How to Lower Nitrate

[curator]

How the heck can I get my nitrates down. Everything seems to be doing so well, I'm shock when I test and find them so high. I not overfeeding, doing weekly water changes, etc. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

John

 

[tnyga]

Bigger water changes...Purigen (sp) I hear does wonders...I know a fuge made a HUGE difference for me..

 

[xyzpdq0121]

John,
How high is high?!?

Check for any "dead spots" in the flow of your tank. Make sure that water is keeping all the "poop" in up and in the filters. A bit of carbon and purigen might help. Are you running a skimmer yet? That would help but not NEEDED on a tank your size. Hit it with a few big water changes (25-50%).

 

[mojo]

What are you using for your top-off water? RO/DI?

 

[cameron]

More extreme but a sulfer drip from a Denitrification unit will work as well.

 

[curator]

I'm doing 5 gal. water changes weekely in a 29 gal with LOTS of rock; I'm using Purigen, and the ammonia is zero. Mixing saltwater with RO/DI. High is about 15!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Ok 15 is not HIGH. it is slightly elevated and with a softy/LPS coral tank it is just fine... To tell you the truth, around 10 is good news for a soft coral tank and about as good as you can expect without a skimmer.

 

[curator]

Really!???? What a relief...I thought it was supposed to be close to zero. Thanks!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Zero would be nice... but is really not good for Soft corals. They like a bit of nitrates, that is what they eat... Heck, I know people that keep a xenia refugium just because of that! A fuge would help but you really can not get one on your nano. Have you put that LR in your back area yet?!? The sponge that grows in a "crypto" area such as that will help take them down an bit.

Worry when your Nitrates hit about 40...