What's the best way to lower nitrates?
- Thread starter gajeep94yj
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I use API and Salifert to test nitrates. Both test results are close to each other. I did not like Red Sea nitrate test. One of the dropper bottles kept clogging.
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I would take a water sample to one of our sponsors to get it checked. If their results are close to yours, stick with what you've got for now.
I used API test kits for years. No troubles.
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I prefer Elos and Red Sea. aPI has known issues with some false positives, however, many reefers seem to have consisten readings with Cacium and a couple of other tests. I won't use them. In the meantime, until u get your results verified, it would not hurt to come up with a plan for nitrates.
Large weekly water changes, vacuuming sump and overflows, and research carbon dosing such as vodka, bio-pellets, fuel, and so many more products...
Large weekly water changes, vacuuming sump and overflows, and research carbon dosing such as vodka, bio-pellets, fuel, and so many more products...
Personally, I like API for alkalinity. It doesn't get any easier. I used in in conjunction with another test and gained a good feel for the color change. I feel quite comfortable reading the results: probably to within a few tenths of actual.
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So what is a good way for cleaning the sump? I have the chambers, two only have equipment in them. Do they also need wiped down when the water is out?
What about the rock section? There is sand in the bottom of that section. Would it be completely removed? Or just vacuumed?
What about the rock section? There is sand in the bottom of that section. Would it be completely removed? Or just vacuumed?
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I tried to clean out the sump tonight. Now I understand why they recommend a shop vac. Besides a shop vac is it any other tips or tricks that I should be trying? I was unable to siphon all of the water out and vacuum the sand.
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I did install a powerhead underneath all of the rubble though. Hopefully that will help stop any stale water.
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Go to Lowe's or HD and buy a buckethead. It is a shop vac that you place on a 5 gallon bucket. They run around $20.
Definitely the way to go - super easy to use and you will have a spotless sump in no time.
Don't worry about people disagreeing with your test kit choice - everyone has their personal favorites. If you don't trust your results, have them verified at a fish store.
As for your Nitrates, that's usually the last thing to drop at the end of the cycle. It could be that you just aren't there yet. Lots of things can speed it up (macroalgae, purigen, water changes) but honestly, I didn't even see you say what your Nitrates were, just that they were "high".
Nitrates are a heck of a lot worse for coral than they are for fish. Unless you are getting a reading of 100, I wouldn't panic about it. A tip that can help you after you've cleaned out the detritus in your sump. Feed your fish more slowly. If you feed pellets, only drop them in one at a time until they get eaten by something and then continue. This will keep the fish from missing any food and having it spike your nitrates.
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What about the sand in the bottom? Should I just remove it? Send more trouble than it is worth....
My nitrates are at 80! According to the api test. Highest from the fish store was 60.
My nitrates are at 80! According to the api test. Highest from the fish store was 60.
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I wouldn't worry about a sand. The concern is to reduce pockets of collected decaying matter.
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Think the power head will eliminate that?
IMO, trying to keep a bunch of rock and sand inside a sump just makes things more difficult. It sounds like you have enough rock in the display for biological filtration. Sumps are meant to be a place for solids to settle, so that you can clean it out of the system easily. The skimmer is not going to get everything, and things will find a place to settle out. A clean sump, with only the essential equipment that is necessary, and easy to access and clean is what I have found to work best for myself. Adding a bunch of unnecessary equipment and junk just make things harder, and less desirable to do what needs to be done. If you cannot siphon the sump, then the aforementioned wetvac (or bucket vac) will do the job.
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So remove the sand. Add a baffle to get the water to flow better. And start cleaning the sump better.
That's my plan at this point.
That's my plan at this point.
Are you using any type of filter socks?
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Yes, a 4" in the first chamber of the sump that the over flow goes into. Why?
As long as you keep that changed you shouldn't really have a lot of detritus in the sump. If so i would think you need a finer mesh to filter out the gunk
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So just an update. I have removed all the sand, and changed about 30 gallons of water. But I was still reading around 80. I had the water tested at pure reef and they read it as between 10-20.....
So I bought a sera test kit at their recommendation. Hopefully that will be the end of this!
So I bought a sera test kit at their recommendation. Hopefully that will be the end of this!
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