Nitrates

[Spuds725]

How has the macro been growing?? And what is your photo period for the plant life?? I ran mine 18 hours per day until I got my trates to 0 then backed it to 12-- someone told me that chaeto needs a night cycle.

I think I've already posted all my suggestions... larger plant growing area and patience while it grows out... if you are getting some hair algae (turf algae) in the tank-- let it grow out and pull it out by hand to export-- don't just scrape it off and let it float in the tank...

It might take a while... it can be leaching from the rock if the rock had been exposed to high nitrates for a period of time... it will eventually go away--

Before you purchase a denitrator-- get to the DIY section... I'm certain I've read of a DIY coil/bucket denitrator-- hard part is getting the low flow needed--

Rinsing the frozen foods may help, but probably not too much for nitrates-- it is a common source of phosphates though (from what I've read).

[edandsandy]

Well,
I have been rinsing the food before I feed, I have reduced the feed to x's a week. The rock rubble has a trickle over them. If I remove the rock, crate then it would be safe to say that I would have a bare bottom refugium right? LOL
I have been doing a 30-30g water change out weekly, changing the socks out 2-3 days filter media 2 x's a week.
Should I take the rock rubble out and rinse them? and would that cause a cycling of my tank? someone suggested siphoning the sand bed once a month to help reduce the nitrates. I'm a little scared of that. any thoughts on that question.
My lights are on 24-7 on the refugium now, the cheato algae seems to be growing slowly, but its growing. nitrates still seem to swing between 10-15-20 ppm.

[bertoni]

Is the live rock submerged? If not, I'd remove it.

[edandsandy]

what do I put in its place? or do I leave it empty?

[bertoni]

I'd just leave the area empty.

[djfrankie]

Originally posted by edandsandy
we are now thinking about buying a denitrator. we priced it last night $755.00, wow that is a lot of money right before the Holidays.

Somebody's taking you for a ride. Someone mentioned midwestaquatic here before and you supposedly looked at the page. Did you see the price?

Here's the link http://www.midwestaquatic.com/PRODUC...enitrifier.htm

Many people complain about setting it up, but it's not any harder than a calcium reactor.

You can also find lots of DIY Sulfur denitrators here that will give you an idea. Very easy to make and a lot cheaper than the commercial units. Just have to get your hands dirty a bit

Don't let nitrates get to you so bad. I hadn't realize my nitrates were over 80 ppm until a couple of weeks bought a new test kit (Salifert test kit was giving me bad readings)

Right now I'm working on my own DIY sulfur denitrator to combat these issues.

For the time being stop adding additives to your tank, don't feed so much and don't let anyone rob you like that.

By the way other RC sponsor also sell this sulfur denitrators. For example:

Premium Aquatics www.premiumaquatics.com (sponsor here)

Give them a call and ask about the unit.

I remember when Calcium reactor were just coming into the scene and people used to make the same comment (hard to adjust, not reliable, too expensive) and now they're the same people pushing them down someone else's throat.

HTH,
djfrankie

[edandsandy]

Thanks djfrankie. We just keep trying to get it right.