Nitrate and water changes

[EHaddad]

Ok for all the people out there that don’t do water changes how do you control your nitrates?

 

[Pistondog]

Refugium, skimmer and carbon dosing.

 

[Marc2952]

Ok for all the people out there that don’t do water changes how do you control your nitrates?

I dont i actually gotta dose lol but a refugium will pull alot of it.

 

[EHaddad]

Looks like I will be starting a refugium.

 

[Marc2952]

Looks like I will be starting a refugium.

Yes before i actually had to turn off the refugium light since it was pulling so much nitrates, start increasing the light time slowly to find that sweetspot.

 

[EHaddad]

Yes before i actually had to turn off the refugium light since it was pulling so much nitrates, start increasing the light time slowly to find that sweetspot.

What do you have in your refugium?

 

[Marc2952]

What do you have in your refugium?

Chaeto

 

[Spare time]

Macroalgae under an AI prime 16hd. I feed anywhere between 3-6 times a day (I put food in when I walk by lol). Nitrates are at about 10-12ppm. No skimmer.

 

[Marc2952]

I got this light grows chaeto like crazy and its cheap.

 

[EHaddad]

I got this light grows chaeto like crazy and its cheap.

How did you mount it? I am not able to use the hanging kit.

 

[Azedenkae]

I have a submersible light in a back chamber of my NuvoAquarium growing whatever algae it could to control nitrates.

 

[Cavalina]

I have this Tunze submersible LED and I love it. Chaeto does too evidently. Easy magnetic mounting included as well. Great light.

 

[R33fDaddy]

I'm close to buying an Algae Scrubber. All the benefits of a refugium without the mess.

 

[blasterman]

Ok for all the people out there that don’t do water changes how do you control your nitrates?

I dont over stock and over feed my tank. I dont use a skimmer or fuge either. My skimmer just pulls air. I sold my chaeto back to the pet store because it wasn't growing.

3 Damsels in my 20L fed twice a week keeps my my nitrate around 10. Through normal tank processes my nitrate over months does tend to steadily climb or fall. Small tanks do this.. If it falls I feed more. If it rises I throw a bag of bio pellets in my sump and they eat the nitrate. If I leave them in too long my nitrate levels go into negative digits. Last time a did this due to being busy it melted a colony of red Hornets.

I'm not opposed to water changes. Its just I dont need them. Same with a skimmer. Chaeto is also a great tool, but the bio pellets are far less fuss and work consistently.

 

[EHaddad]

I dont over stock and over feed my tank. I dont use a skimmer or fuge either. My skimmer just pulls air. I sold my chaeto back to the pet store because it wasn't growing.

3 Damsels in my 20L fed twice a week keeps my my nitrate around 10. Through normal tank processes my nitrate over months does tend to steadily climb or fall. Small tanks do this.. If it falls I feed more. If it rises I throw a bag of bio pellets in my sump and they eat the nitrate. If I leave them in too long my nitrate levels go into negative digits. Last time a did this due to being busy it melted a colony of red Hornets.

I'm not opposed to water changes. Its just I dont need them. Same with a skimmer. Chaeto is also a great tool, but the bio pellets are far less fuss and work consistently.

What bio pellets do you use?

 

[dvgyfresh]

I got this light grows chaeto like crazy and its cheap.

I also use this light, my chaeto is soo thick that it’s the only thing that exists in the refugium , it is shielding other chaeto from light because it grows so fast lol need to start throwing it away