Nitrate Issues

Keith Snow · May 18, 2015

Hell0. I am new, having a tank (FOWLR) only since Mar 2015. Wanted to see if there are other methods to zero out nitrate besides water changes. I have a 46 g tank with a 11.8g sump. I use API Saltwater tester; pH 8-8.2, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, but my nitrate stays at 5 ppm. I perform weekly water changes of 3 gal. I have 50lb rock (11 lb lr), 60 lbs of live sand, a cleaner crew of 4 hermits, 2 nas snails, 1 cleaner shrimp, and use a coral life 65gal skimmer. Current residents 2 Clowns, 2 Damsels, 1 Wrasse

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated, as I have researched, but have not had anyone to ask, and I came across this site today.

Thanks

redfishbluefish · May 18, 2015

5 ppm on a fowlr is just fine......and I'm sure a bunch of reef guys wouldn't mind that number either. I would be happy to have that number.

cloak · May 18, 2015

+1

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

Tahoe61 · May 18, 2015

^ Yup.

AdamNC · May 19, 2015

5ppm is just fine. Mine bounces between 0-20ppm at times and I run an sps tank.

beaslbob · May 20, 2015

+245.,89678657 LOL
(5ppm is fine).

FWIW you will not be able to totally zero out nitrates with water changes alone. As long as nitrates are increasing at some amount, they will always be some nitrates regardless of the water changes.

To get nitrates un-measurable you have to consume the nitrates are they are being generated through bacterial action or algae actions. the algae is what I like to use. once that is done nitrates will remain un-measurable regardless of the water changes.

Additionally, in a tank balanced out and stabilized with macro (or other) algae, some nitrates can be a good sign. Should something go bump in the night causing excess ammonia, the algae will switch to ammonia for nitrogen and forgo nitrates. So you replace a dangerous ammonia spike with a safe nitrate spike.

my .02

Keith Snow · May 20, 2015

beaslbob said:
+245.,89678657 LOL
(5ppm is fine).

FWIW you will not be able to totally zero out nitrates with water changes alone. As long as nitrates are increasing at some amount, they will always be some nitrates regardless of the water changes.

To get nitrates un-measurable you have to consume the nitrates are they are being generated through bacterial action or algae actions. the algae is what I like to use. once that is done nitrates will remain un-measurable regardless of the water changes.

Additionally, in a tank balanced out and stabilized with macro (or other) algae, some nitrates can be a good sign. Should something go bump in the night causing excess ammonia, the algae will switch to ammonia for nitrogen and forgo nitrates. So you replace a dangerous ammonia spike with a safe nitrate spike.

my .02

I have a ball of cheato in my sump now. Any other reccomendations on algae?