Lowering nitrates with media reactor

[mcarroll]

If you can clean the sponge as often as it takes to keep it clean then I would not use it. It's very possible you might need to clean it every day....which is okay if that's not a pain for you.

Wish I could blame that sentence on dictation software!

I typo'd the literal opposite of what I meant.....hopefully you somehow figured out what I meant. LOL

If you can keep it clean – go for it. Use it.

If you cannot keep it clean – ditch it.

I think I said it right there....LOL

 

[mpjmeyer]

What do you guys suggest? I already have live rock and a protein skimmer

 

[mcarroll]

Maybe nothing, but I'm not there so it's hard to say for sure.

What was it that prompted you to take action in the first place?

If it was only the test numbers...(which are high compared to normal)

...then I'd say to just back off on everything and continue letting the tank develop, give yourself plenty more time to get to it know it's vibes and issues.

If it was more than just the test numbers, let us know!

 

[mpjmeyer]

Nope, just high nitrate test levels. I tested with my Red Sea kit and the lfs test kits.

 

[mcarroll]

Indeed then, I would begin an ernest round of doing nothing about it.

I think you mentioned that you were going to eliminate the sponge issue (if not the sponge itself) so with some time the nitrate bubble you're looking at should deflate on its own with natural denitrification.

 

[mpjmeyer]

I'm going to keep the sponge and rinse it at least twice a week, once in the middle of the week and during every water change. I'm 100% certain that was my issue. I also think I'm going to continue using the media reactor just to aide...thoughts?

 

[mcarroll]

Carbon pellets? IMO, no. You still have no bio-load to support it.

You'd be a lot better off getting some corals in the tank – even if it's just one or two. They will also use up the nitrates, but it'll be a benefit to you an the tank.

 

[mpjmeyer]

So I can shut off the valve feeding the reactor for now until I have more of a bio load in my tank?

 

[mcarroll]

That will probably have bad side-effects. You might google around to see if anyone saves their pellets somehow, but I wouldn't leave it loaded without flow. Clean it out once it's offline. Maybe use it for a little activated carbon or something instead? That shouldn't be very necessary either though, so only use a tiny amount if you do....1/4 the recommended dose...changed according to the product instructions.