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Will installation of sump increase nitrate level?

trader_best

By trader_best,
in General Reefkeeping_

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trader_best Newbie

trader_best

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hi gurus,

I've just installed my new sump tank...found that my nitrate level has shot up all e way....will installation of sump be the reason for the nitrate level to shoot up?

1st compartment of sump: ceramic rings, eheim efei, sponge

2nd compartment: bio balls

refugium: 4" DSB, 'sea-grapes', live rock with micro algae.....

gurus please advise....

i'm currently using AZ-NO3 to reduce the nitrate level... :cry2:

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Achilles Tang Newbie

Achilles Tang

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My sump tank is empty.

No bioballs, biorings etc.

Just maybe a polyfilter pad.

Now that my contraphos/rowaphos phosphate removal media is fluidised and carbon too.. I don't need to put filter bags of it in the sump.

;)

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typrobin Proficient

typrobin

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basically the bio balls and the ceramic rings have bacteria that converts ammonia to nitrite than to nitrate...

ammonia and nitrite is harmful to fishes, they clog up their blood and in turn they will have less oxygen in their blood and thus the heavy breathing occurs....

nitrate on the other hand affects corals....

the high nitrate level is due to the bioballs and ceramic rings, so by removing them, u will lessen the rate of ANN(ammonia to nitrite to nitrate) conversion....

the bad thing about have lesser bio balls and ceramic rings is that the ammonia will not be converted fast enuf and so will the nitrite....but if u haf a powerful skimmer, then u dun haf to worry coz most of the dissolved organic compound will be skimmed off....

my advise is, if u want to remove the bio ball and ceramic rings, do it very slowly....maybe 10% per week, juz in case u get ammonia spike....and of coz use a very good skimmer....reduce feeding will also help....but that applies if u are having corals, if its juz a FOWLR tank than leave them inside loh....

MY OLD 3ft!!

My Latest Plan!!

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bwilly Newbie

bwilly

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I think there's a misconception that rings n balls caused nitrate (NO3) increase. Its is extremely useful for converting source of ammonia n nitrite (NO2) into the more harmless NO3.

Without the rings/balls, (n sufficent LRs) the fishes maybe dead faster than u can know. Also wastes (food/fish) willingly get stuck on these rings/balls, hence producing additional nitrate. The rings/balls is not designed to induced NO3 reduction bacteria, hence some may deem it "NO3" factory.

Removing the rings/balls only when u have sufficient LRs or rather stuffs that can subsitute properly. (ie remove ammonia/NO2)

Frequently cleaning (using tank water) rings/balls reduce the risk of them being a NO3 factory.

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hsloo Newbie

hsloo

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My sump tank is empty.

No bioballs, biorings etc.

Just maybe a polyfilter pad.

Now that my contraphos/rowaphos phosphate removal media is fluidised and carbon too.. I don't need to put filter bags of it in the sump.

;)

Hi AT,

How you fluidized the rowaphos and carbon?

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