High nitrate only!

[Beverly]

There are a few things I would do to reduce nitrate:

1. 30% water changes every couple of days to get nitrates below 10 ppm. Also, double check that your test kit is reading correctly.

2. Get some macroalgae to slurp up some of these nutrients.

3. If possible, throw on a HOB mechanic filter for a few days. Use a turkey baster to baste the rock and sandbed. This will stir up a lot of nitrate- and phosphate-producing crud that can be exported from your system by cleaning the filter. For best results, plan to do this over a weekend when you can baste the tank, let the crud fill up the filter, clean the filter, then do it over and over again until the tank is barely cloudy after basting. This is more work than a lot of people care to put into their tanks, but well worth the effort in the long run.

4. And do weekly water changes of at least 15% forevermore

[fresh]

After 3 sessions of turkey baster and later the water change, nitrate is down to around 50 today.

I know Myka tried above (thank you Myka), but I am still not very clear as to why ammonia and nitrite are reading 0 when nitrate is high?

[Wayne]

Ammonia gets converted to Nitrites which gets converted to Nitrates.

The only way to get rid of nitrates is with water changes, NP pellets, Zeo or Vodka dosing (or other similar bateria eating nitrate means)

[Myka]

Ammonia is eaten up in the system by the bacteria as quickly as it is produced so there is never enough ammonia to be read on a typical hobbyists' test kit. Same with nitrite. If you used a very expensive, very accurate, very sensitive ammonia test you could get an ammonia reading in pretty much any marine body of water. This also happens with nitrate and phosphate...both can be eaten up by algae so quickly that there is not enough left in the water column for typical hobbyist test kits to detect.

Originally Posted by Wayne

The only way to get rid of nitrates is with water changes, NP pellets, Zeo or Vodka dosing (or other similar bateria eating nitrate means)

That's not entirely true, the best natural denitrator is live rock. The anaerobic bacteria within the rock will convert nitrate to nitrogen gas.

[fresh]

Originally Posted by Myka

That's not entirely true, the best natural denitrator is live rock. The anaerobic bacteria within the rock will convert nitrate to nitrogen gas.

With almost 20 lbs of LR in a 14 gal tank, I would think that this process should be optimal.

Anyhow, with a couple more water changes, I hope the nitrates are gone.

[daniella3d]

It all depends on the type of liverock. If it is dense non porous liverock, it will never do the job right. I only have about 45 lbs of Totoka liverock in my 75 gallons but since it is so porous, that's all it takes.

YOur liverock must be very porous for it to be efficient as denitrification.

Originally Posted by fresh

With almost 20 lbs of LR in a 14 gal tank, I would think that this process should be optimal.

Anyhow, with a couple more water changes, I hope the nitrates are gone.

[Wayne]

Originally Posted by Myka

That's not entirely true, the best natural denitrator is live rock. The anaerobic bacteria within the rock will convert nitrate to nitrogen gas.

Wow did not know that, thank you

[Myka]

Originally Posted by fresh

With almost 20 lbs of LR in a 14 gal tank, I would think that this process should be optimal.

Anyhow, with a couple more water changes, I hope the nitrates are gone.

It's about quality, not quantity as Daniella said. If you are doing a good job vacuuming the tank (including rocks) while you are doing your water changes it should really help. Simply taking water out and putting clean water in won't do the trick.

Originally Posted by Wayne

Wow did not know that, thank you

You're welcome.

[Timbits]

my nitrates were pretty high too like in the 80 range. did a huge water change waited few days did another one and now nitrates are sitting at 0!