Nitrate reactor

[Ferny27]

Is it really worth getting a nitrate reactor? I hate testing my water everyday to make sure my nitrates are perfect.

 

[AquaRick]

Nitrate reactor? And why would you need to test daily? Are your readings changing much from day to day?

 

[Ferny27]

The thing is I have 22 fish in a 150 gal, and I was feeding everyday . My nitrate went up so I had to vodka dose for two days to get in back to 0 . I'm a little worries because I don't want my nitrates to go up again because I did loose some coral. I read the the reactors work great but they are expensive .

 

[Bige]

Why not try bio pellets?

 

[AquaRick]

I think you may be misinformed. There is no such thing as a nitrate reactor to my knowledge. Perhaps you're thinking of a bio pellet reactor (which reduces nitrates and phosphates).

Either way it seems you are overstocked. I would consider rehoming a few fish and/or upgrade or add to your filtration systems.

 

[Dav3]

I think you may be misinformed. There is no such thing as a nitrate reactor to my knowledge. Perhaps you're thinking of a bio pellet reactor (which reduces nitrates and phosphates).

Either way it seems you are overstocked. I would consider rehoming a few fish and/or upgrade or add to your filtration systems.

Look up coil denitrator. It's sort of a reactor. But I would go with a pellet reactor instead.

 

[Ferny27]

I have one for phosphate ( three little fishies 150) can I use another one of the same one for nitrate ?

 

[bshenanagins]

Sure there's such thing as a nitrate reactor. I made a thread on a DIY one check my threads. It's super cheap to make

 

[Grizz]

I have one for phosphate ( three little fishies 150) can I use another one of the same one for nitrate ?

Yes, you'll need bio pellets though and a good skimmer Also a larger weekly water change will go a long way in reducing those trates.

 

[bshenanagins]

Yes, you'll need bio pellets though and a good skimmer Also a larger weekly water change will go a long way in reducing those trates.

Actually I use seachems denitrate, which is enclosed in a small canister and pumped in and out of my aquarium with a small powerhead that doesn't exceed 50gph.

 

[T1KARMANN]

I think you may be misinformed. There is no such thing as a nitrate reactor to my knowledge. Perhaps you're thinking of a bio pellet reactor (which reduces nitrates and phosphates).

Either way it seems you are overstocked. I would consider rehoming a few fish and/or upgrade or add to your filtration systems.

Yes you can get nitrate reactors but they don't work as well on FW as they do on sw

The same as a skimmer they don't work great on FW but are great on sw

I have used every kind of nitrate reactor about from the aquamedic nr1000 to the shuran sulpha beads to dosing pumps with vodka

The only sure way to get rid of nitrate if with water changes 25% twice per week is better than one big 50% once per week

One thing I have found is people panic way to much about nitrates fish can handle much more than we think
I keep and bred my rays in a constant 80-125ppm with no bad effects people will say its not good long term but what do we class as long term my rays are near 8 years old now

 

[Ferny27]

What does fw and sw mean , sorry. And my nitrate gets up to 40 an I freak out. My fish are fine but doesn't tht affect my coral.

 

[T1KARMANN]

What does fw and sw mean , sorry. And my nitrate gets up to 40 an I freak out. My fish are fine but doesn't tht affect my coral.

Fresh water = fw
Salt water = sw

40ppm is nothing some people have more than that in the tap water

 

[Ferny27]

Ok thanks

 

[Dav3]

40 ppm is too high.

 

[Ferny27]

So it's not that bad or really bad? Now I'm confused

 

[Dav3]

Well it really depends on your corals. If you have soft corals its not that bad. But still high.

 

[Ferny27]

I'm getting a nitrate reactor that's it

 

[bshenanagins]

I'm getting a nitrate reactor that's it

Lol did you look at my thread? It's easy to make

 

[T1KARMANN]

40 ppm is too high.

For FW its no problem for sw it maybe an issue

Nitrate reactors work better on sw but they take ages to cycle and if you don't get the flow right your house will smell of eggs

They don't turn over a lot of water so no good for a large tank as they only drip about 60 drops per min for the larger units

You will also need to push the drops from the nitrate reactor throw a calcium reactor before it goes back to the main tank as the water that comes out of the nitrate reactor has a very low ph