Omg nitrates

[Sweet Reef Corals]

If high nitrates are a perpetual problem, considering installing a sulfur denitrator. I just got mine out and dusted off to put back in use. My nitrates have been running close to 40 recently and 14% weekly WC’s have not been putting a dent in it.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

If high nitrates are a perpetual problem, considering installing a sulfur denitrator. I just got mine out and dusted off to put back in use. My nitrates have been running close to 40 recently and 14% weekly WC’s have not been putting a dent in it.

Ask @FarmerTy and @bubbaque about their denitrators before you turn it on…..please

 

[Sweet Reef Corals]

Ask @FarmerTy and @bubbaque about their denitrators before you turn it on…..please

I actually started following Ty right after he cycled his denitrator unfortunately. I probably could have helped save him some loses. I don’t know about Bubba, but Ty cycled his with the drip going back into the tank. That’s a huge no no. I believe that is what caused him problems/deaths. You MUST drip it outside the system in a separate container during the cycle. It’s pure ammonia and nitrite during the cycle, obviously. Once it’s cycled and you’re getting 0 nitrates, you can put the drip back in the system.

 

[vetteguy53081]

No one asked:

What test kits are you using ?
You can or may be getting false readings
If you are testing right after a water change- you are for sure getting false readings- wait 8-10 hours before re-testing

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

ive never successfully used sulphur denitrators before, but i didnt try very hard and that was 30 years ago. bio pellets does the same thing both require a fair amount of maintaince to run would be the downsides. better to do more frequent water changes IMO if that is enough to solve before going to either method

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I actually started following Ty right after he cycled his denitrator unfortunately. I probably could have helped save him some loses. I don’t know about Bubba, but Ty cycled his with the drip going back into the tank. That’s a huge no no. I believe that is what caused him problems/deaths. You MUST drip it outside the system in a separate container during the cycle. It’s pure ammonia and nitrite during the cycle, obviously. Once it’s cycled and you’re getting 0 nitrates, you can put the drip back in the system.

Yeah I don’t know anything about all that….all I know is I don’t know anyone that has had long term Tenuis/speciosa success using one. Pretty sure all their struggles came after it was cycled and reading low no3 but don’t know the exact details.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

My nitrates are reading 75.0 is this even possible?? I do weekly water changes I’m trying to get chaeto to grow in my refugium, there’s no fish because I’m in a fallow period and I only feed the inverts and corals a couple times a week
Aside from a water change any other advice to lower the nitrates ?
Phosphates are only 0.10 so atleast they’re not sky high

In my experience nitrate and phophates get used together and when one is much higher or lower in ratio to the other I’ve had very hard times growing any cheato or getting algae to grow in my scrubbers. I feel for you to dose and raise phosphates some may help the system consume more nitrate and phosphate together. It is possible your corals and other organisms and algaes are not consuming the nitrates because there is not enough phosphates in ratio. I’m not saying to keep this ratio is super important but when you are so far off from it then this is not good.