Nitrates - What to do about it

[howdy20012002]

http://www.aquadirect.com/store/prod...cat=104&page=1.

anyone ever tried something like this?

[andrewsk]

Here is the link on Deep Sand Buckets. (IE Fluidized Sand Beds) It is a great, if not long read.

Follow this and you will have no Nitrates.

Enjoy.



http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/pr...5&pagenumber=1

[TheReefGeek]

What skimmer(s) are you using, and what is your total water volume(s)

In conclusion, the only true way to get rid of nitrates is to add new water

I disagree. I am lazy, I don't keep up on my water changes like I should, and I have never had a nitrate problem (other than one catastrophy due to a bad batch of IO salt), and I keep medium to heavily stocked, well fed tanks.

I would start up a big-ass macro algae refugium, and blast it with a cheap 400w magnetic ballast & bulb from the electrical/lighting store. The macro algae will suck up your nitrates and phosphates.

Another solution to nitrates is a remote deep sand bed. Fill a couple old salt buckets with regular play sand 80% full, install 2 bulkheads above the sand level at each end, and pump water slowly over the top. There is a huge thread about RDSBs on reef central. This is so cheap, why not try it? You already have the buckets, I bet you have a powerhead, all you need to buy is cheap play sand, and some bulkheads. The theory goes that passing water over the top, water will slowly diffuse through the bucket, to anerobic zones where denitrifying bacteria are, and this will strip away your nitrates over time.

[Delphinus]

I found that the DSB in a bucket was not as effective as it was claimed to be. In 6 months 60lbs of aragonite in a 8gallon bucket did not touch my nitrate levels anywhere near the same level as was done with growing cheato in a wee little aquaclear lit by 2 9w PC's.

I'm not saying it's useless, but I am saying that I tried it, exactly as was suggested in that thread listed at RC, and I found the results vastly underwhelming compared to the promises made therein. Perhaps my tank had a problem that counter acted the benefits but nobody was able to offer any solid suggestions. Tank is now tore down anyhow so it's a moot point, but just thought I'd throw my experience out there.

You can still try it of course, the theory is solid. Nitrate buildup is a result of the balance between that which produces nitrates and that which consumes or reduces nitrate (be it water changes, skimming, nutrient absorption, whatever). A DSB should have nitrate reducing ability so adding a DSB should theoretically help, but I find a 5g or 8g salt bucket doesn't give you enough surface area to truly be an optimal method. I think 60 lbs. of aragonite 4" deep over a larger surface area (so say a sump or remote shallow tank or something like that) would be far superior to 60lbs of aragonite 15" deep over a 12" diameter circular surface area (or whatever it is those buckets are). It's just that the bucket is cheap and everyone has hundreds of them so why not put them to use. But it's just not the optimal use of the idea.

[TheReefGeek]

I don't run RDSBs because I don't need to because of my fuge as well, just thought I would throw it out there as a potentially cheap fix.

I think the concensus was that you need 1 bucket per 80 or 90 gallons of water in your system.

I would do a fuge first. You can also include a "xenia basket". This a floating basket that you throw into a large fuge, and put xenia into. Xenia grow quickly and pull crap out of your water too, but you need the basket or they dont get any light due to the macro algae, especially chaeto.

[Murminator]

I threw out all my sponges, bio balls etc......viola no nitrates....well just a liitle