Question on nitrates

Jahdiel · Post by **Jahdiel** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:36 am

Since we bought our 125 setup a few mths ago, which was already established for 5+ yrs, we have had to do several large water changes to get the nitrates down. We do 35 gals at a shot. Did one on Sun. and another Mon. and still nitrates are reading 15-20. I have stired the sand many times and still no change. I feed a small amount of flake, pellets and nori one day. Then frozen brine the next. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I think I have depleted the salt mines.

Snakeman · Post by **Snakeman** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:28 am

I wouldn't stire the sand. There is a lot of stuff that gets trapped in the sand including nitrates and if you stire it up you are going to release them back into the water and you are disturbing the critters that live in it. How deep is your sand bed. I think that a deep sand bed, over 4 inches, is the best way to take care of nitrates. I had the same problem in my old 30 gal tank that only had a inch or two deep sand bed the nitrate tested off the charts. When I move up to my 90 gal tank I made my sand bed over 4 inches deep added a refuge tank with plants, LR, and sand bed and my nitrates stay at 0. I Feed a good bit in my 90 gal tank an never had to deal with any nitrates.

Jahdiel · Post by **Jahdiel** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:43 am

Thanks for the headsup. As for the sand bed, it goes from 4" in the back to 1" in the front. We'll have to get more to give that a try. Not sure about how to make the refuge work in our sump. not much room left and about to add a calcium drip, tight quarters. Might have to rebuild a stand for it, or proceed with my plans of inserting into the wall. It is an old salon station someone converted. Thanks again Snakeman

KrazyPlace · Post by **KrazyPlace** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:16 am

I fought the nitrates for 1.5 years. They were gone less than 2 months after installing a refugium. I feed very heavy and couldn't imagine not having a refugium in a heavily populated reef tank. My nitrates went from 20+ to 0.

Jahdiel · Post by **Jahdiel** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:20 am

You both have sold me me on a refuge. Now to figure out how to get one in there. Thank goodness I love a challenge. How big do I need to make it to benifit a 125.

Snakeman · Post by **Snakeman** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:07 pm

I just used my old 30 long tank. I would go with the biggest that I could put under my tank. The bigger the refugium the more pant, LR, and sand. Also you will be adding a lot of water volume to your main tank by having a large one. The more water the more fish you can have. I also added ghost shrimp, cleaner shrimp, star fish, crabs, and snails to my refugium. They will also add a good supply of food to your main tank. I always have something hatching out in my refugium that get pumped up to my main tank. About evey two weeks i have to harvest some of the plant out so that it doesn't get too crowded down there. I like to take the pants out and dunk them in my main tank before i throw them away so I can watch all the little critters swim out of them and get picked off by my fish.

tbmoore · Post by **tbmoore** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:52 pm

I ditto the do not stir the sand...this is part of the filtration. Since the tank was moved and sand stired up it might take a few months to really get back into shape. The fuge is also a great idea. Till then just keep doing water changes. Also I did not look but how much live rock do you have this is also part of the filtration system.

Jahdiel · Post by **Jahdiel** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:12 pm

We have somewhere between 125-150. Everything is doing great thank goodness, just the dard nitrates giving us fits. Will have to try the refuse for sure.

NM354 · Post by **NM354** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:48 pm

granted my tank hasen't been set up for very long, just about a month now. but i am using a plennum w/ 50 lbs of sand nice and thick. I am also using a cascade 300 for a fuge and i havent had any nitrates yet. Its a 20H if you were wondering what size tank it is.

KrazyPlace · Post by **KrazyPlace** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 4:58 pm

I have a 65g reef & 29g fish only that share a 10g refuge. It works for me.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:46 pm

If you have fine grain sand you can support some of the bacteria that is responsible for removal of NO3 even with a 2 inch sandbed. Is you stir the sand you will lose these because the conditions where they live are anarobic and stirring will only add oxygen to the lower levels of the sandbed. If you sand is really alive the organisms that live in the top layer of sand will stir the top layer for you and take care of detritus.

I have added macro to my sump and I have a pretty crowded sump. I just used some light grate to contain the macro and a light that I had laying around.