ULNS - Denitrators

[b09u5]

Originally Posted by lastlight

OH NOES.

kIen,

My apologies.

[Reef Pilot]

If you go to my tank journal link at the bottom, you will find that I initially battled very high nitrates before finally resorting to bio pellets. Have been running with zero nitrates for about 2 years now, and have not had to open my bio pellet reactor since Nov 2012, more than a year ago.

[straightrazorguy]

I'm surprised nopbody mentioned a refugium so far. It's all about reactors, denitrators, etc. Plants will remove nitrates very efficiently. And when I say refugium, I don't mean an afterthought, like a ball of cheato in the sump with a small lamp above. I mean a tank plumbed inline with the display tank with macroalgae to suck the nutrients out of the water column.

Another solution is an algae scrubber. Whether it's a waterfall style (in the sump) or upflow type, it's not that relevant, they are both good means of nutrient export.

I have an inline refugium behind the DT with a small chamber in it where I run an upflow algae scrubber. I have to go and prune it weekly, but my nitrates are undetectable. For phosphates I run Rowaphos, but that's another topic altogether.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by straightrazorguy

I'm surprised nopbody mentioned a refugium so far. It's all about reactors, denitrators, etc. Plants will remove nitrates very efficiently. And when I say refugium, I don't mean an afterthought, like a ball of cheato in the sump with a small lamp above. I mean a tank plumbed inline with the display tank with macroalgae to suck the nutrients out of the water column.

I tried that, as per my journal,... didn't work. I think refugiums are fun to do, and work if your nitrates are not that high to start with. But for serious and guaranteed nitrate control, can't beat bio pellets.

[denny_C]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

I tried that, as per my journal,... didn't work. I think refugiums are fun to do, and work if your nitrates are not that high to start with. But for serious and guaranteed nitrate control, can't beat bio pellets.

agreed


plants will only absorb so much , on a 10g tank its fine but on larger system with high bioloads carbon dosing is the way to go



have you thought about VSV? some of the older school methods are still the best today

[Aquattro]

I have about 200g total water volume, maybe 100 pounds rock. I also run zeo part time. Meaning I forget to do anything with it for months at a time, which translates to "you can quit anytime you like".
I have never had measurable NO3 in 4 years. I attribute that to quality rock that I keep clean with lots of flow. I also have near 0 coralline on the rock, which IMO plugs up the pores reaching the anaerobic bacteria.
I change about 25% water volume bi-weekly and have never vacuumed my sand bed. Seems easy enough to me

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

and have never vacuumed my sand bed. Seems easy enough to me

You don't have to vacuum with sugar sand...

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Rice Reef

You don't have to vacuum with sugar sand...

True, it's self cleaning!!

[b09u5]

I had never heard of VSV dosing before. I'll look into it.

Reef Pilot, It's good to hear that some people run these types of reactors and haven't had stability issues. Funny enough, out of all of the options, the bio pellets worry me the most. BTW, I checked out your tank thread and it looks awesome! I hope to still be in the hobby in 10 years!

Anyone else have a denitrator of any kind?

[Rice Reef]

Originally Posted by b09u5

I had never heard of VSV dosing before. I'll look into it.

Reef Pilot, It's good to hear that some people run these types of reactors and haven't had stability issues. Funny enough, out of all of the options, the bio pellets worry me the most. BTW, I checked out your tank thread and it looks awesome! I hope to still be in the hobby in 10 years!

Anyone else have a denitrator of any kind?

VSV is also effective and good way to start before spending hundreds of dollars on the blue bottles.