LOWERING NITRATES LEVEL

[Jenson]

Currently i have a 2 feet tank that's starting to bloom --- with algae would like to knoe whether adding sugar directly into the water helps, or whether i should dissolve it in saltwater and inject the solution into the sandbed for the nitrobacter?

Anybody had tried this method before and any side effects?such as rising nitrates after it has fallen due to die off od bacteria population after nitrate source depleted?

Many thanks for any commentS!!!..and

pls be fast!

[blueheaven]

This topic had been discussed before and bro Gouldian even brought it up during the Anthony Calfo seminar. Basically, you must know how and why this seems to work first.

By adding sugar, you are actually providing a source of food for the bacteria itself and this causes a temporary nitrate drop due to the extreme growth of bacteria.

Note that in this case, we are talking about the anaerobic heterotrophs as they can't make their own food.

When the bacteria grows out of hand, quorum gene sensing will cause the bacteria to release toxins to lower their population and thus they become pathogenic. This is the reason behind the sudden drop and rise of nitrates when you add the sugar.

If you want to effectively control nitrates, its best to do extensive research on the methodology you are using and let nature do the rest. Do not try to play god by attempting to raise the bacterial populations

[hotlemond]

just do a water change., 50%

After that take a hard look at the your system, and your nutrient input.

Its more effective in the long run to seek out the source of the problem.

there are alot of discussion on the net for this issue. Do look up for it.

Good luck

[minsmarine]

Algae bloom could be due to PO4. Did u test PO4 ? What is your NO3 reading ?

[Achilles Tang]

Algae cycles are part and parcel of a reef tank.

They will naturally die out because they will not thrive in a balanced and well maintained reef tank.

But if the balance tilts into their favour, and they bloom, then you have to have better nutrient control/export or biological controls in place eg. snails & other herbivores to counter them.

Some algae are worth cultivating as they are good food sources eg. turf algae but the bad ones like bryopsis, green hair algae can be real ugly and a pain to get rid off.

As the rest here have suggested... watch the nutrient buildup and cut it off.

[Jenson]

oooorrh.....okkaE..thnX for the many inputs and btw how do u remove brown algae(diatoms?) growing on my beautiful star poylp mat!!!!!!try too hard and i'm afriad the whole mat may juz collapse.

[Clownfish]

oooorrh.....okkaE..thnX for the many inputs and btw how do u remove brown algae(diatoms?) growing on my beautiful star poylp mat!!!!!!try too hard and i'm afriad the whole mat may juz collapse.

increase ur water flow on ur star polyps

[Bali Brain]

I do not have algae blooms, but I have red cyano growth on the glass especially around the substrate level, which I have to clean everyday. Anyone has a good way of eliminating this?

[shoelevy]

Jenson, ways to rid algae:

1)employ po4 remover in a FR(eg aquaphos or rowaphos)

2)reduce photo period if yours is too long

3)increase circulation in tank

Balibrain: i think most of us have to scrub some algae which grows on the glass either dayly or weekly so i think yours isn't much of a concern. If you're not using po4 remover, i think employing some will help reduce the speed at which they build up on the glass

as to no3 control Jenson:

1)good skimmer is important

2)control your bioload and feeding of fishes

cheers

[RAV-65]

This topic had been discussed before and bro Gouldian even brought it up during the Anthony Calfo seminar. Basically, you must know how and why this seems to work first.

By adding sugar, you are actually providing a source of food for the bacteria itself and this causes a temporary nitrate drop due to the extreme growth of bacteria.

Note that in this case, we are talking about the anaerobic heterotrophs as they can't make their own food.

When the bacteria grows out of hand, quorum gene sensing will cause the bacteria to release toxins to lower their population and thus they become pathogenic. This is the reason behind the sudden drop and rise of nitrates when you add the sugar.

If you want to effectively control nitrates, its best to do extensive research on the methodology you are using and let nature do the rest. Do not try to play god by attempting to raise the bacterial populations

Wow! spoken like a true pro...

[itchyhand]

I do not have algae blooms, but I have red cyano growth on the glass especially around the substrate level, which I have to clean everyday. Anyone has a good way of eliminating this?

I bought a sand star..... keep working on the sand.... now sand no more brownish color.

ONly time is will the sand star cause the death of the anarobic bacteria as it constanlyt shift the sand.

[Bali Brain]

Shoelevy, PO4Remover? Is it safe for fishes and invertebrates? How much do you have to use, daily, weekly? Even if you succeed in removing phosphate, what about the nitrates?

Itchy hand- I have a sea cucumber, 3 snails, 2 seastars but they are not much of a help as far as the glass surface is concerned especially between the glass and the substrate (where they can't reach)and this builds up very easily.

[shoelevy]

Shoelevy, PO4Remover? Is it safe for fishes and invertebrates? How much do you have to use, daily, weekly? Even if you succeed in removing phosphate, what about the nitrates?

of course po4 remover safe la...loads of people use it in FR(fluidised reactors)

how long it lasts depends on:

1)how much you put in the FR, obviously the more you put the longer it'll last

2)how much po4 is introduced into your tank from feeding etc etc and how well its removed by skimmer etc etc...the more po4 left behind, the faster it exhausts

250ml of rowa can last me 3mths

if u manage to remove po4, most of your algae problems you've already won.

most people will tell you when they haf algae problems, once po4 is controlled, then they no longer face it.

so you only worry about nitrates when they still give you problems after u settle your po4

[Jenson]

The problem was solved!!!!

The high nitrat was due to a slow lps death(octo)

but now everything is fine and I've always have only a single regal and a cleaner wrass and ttz all!!So I guess there wouldn't be problem with nutrient import as i don't dose liquid supplements either!!(except calcium and alk)