Jump to content

cant keep NO3 level down. pls help


petchong
 Share

Recommended Posts

Tank : 4ft x 2.5ft x 2.5ft

Sump : 3 ft x 1.5ft x1.5 ft ( 4 compartment) 3 com with coral chips

4in sand bed

25 kg live rock

over flow with bi-ball

de-nitrator

skimmer

Fish : 2 2.5in regal tangs , 1 2in purple tang , 1 2.5 in bi-color angel , 1 2 in flame angel , 1 2in lemeon peel angel , 1 2 in coral beauty , 1 2in clark crown , 1 2in cleaner wrasse , 1 2in royal dottyback , 2 cleaner shrimp , 1 boxing shrimp.

Coral : around 15 pcs of hard coral ( not very sure of their name)

water change is kept at 15percent every 2 weeks. NO3 level is around 25. how can I lower the No3?

BTW is it true that UV light should not be used? :thanks:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) You can try removing the coral chips/bioballs

2) Add more cured live rocks

3) Tune your existing denitrator properly

4) Tune your skimmer properly / Get a better skimmer

5) Lower your number of fishes / Feed them less often

6) Change water once a week instead of twice a week

7) Change a larger percentage of water instead of your 15% each time

8) Ensure the water for your salt mixing does not have significant nitrates.

You can use DI/RO to absorb nitrates from your water source.

UV light does not significantly increase NO3.

U can try a combination of the above to tackle your NO3 problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SRC Member

First and foremost, you must get rid of your bio balls and corals chips. These are major nitrate factories as they are very efficient in the ANN cycle. This is due to the fact that they have large surface area for bacteria to colonise hence they convert Ammonia to Nitrite to Nitrate very fast.

Then follow what roidan has posted, you should be ok. ;) Also if possible, increase the flow in your tank to prevent dead spot as they collect detritus which will also eventually contribute to your nitrate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SRC Member
I am wondering if u were to take out entirely the bio balls and coral chips, wouldnt then ammonium be high though nitrate could be low? and isnt it that ammonium is more "toxic" ??

That's where proficient Protein Skimming comes into play..... :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the long run, if I have considerably large ammount of live rocks in the tank itself and a relatively large deep sandbed, there should be enough surfaces for aerobic bacteria to grow and thus do not need the bio balls and coral chips rite?

By the way would a macro as300 be considered as sufficient for a 4ft tank?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm...lower your fish load. That would certainly help. But then again don't be overly worried. 25 ppm of nitrates won't really kill anything. Levels toxic to fishes are way above 100 ppm. Most corals even sps can withstand 25 ppm of nitrates rather well without much side effects. Just try not to let levels climb over this level for more sensitive corals. The only things I could think of that 25 ppm of nitrates would have effect on would be fish larvae and maybe bivalve/crustacean larvae which are far more sensitive than most aquarium livestock. But then again it does'nt hurt to lower your nitrate levels if you are overly cautious like most reefers. Just bear in mind that there has'nt been much literature or proof of nitrate toxicity in such low amounts.

In all cases, just make sure your test kit is working. If not your worries might have been for naught.

Always something more important than fish.

http://reefbuilders.com/2012/03/08/sps-pico-reef/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SRC Member

Well said, couldn't agree more with you, FuEl.

25 ppm would will brown SPS corals...

Hv your media cleaned regularly(monthly), it works well to reduce your ammonium... then I would reduce feeding. Think of it this way. If you reduce your ammonium, your nitrite would be lower, your NO3 would be lower... otherwise, so long as the source is there, changing your media won't help for long. Try for 1 feeding every two days, you fish won't die of starvation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • SRC Member

If you have a refugium or spare compartment, culture macroalgae.

Or if nothing in your main tank interested in greenery for food, grow some inside there.

Grow more light-loving organism (coral) may help too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share



×
×
  • Create New...