So my cycle seems to have stalled at high nitrates. Help please? :D

[Enigma]

Try Instant Ocean Nitrate Remover if you can find it. It will be a bandaid solution (you'll still need to get the nitrate source figured out), but I can tell you that it does work. It is a biopolymer that you add directly to your system water. It takes a bit of time to work.

http://www.instantocean.com/product-...e-reducer.aspx

[mrhasan]

Hello Shelly,

By how much can it reduce the nitrate? I think I currently have a 40ppm of nitrate and will be doing a massive water change and will add chaeto but would also like to have something that can work in reducing the nitrate.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

Hello Shelly,

By how much can it reduce the nitrate? I think I currently have a 40ppm of nitrate and will be doing a massive water change and will add chaeto but would also like to have something that can work in reducing the nitrate.

I only had 5ppm when I used it in my QT tank. It reduced those nitrates very quickly (overnight). I don't know how much it will reduce how quickly, but I do know that it works.

You should do the big waterchanges first (that's instant nitrate reduction). I'd only use this stuff if waterchanges weren't possible (or illadvised) or if the source of the nitrates couldn't be identified and stopped.

[Myka]

That IO Natural Nitrate Reducer is essentially ground up biopellets suspended in a liquid.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by Myka

That IO Natural Nitrate Reducer is essentially ground up biopellets suspended in a liquid.

I suspected as much. Good to have confirmation! As long as the dosages on the bottle are followed, an OD shouldn't happen. It is probably a good product for easing into the use of non-recirculating biopellet reactor, then. Do you think?

[Myka]

I don't know anything about a non-circulating biopellet reactor, sorry. The IO product seems like a good choice for a nano tank or an application where there is no space for a reactor. Overdosing would be the same as biopellets (or any other carbon source) where the biggest problem would be bacteria bloom which threatens the tank with oxygen deprivation (lethal firstly to fish). So essentially not usually a problem with a functioning skimmer.