reducing nitrates by adding sulfur

[algae]

Hello,

I have a 120 gallon tank with one trigger, one lionfish and one grouper. I have been able to go two years without a water change. The nitrate level is high and greater than 200 ppm even after two large water changes of 30 and 50% respectfully, done just two days ago. pH, alkalinity, salinity, nitrite and amonia all tested out OK and I use well water with no problems. The fish are back in their tank and seem to be OK. Incidentally, I did not know that the nitrate level was so high because the test strips that I was using were not registering proper color. Anyway I have been told that adding pure sulfur to the tank once a week will denitrify the tank to safe levels. Has anyone had any experience with this? I am looking for some guidance. I tried mixing a gram of sulfur powder in some water before adding it to the tank, but had a difficult time trying to get the sulfur to go into solution.

[rwhhunt]

that is crazy, both no water changes for two years and adding sulphur.... I would just recommend more water changes over the next few weeks... adding chemicals to water is probably not the best solution to the problem...but thats just me...

[capt. insano]

yeah, somebody is feeding you bad info

there are sulfur bead denitrators filter out nitrate.....but you can't just add pure sulphur to the tank!!

keep up the water changes, suck up any "junk" and accumulation.....and you could possibly add a refugium to help naturally absorb phosphate and nitrate

[aquaman67]

Some on here uses this with good results, I forget who though.

http://www.petsolutions.com/de+Nitrate-I-10101380-I-.aspx

[spamin76]

Adding chemicals to make up for poor husbandry is not a good way to run a tank... the problems with these kind of methods is that the long term chemical effects are not well understood and such things can result in reactions that affect PH, other tank chemistry parameters, and in some cases chronic health problems for your fish.

Small regular water changes, reasonable stocking, etc eliminate the need to use sulfur... since the long term affects of sulfur are not well understood I would advise against it. Ask Randy Holmes-Farley, the chemistry mod in the reef central chemistry forum for more information about the use of sulfur.

[DrChristianTroy]

Sulfur+Nitrate=Sulfuric acid (reduction takes place)
With a hydroxycalcium based filter:
Hydroxycalcium+sulfuric acid=Gypsium(Neutral chemical)
If you didn't use hydroxy calcium;
Due to the effect of sulfuric acid PH may become acidic (That's real)below 7 and fishes go away to heaven.
That's really dangerous even with a good chemistry knowledge, don't do this to your pet regular water change is much more simple and also safe!!!!

[spamin76]

PH lower than 8 in a saltwater tank is bad... and adding something that results in an acidic byproduct... :P

[dogstar74]

Besides, I don't think you could handle the smell of sulfur in your house. Whew!

[shanghaireefer]

I8ve had similar problem like yours with accumulating nitrates( but I do change water from time to time though) which just wouldnt go down.

I was surprised when I added Caulerpa, Nitrates dropped from 150--180 levels to almost 20--40 ppm. You would have to add
chelated iron and have to keep nitrates at a good level though
which serve as nutrient for the caulerpa.

[DrChristianTroy]

I have also tried chelated iron complexes but you can't benefit their effet if there is no phytoplanton colonies in your tank.
I do not have any idea about caulerpa and iron use; may be for cytochrome formation they will need iron.
At last i can say that iron complexes are safe and efficient to reduce nitrate levels!!!

[shanghaireefer]

I am not sure if I clearly understood DrTroy or if you did understand my message.

IMO experience, introducing macroalgae like Caulerpa will suck off the nitrates and phosphates within a few days of introduction to the tank with high nitrates. ( In my case from 180 to 20 in just a few days).

But my Caulerpa withered thereafter and I was told to resume slightly heavier feeding than before(I was doing the lighter side of feeding to keep nitrates low) to maintain the nitrates the caulerpa needs to thrive. Aside from Nitrates and Phosphates,I was told to add Chelated Iron which cauleperna needs to thrive.

I put the Caulerpa in my refugium to avoid my tangs and angels nibbling at them. The Caulerpa introduction also seemed to help i nreducing my Cynobacteria presence.

So are you saying adding Chelated Iron alone can keep nitrates low? My objective of adding the Iron was to keep the Caulerpa happy.

I tried adding Calcium only before , but it wont keep the nitrates low, I didnt really test phosphates though.

Kindly clarify.

[DrChristianTroy]

Ã?ron is need in cytochrome production which is indispensible for most of living things in ETS pathway,detoxifying rxns and also during photosynthesis :in the case of caulerpa i am OK with you ,a colony of caulerpa in your refugium may reduce phosphates and nitrates in your tank efficiently.That is right.On the other hand as you can guess after a long time each tank has its own microflora:Ã? said that a microflora of phytoplanctons using iron in different pathways will help to lower nitrates levels also; This is used to overcame the global warming and produces tremenderous amount of oxygene....for more details:
archives.cnn.com/2001/NATURE/01/23/paradise.dump
www.bookrags.com/researchtopics/endangered-oceans-2003/sub11.html
dataone.whoi.edu/mzweb/iron/iron_rpt.html

[DrChristianTroy]

I think,i make myself clear :furious:
Just joking :D