Help with Nitrates

[gplundberg]

So just an RO unit will work

 

[dmolavi]

An RO unit will not cure your high nitrate problem, but it will eliminate the nitrates introduced from your water.

You need to check your feeding schedule and amounts (and what you feed), your water change schedule (maybe it's not enough being pulled out, or often enough or both), and anything else that finds it's way into the tank..

 

[Sniperhank]

The ro only takes out large particles in the water. The di part removes everything else. You want ro/di to get the 0 tds to ensure pristine water going in.

 

[gplundberg]

An RO unit will not cure your high nitrate problem, but it will eliminate the nitrates introduced from your water.

You need to check your feeding schedule and amounts (and what you feed), your water change schedule (maybe it's not enough being pulled out, or often enough or both), and anything else that finds it's way into the tank..

I feed about 1/4 of a block or less of a frozen block of food a night and I do a 5 gallon or more water change a week

 

[dmolavi]

do you have live rock/sand in the tank? 5 gallons for a 36 gallon tank really isn't all that much. I do 5 a week on my 20 (which only has 15 in it due to the displacement of rock and sand).

I would switch to 3x week feeding (I do Monday, Wednesday and Friday), too. More food == more poop == higher nitrates.

 

[gplundberg]

do you have live rock/sand in the tank? 5 gallons for a 36 gallon tank really isn't all that much. I do 5 a week on my 20 (which only has 15 in it due to the displacement of rock and sand).

I would switch to 3x week feeding (I do Monday, Wednesday and Friday), too. More food == more poop == higher nitrates.

I have 40 lbs of live sand and 19 lbs of live rock

 

[lstimpy]

I was vodka/vinegar dosing for 3 weeks then switched to Red Sea NoPoX which has worked beautifully. No bacterial blooms and yeay no nitrate.

 

[gplundberg]

I was vodka/vinegar dosing for 3 weeks then switched to Red Sea NoPoX which has worked beautifully. No bacterial blooms and yeay no nitrate.

How much vodka use for a 36 gallon tank?

 

[lstimpy]

Here's an article with chart:
Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
It worked well, but it think the nopox with reef energy is better, so far. My tank looks amazing.

 

[huma-huma]

you have to have patience when carbon dosing. its not going to take hold overnight. itll take every bit of 3-4 weeks before you start seeing the results of it.

 

[lstimpy]

Yes, slow and steady. I didn't have crazy nitrate to begin with, >30 but ok for fish. After 2 weeks vodka dosing, doubling dose per week, got it to >10 (never had measurable phosphate). After week 3 had it >5. Decided to go with nopox because I thought it'd have different carbon sources for all the bacteria, plus the dosing is simpler. After one week had no nitrate, had to cut the dose from 4 ml to 2 ml (65 gal + sump.) I do like the Reef Energy in my tank, I think it's good vitamins for corals in a low nutrient system. Plus I target feed, use filter socks and chemipure in the sump.