best natural way to keep nitrates down.

[Thartsockpg]

What is the best natural way to keep nitrates down?

 

[Flreefer]

Besides water changes or a protein skimmer ( not sure how natural those are), an Algae Turf Scrubber. It is a place set-up to grow algae, usually hanging above a sump. A few members here run them, and have had good results.

 

[Hondatek]

Agree with flreefer. I use an algae scrubber and it's the best thing I have done for my tank . That at regular pwc have my nitrates at 3 ppm.

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

Chaeto is the way to go but must keep light on it constantly. Does an amazing job at eating phos and nitrate down to reef levels

 

[Hondatek]

Chaeto is the way to go but must keep light on it constantly. Does an amazing job at eating phos and nitrate down to reef levels

If you don't want to build a scrubber yes cheato is good. Still a scrubber will out perform cheato in a big way.

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

If you don't want to build a scrubber yes cheato is good. Still a scrubber will out perform cheato in a big way.

You do have a point but I like the chaeto personally. There's a scrubber that works too well and that's the waterfall one I believe? Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Hondatek]

Yep the waterfall is the old tried and true scrubber method. Now there are upstream scrubbers but I chose to stick with the waterfall. With my porcupine trust me it is major that my nitrates are at 3 ppm . They have even stopped rising between water changes . Cheato has never come close to doing anything like that for me. I LOVE MY SCRUBBER lol.

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

I heard of the upstream but I heard they don't work as well as the waterfall but I guess between scrubbers and algae it depends on the bioload.

 

[Thartsockpg]

Can I build my own scrubber.

 

[Hondatek]

Can I build my own scrubber.

Sure you can . It's not too hard. Read the algae scrubber basics thread in the DIY section . That will get you started.

 

[crister13]

I'm probably going to be building one this weekend. I'm so pumped lol.

 

[Thartsockpg]

Be sure to post pics here!!

 

[Saratj1]

Put about 20 tridacna clams in your tank, they should put a dent in your nitrates and look better than a algae scrubber lol.

 

[Thartsockpg]

Put about 20 tridacna clams in your tank, they should put a dent in your nitrates and look better than a algae scrubber lol.

Nice! But no can do. I don't have led or MH

 

[crister13]

A little expensive too for tridacnas! Lol. My scrubber is already running. I have a little growth already. I'll try to post pics later. It's a little small because it's all that could fit but should do.

 

[Madcrazyroyboy]

Post a pic of your scrubber

 

[Hondatek]

Yea crister I would like to see what you came up with. Here is mine again

 

[crister13]

Here it is! It had been up for a couple hours and already has some growth.

 

[Hondatek]

Is that screen very rough??? It doesn't look like it. And the lights how you have it isn't going to do any good

 

[crister13]

I roughed it up until the screen almost started to rip with a hole saw. The lights are brighter than in the pic. They're shining right on it.