Nitrates wont lower.

[Sniperhank]

Coral have a small impact on a system. The nitrates are either from any remaining tap water, doubtful at this point, or over feeding/food buildup around rocks I would think.

Is there a sump on this system? I'm no fan of dosing tanks but there are great results of lowered nitrates from algae turf scrubbers. I'm currently planning adding one to my setup.

 

[Budda619]

Coral have a small impact on a system. The nitrates are either from any remaining tap water, doubtful at this point, or over feeding/food buildup around rocks I would think.

Is there a sump on this system? I'm no fan of dosing tanks but there are great results of lowered nitrates from algae turf scrubbers. I'm currently planning adding one to my setup.

My 30 gallon nano has a built in sump and trickle filter in the back. The skimmer and heater sits in the sump where the over flow is. So growing chaeto might be out the question??

I cut feeding time from once a day down to once every two days. If they dont eat i throw the rest of the mysis shrimp away. Not even a 1/4 of the cube goes in the tank.

 

[Budda619]

I also have about 12 hermits and a cleaner shrimp. 11 nassarius snails. They eat all the left overs the fish dont eat. Which is not that much. I turn off my powerhead so the food stays in the front. All my corals are photosynthetic. I feed my anemone once a week.

 

[mr_X]

It doesn't matter if everything is eaten. It didn't leave the tank, it's just changed into snail crap. Whatever you put in the tank must be removed by you, with water changes, mechanical filtration...whatever method(s) you have available.

 

[Sniperhank]

It doesn't matter if everything is eaten. It didn't leave the tank, it's just changed into snail crap. Whatever you put in the tank must be removed by you, with water changes, mechanical filtration...whatever method(s) you have available.

This is why I think an algae turf scrubber would be perfect for this system.

 

[Grizz]

Again test your water before mixing My RO/DI system needed to be flushed before i got a zero reading I tossed the first 75 gallons of "Filtered water"

 

[Kristy3693]

You said you have a trickle filter, bio balls? My 35 gallon came with them. I took them out after a few months, you wouldn't believe the crud trapped in there. It was nasty! My trates are lower now, and my algae is under control.

 

[Budda619]

I never used the bio balls i took them out. I just got standard floss, activated carbon, and standard cotton filter. I swapped out the carbon less than a week ago and rinsed the filter media.

 

[Budda619]

Atm i get my rodi from my fish guy, he services tanks for business. He tests all his water so i know it aint the water because i have also tested it. What is this algae turf? Never heard of it

 

[jeffaquarius]

Atm i get my rodi from my fish guy, he services tanks for business. He tests all his water so i know it aint the water because i have also tested it. What is this algae turf? Never heard of it

An Algae Turf Scrubber is a good info by Sniperhank. I am considering to put one at my sump after reading this article.

Algae Turf Scrubbers – How To Remove Algae

 

[Gregcoyote]

What I've used for 20 years.

 

[Rpbustillo]

What I've used for 20 years.

Can you post a link to yours?

 

[Budda619]

My sump is built in to the back of my 30 gallon nano. How would i be able to utilize an algae scrubber if i have no way for it to do a vertical waterfall. I do have an spare empty compartment in my trickle filter. Could i use that to grow algae or maybe chaeto?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Can you post a link to yours?

Mine is covered in my Dynamic Aquarium thread. It is a horizontal dump bucket style that is lit with hydroponic LEDs. The link just posted is a good start, but I disagree with a few of his points. But a algae scrubber is an excellent way of reducing organics over the long term. They are very stable and easy to work with. They take up some room, so if you have a tight fit for your filtration equipment, might not be practical.

 

[Gregcoyote]

My sump is built in to the back of my 30 gallon nano. How would i be able to utilize an algae scrubber if i have no way for it to do a vertical waterfall. I do have an spare empty compartment in my trickle filter. Could i use that to grow algae or maybe chaeto?

Yes. A chaeto ball is easy to keep corralled with some string or plastic ties. Harvest the edges of the ball as it grows and keep an inexpensive light on it.

 

[Budda619]

Yes. A chaeto ball is easy to keep corralled with some string or plastic ties. Harvest the edges of the ball as it grows and keep an inexpensive light on it.

My extra compartment in my trickle filter measures 16" long and 4" high. If i were to go with chaeto ball method? Would that even cause a impact on my system? taken the limited space in the extra compartment? Or do i need alot of chaeto?

 

[Gregcoyote]

My extra compartment in my trickle filter measures 16" long and 4" high. If i were to go with chaeto ball method? Would that even cause a impact on my system? taken the limited space in the extra compartment? Or do i need alot of chaeto?

Any chaeto, or any other algae that you can harvest removes organics directly from the water. Even a small ball can export a lot of nitrates.

 

[Budda619]

Awesome. Thank you everyone!! Ill try the chaeto first, than the algae scrub if that dosent work and the carbon dosing if nothing else works. Excellent advice indeed!

 

[bavass]

Its possible the rock is leaching the nitrates out from using tap water. Could take awhile before the nitrates finish leaching out the rock. What filtration are you using?

 

[Budda619]

Its possible the rock is leaching the nitrates out from using tap water. Could take awhile before the nitrates finish leaching out the rock. What filtration are you using?

I have 30lbs of LR and 25lbs of LR. And a wet dry Trickle filter