Whats the best method for nitrates reduction/control?

[Colin_S]

So lately I've been dealing with high nitrate 64+, which got me thinking.
What is the best method for long term success at lowering and maintaining nitrates? I've just started learning about this despite 2yrs into the hobby .. my bad, hence the high nitrates.. anyway..
methods to compare if space is not an issue
Algae Turf Scrubber vs, Refugium vs nitrate reactor or dosing. anything I missed?

Whats your thoughts and experience on this?
Personally I don't know enough about nitrate removal but what i have currently run is; ATS, Seachem de-nitrate and Sera Siporax into the sump (2 weeks ago)
i'm not a fan on dosing and would prefer a method that is long term. Not to keen on constantly changing media over either.
if a reactor is a better option, what media? How long does it last? or does ATS and chaeto out perform media?

 

[Spieg]

"Best" is always a matter for debate. Bio pellets (carbon dosing) work well if you have enough Phosphate.

 

[Lovefish77]

Imhe reducing nitrates is all about System Setup, water changes do nothing really. My recommendation is to get media blocks like marine pure or something similar for denitrfication. Also run a turf scrubber to handle residual nitrates and phosphates.

 

[laverda]

An ATS is by far the best in my experience. You can build one for $30 that will handle a 300 gallon tank. See my my DIY thread on $30 ATS for some ideas.

 

[Lovefish77]

An ATS is by far the best in my experience. You can build one for $30 that will handle a 300 gallon tank. See my my DIY thread on $30 ATS for some ideas.

+1 ATS is safe and you can never overdose it. With carbon dosing it is different it is like a silver bullet..but it is a bullet. Unless you test like daily at one point bacterial balance will change and you will start loosing corals especially sps.

 

[gotmesalty77]

I'd say cut down on feeding a bit to at least get a handle on the root of the issues but after that i have had great success with running a chaeto fuge with some miracle mud as my main export along with 10% water change weekly. Once in a great while i would use a little NoPox if things started to get too high. I had been using a Kessil H80 to light my fuge and it worked but i had the chance to get a brand new H380 on a trade for the H80 from a friend and it was night and day. My fuge basically blew up. Its almost too efficient at this point. Keeps the nutrients down perfectly.

 

[Colin_S]

I think I'm going to add a 2nd turf scrubber.. I built my own before but this time I'm building my own lights. i feed 3x daily to feed the Anthias, so I won't cut back the feeding, all fish are a good size and healthy. i think 1 turf may not be enough for my tank.

out of interest, media in a sump or reactor, which media lasts for year+ or does it all deplite?
I read about the brightwell No3 brick, anyone have any experience of it?
maybe BrsTv could do an investigates into it all..
You're right, I suppose best comes down to which route you take and how much time you can spend on it

 

[rcillig]

Where do I found the link?

An ATS is by far the best in my experience. You can build one for $30 that will handle a 300 gallon tank. See my my DIY thread on $30 ATS for some ideas.

 

[laverda]

Nano Build - Mangrove Lagoon

I finally set up my mangrove lagoon Sunday. It was a challenge getting the 3 year old mangroves out from my under tank sump. I probably should have moved them a year ago. Several good size branches were broken in the move. The lagoon is tied into my main 300 gallon tank and sump, so no cycling...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Hugh Mann]

I'm just running a protein skimmer and 10% weekly WC and my nitrates are 5-10ish. Pulls out the waste before it breaks down I suppose. I do have a ball of chaeto, but it's hardly grown at all.

 

[Colin_S]

I only had a skimmer for my tank. and not many water changes (triton) so I think the length of time has made mu no3 sky high. I have performed 35% Water changes over the last few weeks and still the no3 is off the chart.
Once I get it down to a detectable level, what I have should be enough to maintain it..

 

[Lovefish77]

I only had a skimmer for my tank. and not many water changes (triton) so I think the length of time has made mu no3 sky high. I have performed 35% Water changes over the last few weeks and still the no3 is off the chart.
Once I get it down to a detectable level, what I have should be enough to maintain it..

