Keeping nitrate down

[uws]

Hi

My tank (2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 ft) - (See pix) has been running for past 6 mths with the following crew:

1. 1xyellow tang

2. 1xpurple tang

3. 1xmaroon clownfish

4. 3xgreen chromis

5. 1xneon goby

6. 1xwatchman goby

7. 1xcleaner shrimp

8. 1xhermit crab

9. 1xsand starfish

My nitrate has been hovering around 25 ~ 50 ppm, even though I done 10 ~ 20% weekly water changes.

Need recommendations to bring down the level:

1. Dose AZ-NO3 nitrate eliminator

2. Upgrade current Eheim 2236 cannister

3. Upgrade current Redsea Prizm skimmer

4. Reduce bio-load

Which of the above 4 options or others are BEST recommended to ensure a quick & permanent fix to the nitrate problem?

[tansk]

May u can feed once a day will do

Change water twice a wk

[clownfish88]

how often u feed ur fish?

[uws]

how often u feed ur fish?

Once a day, pellets feeding by timer. Twice a wk, will throw in coral food and cyclopeeze 4 corals.

[babareef]

A good protein skimmer. Use carbon on your filter. These may help too. Always try to maintain calcium of 400-450 ppm and Kh between 8-11. If u manage to keep these two parameters in control, less death will occur and so less nitrate. Dying of tiny organisms causes nitrate to rise. Any dead livestocks like fishes and corals must be taken out of the tank immediately.

My humble opinion. Thanks

[uws]

A good protein skimmer. Use carbon on your filter.

I got a Eheim carbon filter inside my 2236 cannister.

BTW, this afternoon went to REBORN to check out the new Reef Octopus 2008 Ext-120 skimmer. Has any one got any review/feedback on this model/brand ?

[wlchew]

Hi

My tank (2.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 ft) - (See pix) has been running for past 6 mths with the following crew:

1. 1xyellow tang

2. 1xpurple tang

3. 1xmaroon clownfish

4. 3xgreen chromis

5. 1xneon goby

6. 1xwatchman goby

7. 1xcleaner shrimp

8. 1xhermit crab

9. 1xsand starfish

My nitrate has been hovering around 25 ~ 50 ppm, even though I done 10 ~ 20% weekly water changes.

Need recommendations to bring down the level:

1. Dose AZ-NO3 nitrate eliminator

2. Upgrade current Eheim 2236 cannister

3. Upgrade current Redsea Prizm skimmer

4. Reduce bio-load

Which of the above 4 options or others are BEST recommended to ensure a quick & permanent fix to the nitrate problem?

IMO, two options

1. Get a Powerful Skimmer

2. A Moderate Skimmer and a Denitrator..

Item#2 will goes a longer mileage..

[babareef]

You might want to consider having a refugium since you have not mentioned it. Chaetos in refugium help to absorb waste nutrients from the water besides providing more oxygen.Together with a good protein skimmer,a powerful eheim filter your tank will have a lot less nitrate problem.

[uws]

A refugium may be difficult to install as my tank setup has no sump.

BTW, for those who have used external canister, how frequent do you change the following:

a) white floss media

blue bio media

c) the Eheim substrat pro media

Will also consider the Deltec MCE600 as an option to the REEF Octopus skimmer (EXT-120).

[huskypower75]

Hi Bros

My experience,

I am running a JBJ 24G, nitrate was well above 50ppm 2weeks ago, I explored my idea of nitrate reduction,

Tried AZ-NO3 2 weeks ago and followed the instructions and now I have used up more than half bottle and to my surprise nitrate today is 5ppm, but I ran a skimmer 4 days ago and a Seachem denitrate with TLF Phosban reactor with about 100LPH flow.

I believe the reactor is still in the run in phase and skimmer will not remove nitrate at such a rate, so I believe AZ-NO3 is very good. My corals show no sign of stress and all is good.

I bough from petmart for about $25 and 1 $25 bottle can last me for a month.

I will reduce the dose once nitrate is zero and monitor the reduction and the NO3 increase.

enjoy

[thedidavid]

Hi Bros

My experience,

I am running a JBJ 24G, nitrate was well above 50ppm 2weeks ago, I explored my idea of nitrate reduction,

Tried AZ-NO3 2 weeks ago and followed the instructions and now I have used up more than half bottle and to my surprise nitrate today is 5ppm, but I ran a skimmer 4 days ago and a Seachem denitrate with TLF Phosban reactor with about 100LPH flow.

I believe the reactor is still in the run in phase and skimmer will not remove nitrate at such a rate, so I believe AZ-NO3 is very good. My corals show no sign of stress and all is good.

I bough from petmart for about $25 and 1 $25 bottle can last me for a month.

I will reduce the dose once nitrate is zero and monitor the reduction and the NO3 increase.

enjoy

just slightly to note important point when using AZNO3 is fully functional skimmer to remove the waste product. I experience myself last time using AZNO3 that there is some kind of thick liquid in my skimmer collection cup. I am not sure whether any detrimental effect using this product without skimmer. It's mentioned clearly on the bottle.

[huskypower75]

just slightly to note important point when using AZNO3 is fully functional skimmer to remove the waste product. I experience myself last time using AZNO3 that there is some kind of thick liquid in my skimmer collection cup. I am not sure whether any detrimental effect using this product without skimmer. It's mentioned clearly on the bottle.

Hi Bro

I tried Using AZ-NO3 without skimmer, the reduction of NO3 is very slow, but the white filter floss is always covered with a thick layer of deep green dirt, and I believe this deep green dirt is surpose to be removed by skimmer.

Without skimmer, the No3 is reduced at a rate of 5ppm per 3days, but after skimmer is introduced, NO3 is reduced at a rate of 20ppm per day.

Just tested No3 in the morning 25ppm, after dosing Az-NO3 this evening and running my mini resun DIY skimmer, just tested NO3 again at 2am, 0.5ppm.

Amazing!

my 2cent observation

enjoy

[angelfishlover]

Clams will be good addition.Absorb nitrates and phosphates and silicates.But must introduve at least two for your tank.

[uws]

I got 1 x corcea clam in my tank. May introduced another one (squamosa) if this first one lives past 30 days.

Anyway, I bought the AZ-NO3 yesterday from PETMART & wash my REDSEA skimmer.

Hopefully it can bring down my present NO3 (25ppm).

I will wait for the results till 2 weeks later. If still cannot lower NO3, then I will consider buying the MCE300/600.

[huskypower75]

I got 1 x corcea clam in my tank. May introduced another one (squamosa) if this first one lives past 30 days.

Anyway, I bought the AZ-NO3 yesterday from PETMART & wash my REDSEA skimmer.

Hopefully it can bring down my present NO3 (25ppm).

I will wait for the results till 2 weeks later. If still cannot lower NO3, then I will consider buying the MCE300/600.

Az-NO3 did wonders to my 24g nano,

after 18days and a resun sk-05 skimmer, no3 now is 0.25ppm down from 50ppm++

enjoy

[scubajazz]

Bro Husky

You get ur Az-NO3 from Petmart is it?

Az-NO3 did wonders to my 24g nano,

after 18days and a resun sk-05 skimmer, no3 now is 0.25ppm down from 50ppm++

enjoy

[uws]

Bought AZ-NO3 on Xmas day and started to dose ever since.

It had been 14 days and the NO3 dropped to 25ppm from 50.

Will check again 2nite as target is frm 5 ~ 10ppm.