Why still got high no3 in my tank?

[babareef]

My reading is always within 25-50. So quite bah cos red algae will bloom suddenly and cover some of my corals and zoos. Also if I feed too little I can see my livestocks are hungry. I have about 20 livestock inside.

Bro I guess you have over stocked your tank too soon. 20 livestocks for a for 4ft will definitely have NO3 problem cos the feeding demand is too high. At the same time you need to keep your tank nitrate free. At this time it's not easy if you wanna consider long term solution like bio pellet and algae scrubber. Sooner rather than later your fishes will perish. I suggest you try the bio filter from sea life and AZNO3. Please follow the instructions on using the AZNO3 carefully.

Good luck again.

[Gouldian]

Thanks for your helps Gouldian! I will try the algae scrubber method but where can I get the stuffs? Do you thing I can place it at the overflow before it enters the sump? Should I also get airpump to increase the oxygen levels? Or nitrate reactor?

Hi bro,

Most hobbyist DIY their own algae scrubber. I believe Iwarna sells scrubber previously, you may want to PM them.

Yes, there are some reefers installing the scrubber before the sump. They will then place GAC and skimmer in sump to remove any yellowish tinge usually associated with algae scrubber. You can check on this link if you feels that algae scrubber is the solution for you -

If you already have good surface water movement plus a skimmer, you should have sufficient oxygen level in your tank.

Be it Nitrate reactors, algae scrubber, chemical, water changes or biological, you need to research more of their pros and cons and decides what suits you best!

For me, I used to be happy with nitrate reactors but have decomm it and switches to biological nitrate reduction - with this, it meant that I need to increase the number of large live rocks in my tank so that I have sufficient anaerobic areas for denitrification.

Hope that helps.

[tunicate]

...I need to increase the number of large live rocks in my tank so that I have sufficient anaerobic areas for denitrification.

Hi bro Gouldian,

How large is the rock to be considered to have anaerobic areas? Fist size? head size? My existing LR may ultimately not yield any anaerobic areas.

[Gouldian]

Hi bro Gouldian,

How large is the rock to be considered to have anaerobic areas? Fist size? head size? My existing LR may ultimately not yield any anaerobic areas.

The biggest I can find. In my current tank, the average rock size is 1ft but have several that is more than 1.5ft. The same logic applies to sand-bed, many research has been done to indicate that sand bed less than 3in will not have anaerobic zones, thereby most recommends a sandbed thickness of 6in. Thus I surmise that LR needs to be large in order to have anaerobic zones. This is just my 2cents.

I find fist size is too small to have anaerobic zones within the rock.

[tunicate]

Thanks. Looks like I still have to rely on my clump of chaeto.

[Gouldian]

Thanks. Looks like I still have to rely on my clump of chaeto.

I like chaeto too but have limited sump space.

[Joeteng]

Chaetos does not remove no3 rite? It remove only phosphate

[Guest]

Chaetos does not remove no3 rite? It remove only phosphate

Choeto which is one form of algae remove N03 as well.

[Gouldian]

Chaetos does not remove no3 rite? It remove only phosphate

Actually plants / algae require more than 1 nutrients for the different aspect of their life.

Nitrogen is essential to plants / algae for the production of proteins and other nitrogenous compounds. It is normally available from nitrate ions found in the soil / water, which in turn may be derived from ammonia and ammonium ions.

See attached pdf for more info.

Hope that helps.

595-607-1-PB.pdf

[Joeteng]

Bro I guess you have over stocked your tank too soon. 20 livestocks for a for 4ft will definitely have NO3 problem cos the feeding demand is too high. At the same time you need to keep your tank nitrate free. At this time it's not easy if you wanna consider long term solution like bio pellet and algae scrubber. Sooner rather than later your fishes will perish. I suggest you try the bio filter from sea life and AZNO3. Please follow the instructions on using the AZNO3 carefully.

Good luck again.

thanks bro! yes i know i overstock in the first place so no choice and have to live with it now. hope everything will be normal soon.

[Joeteng]

where to get azno3?

[Joeteng]

Actually plants / algae require more than 1 nutrients for the different aspect of their life.

Nitrogen is essential to plants / algae for the production of proteins and other nitrogenous compounds. It is normally available from nitrate ions found in the soil / water, which in turn may be derived from ammonia and ammonium ions.

See attached pdf for more info.

Hope that helps.

thanks bro! I dont think i can understand it cos it is too complex!

[Joeteng]

Ok I got the bio pellet and a reactor to place the biopellets. I did not get the azno3 cos they say will make the fishes drowsy. I am waiting for the result to see if the nitrate level will drop. I do see improvement as the red algae is dying and detached from my sand bed. I also dose bio fuel!

[Joeteng]

I am using Bio pellet in a reactor. But it does not seem to work, no3 still high after a week. why?

[Guest]

I am using Bio pellet in a reactor. But it does not seem to work, no3 still high after a week. why?

It will take some time for the Bio pallet to "Kick in " usually about 2 ~ 3 week.

[Joeteng]

Oh really! Ok I will update again in another week! Thanks bro!

[sherman]

What you mean by red algae?

Is it red slime?

If it is then you have PO4 issue.

Whether is PO4 or NO3 your reading is far too high and acceptable.

Both reading must be near zero

[Joeteng]

What you mean by red algae?

Is it red slime?

If it is then you have PO4 issue.

Whether is PO4 or NO3 your reading is far too high and acceptable.

Both reading must be near zero

It is really high on my no3, phosphate level is quite ok. Now trying on biopellet and hopefully this is a good method of keeping my no3. But now still then same and I am worried somewhere is not quite right.