IMHO water changes do very little (if any) to lowering nitrates. They will rise again unless you stop feeding the tank (not feasible of course). Nitrates have to do with system setup especially in denitrification media and bacteria. I Would keep biofilter media in the sump to do that job in conjunction with an algae scrubber if needed. Or you can play with bacteria additives which will make yous skimmer work to pull more stuff. But i dont like playing with the baceria levels in the tank as it is a very delicate system (like the bacteria in your gut )

 

[Colin_S]

Absolutely, I had no nitrate media until 4 weeks ago, the tank is 2.5yrs old. ATS is about 6months old. so 2yrs with no nitrate control. I'll leave the media in the sump, I may put it into a reactor, I'll see how it goes. i don't want to play around with additives or solutions etc, i'm more of a install it and leave it type of reefer (if i can), so I'm planning on adding another Turf Scrubber.

The plan for me...
Let the nitrate media do its thing with 1x ATS
Add 2nd ATS
when the nitrate media depletes, remove it and hopefully 2x ATS is enough to maintain low po4/no3.

I don't feed massive amounts, 2x flakes and 1x home made frozen, all the food is gone within a minute. I tested the water yesterday,, po4-0, no3 65+ still... but some good, I'm positive the pink shade was less than the 100ppm, so maybe its on it's way down.
0 po4 is not good, I think no-pox wiped it out. but that will climb back up soon.

 

[Lovefish77]

Absolutely, I had no nitrate media until 4 weeks ago, the tank is 2.5yrs old. ATS is about 6months old. so 2yrs with no nitrate control. I'll leave the media in the sump, I may put it into a reactor, I'll see how it goes. i don't want to play around with additives or solutions etc, i'm more of a install it and leave it type of reefer (if i can), so I'm planning on adding another Turf Scrubber.

The plan for me...
Let the nitrate media do its thing with 1x ATS
Add 2nd ATS
when the nitrate media depletes, remove it and hopefully 2x ATS is enough to maintain low po4/no3.

I don't feed massive amounts, 2x flakes and 1x home made frozen, all the food is gone within a minute. I tested the water yesterday,, po4-0, no3 65+ still... but some good, I'm positive the pink shade was less than the 100ppm, so maybe its on it's way down.
0 po4 is not good, I think no-pox wiped it out. but that will climb back up soon.

Cool , one question I have why are you having a second algae scrubber? If you have a properly set up scrubber with adequate lighting you should not need more than one really.

 

[ahiggins]

Imhe reducing nitrates is all about System Setup.

I agree with this part lol
Less bioload will help a lot but my main methods have always been a skimmer (if it’s really bad a bio ball reactor feeding the skimmer) and water changes. Granted I have tanks 50 gal and under so water changes are easy for me to do.
I’ve also never had a ton of room in my sumps so I’ve never experimented with turf scrubbers.

 

[Colin_S]

Cool , one question I have why are you having a second algae scrubber? If you have a properly set up scrubber with adequate lighting you should not need more than one really.

just to add, I've always had a skimmer, and skims well.
I get good growth on the ATS and its lit both side. i suffered from High po4, introduced ATS and it never really lowered it as I hoped. This was down to a in-correct RODI set up which has now been rectified.
I'm thinking if i have 2x ATS, and manageable no3, po4 then I can fine tune the ATS by light schedual, rather than rely on media that might deplete.
if by some miracle the no3 drops in the next 2 weeks, i'll hold off the 2nd ATS and monitor the levels. See if what i currently have is enough to maintaun it..

 

[laverda]

I agree with this part lol
Less bioload will help a lot but my main methods have always been a skimmer (if it’s really bad a bio ball reactor feeding the skimmer) and water changes. Granted I have tanks 50 gal and under so water changes are easy for me to do.
I’ve also never had a ton of room in my sumps so I’ve never experimented with turf scrubbers.

An ATS takes up very little room and cost less than $30.00. Mine is in my over flow and can be seen in this video starting at about 1:37. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/scmas-zoom-meeting-july-17th.740275/#post-7728108. I also have a thread ATS for under $30.00 in the DIY forum.