Low Phosphate, High Nitrate - Add more filter media?

[Fisherman Joe]

Hi all.

My Phosphate is currently 0.08ppm but my Nitrate is 25ppm.

Would adding more of the ceramic filter material help me bring down that nitrate?

Just looking to balance these nutrients a little.

 

[Saltyreef]

No it wont.
But a fuge would.

 

[Fisherman Joe]

Got a fuge.

Why wouldn’t de-nitrifying bacteria reduce Nitrate?

 

[Saltyreef]

Got a fuge.

Why wouldn’t de-nitrifying bacteria reduce Nitrate?

And your fuge is failing to pull down your nitrates below 25ppm?!

Do you already have a good amount of liverock and sand?
If so, the addition of ceramic media will do very little to reduce your nitrate further.

You can try a brightwell N03 bio brick but honestly, a proper fuge with properly growing macro algae will do it faster.

 

[Azedenkae]

Got a fuge.

Why wouldn’t de-nitrifying bacteria reduce Nitrate?

Not that they won't, but more so whether they would actually grow and/or be able to respire anaerobically in those media.

 

[Dkmoo]

Filter material is just a diaper, short term answer.

Better to go after the source - feed less, skim more, clean up your sand - likely a lot of wasted accumulated in there. If you never deep cleaned before, then don't stir up the whole sandbed as that could release waste and toxin that crash your tank. Instead deep syphon q small area each time you waterchange and clean the whole sandbed over 1 to 2 months.