nitrate question....

[Jakepen]

I understand that in fresh water, nitrites are turned into trates, and the only way to get rid of them is a water change. But I've read you can actually keep trates from appearing at all in sw. How exactly is this done?

 

[Tkey3425]

you can minimize them but there is no way to prevent them unless you can stop your fish from having to eat and poop. Feeding the proper amount and proper maintenance keeps nitrates low and ammonia nor nitrite should ever be detectable in an established SW aquarium.

 

[Ingy]

Nitrates are what feed plant growth in FW tanks, and Algae in Sw tanks. Having a sump with a macro algae can keep your nitrates at 0. Using resins in an inexpensive reactor or HOB filter is another way to absorb and eliminate nitrates.

BTW my nitrates and phosphates are both at 0 !

 

[Jakepen]

Nitrates are what feed plant growth in FW tanks, and Algae in Sw tanks. Having a sump with a macro algae can keep your nitrates at 0. Using resins in an inexpensive reactor or HOB filter is another way to absorb and eliminate nitrates.

BTW my nitrates and phosphates are both at 0 !

Ha that must be a good feeling. What exactly is resin?

 

[Ingy]

There are a number of reactor additives; De-nitrate, Nitrazorb, nitrate reducer, purigen, as well as other non-resins such as GFO that create a place for anaerobic bacteria to consume nitrate (and produce nitrogen gas).

Resins use a chemical bonding process whereby a resin will bond to the nitrogen atom in all forms of nitrogenous waster (amm, nitire and nitrate).

If your nitrates are elevated, I would also suggest Nitrate destroyer, a bacterial additive that eats nitrate and then dies, being consumed by corals, pods and skimmer out in a skimmer. Once your nitrate levels fall you can discontinue using it.

 

[Tkey3425]

I didn't say nitrate levels at 0 are impossible and mine stay there as well but there is no way to stop the nitrates from entering the system. You can keep them at zero (or undetectable) by properly cleaning your filters, proper WC amounts and intervals, correct levels of flow and feeding the correct amount of food.