I found this by luck. I had a tank with Nitrates (FOWLR). I have hungry fish. And of course I had nitrates as a result.
I have few fish but I learned that when my water level is high there is little room for air at the top between the glass and water line reducing the O2 (oxygen) in the water (was my guess). Now this can't be good but the fish don't seem to mind. I keep the light on for 12 hours a day and algae grows so that might be making O2. The tank is almost completely sealed with the exception that the filters hang off the back and are exposed to some air. No bubblers, no protien skimmer. I have gone almost 2 years now with no NO3 (nitrate) unless my water level drops and I get lots of splashing water and fresh air at the top which them my nitrates start showing up. Then I fill it back up to the rim and seal it off and NO3 drops to 0 again.
At least 25% of the tank is all Tuffa rock.
I read how bacteria deep in side if live rock starves for O2 and when no oxygen is available it will take the O2 (oxygen) from NO3 (nitrate) turning it to NO (nitrogen).
My other guess is that low O2 might be stoping the breakdown of waste in to ammonia and it might not have anything to do with NO3 reduction. Live rock reduces a small amount of NO3 normally. Maybe I am slowing down the Ammonia build up or both. The crabs eat the algae so that gets recycled back in to the water as fish/crab waste.
I don't claim to be an aquarium expert at all, just sharing what I think is happening. Please comment your thoughts. Thank you.
I have few fish but I learned that when my water level is high there is little room for air at the top between the glass and water line reducing the O2 (oxygen) in the water (was my guess). Now this can't be good but the fish don't seem to mind. I keep the light on for 12 hours a day and algae grows so that might be making O2. The tank is almost completely sealed with the exception that the filters hang off the back and are exposed to some air. No bubblers, no protien skimmer. I have gone almost 2 years now with no NO3 (nitrate) unless my water level drops and I get lots of splashing water and fresh air at the top which them my nitrates start showing up. Then I fill it back up to the rim and seal it off and NO3 drops to 0 again.
At least 25% of the tank is all Tuffa rock.
I read how bacteria deep in side if live rock starves for O2 and when no oxygen is available it will take the O2 (oxygen) from NO3 (nitrate) turning it to NO (nitrogen).
My other guess is that low O2 might be stoping the breakdown of waste in to ammonia and it might not have anything to do with NO3 reduction. Live rock reduces a small amount of NO3 normally. Maybe I am slowing down the Ammonia build up or both. The crabs eat the algae so that gets recycled back in to the water as fish/crab waste.
I don't claim to be an aquarium expert at all, just sharing what I think is happening. Please comment your thoughts. Thank you.