]

The reason why I was saying dont disturb the sand bed is because its a very new tank. In a established tank, sure, change the sand, remove the rocks, add some rock, its bulletproof. On the other hand now Im thinking my sand needs cleaning, thank you haha

when new is the ideal time to start cleaning it, before any dirt has a chance to build up, you need to keep on top of it, once it has built up even a mature tank will have very big problems if you decide to start cleaning and don’t do it very very slowly.

 

[ReeferMadne55]

when new is the ideal time to start cleaning it, before any dirt has a chance to build up, you need to keep on top of it, once it has built up even a mature tank will have very big problems if you decide to start cleaning and don’t do it very very slowly.

This is all great advice, it is all much appreciated. Happy I stumbled upon these forums.

 

[ReeferMadne55]

I have my skimmer coming next week, I hear some people are pretty successful without a skimmer running. Will it significantly improve water quality to a point that justifies the hefty price tag?

 

[Reef.]

I have my skimmer coming next week, I hear some people are pretty successful without a skimmer running. Will it significantly improve water quality to a point that justifies the hefty price tag?

what size tank?

they are very useful, some don’t use them but most do, you are unlikely to see amazing results but it all helps, and each time you empty it you will see all the dirty muck that would have been in your tank, they also are useful for gas exchange, helping oxygenating the water, these are the things you need to do before adding chemicals, try and prevent issues by removing nitrates, phosphate etc rather than having them in there and using a chemical to remove them, as the issue will come back if you don’t fix the reason they were there In the first place, preventing the problem is better than trying to cure the problem and a skimmer is a good preventative measure.

 

[ReeferMadne55]

what size tank?

they are very useful, some don’t use them but most do, you are unlikely to see amazing results but it all helps, and each time you empty it you will see all the dirty muck that would have been in your tank, they also are useful for gas exchange, helping oxygenating the water, these are the things you need to do before adding chemicals, try and prevent issues by removing nitrates, phosphate etc rather than having them in there and using a chemical to remove them, as the issue will come back if you don’t fix the reason they were there In the first place, preventing the problem is better than trying to cure the problem and a skimmer is a good preventative measure.

Well I’m glad to hear that at least. Tank is 40 gallons