WMAS Discussion Forum : How do I lower my nitrates http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:36:10 +0000 Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:40:15 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.03 360 www.utahreefs.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=57522 <![CDATA[WMAS Discussion Forum]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/1by1.gif http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : woot wootmy nitrates are at 10...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=478822&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#478822 Author: larseb
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 28 2012 at 11:40pm

woot woot Big smile my nitrates are at 10 ppm i check my water today we'll see what they do]]> Sat, 28 Jul 2012 23:40:15 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=478822&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#478822 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : The light for the 10 gal was a...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475796&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475796 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 09 2012 at 5:03pm

The light for the 10 gal was a 36W Actinic Blue-Pink PC that I had built into the original light strip just like yours. It cost about $40 for the parts and $20 for the PC tube.
The light for the 9 gal was the one that came with it. A 2x18W PC tube fixture, again with Blue-Pink tubes. These Blue-Pink tubes make colors pop, just like a combination of two T5 tubes, one Actinic Blue and one pink/Fiji Purple.

Since the coral look good, I wouldn't worry any more about N pollution. I rarely test for pollution because the coral are the best indicators of problems.
]]> Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:03:12 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475796&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475796 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : I use ro water so i thought that...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475739&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475739 Author: larseb
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 09 2012 at 11:59am

I use ro water so i thought that it would be fine
but i did a 50% water change a couple of days ago and dropped it to 20 i am hoping that i can keep lowering it with all the tips i have gotten.i will keep every one updated.
]]> Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:59:55 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475739&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475739 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : larseb wrote:My nitrates...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475734&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475734 Author: Jake Pehrson
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 09 2012 at 11:34am

Originally posted by larseb larseb wrote:

My nitrates are at 40 ppm and it seems like they wont come down I don't know what is causing them. I have been doing a 10% water change every week except the last couple that where like 20 and 35% and it still didn't drop at all. 

I only glanced through the above comments so I cannot comment on them.

My concern is in your first statement.

If you have 40 ppm and do a 35% water change your nitrates should immediately drop to 26 ppm, UNLESS the water you are using to do water changes has nitrate in it. 

You may want to try read through these posts:
utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32772
utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32512
utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=29956
]]> Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:34:35 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475734&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475734 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : what kind of lights did you use...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475420&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475420 Author: larseb
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 07 2012 at 10:34am

what kind of lights did you use on your nano Mark?]]> Sat, 07 Jul 2012 10:34:59 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475420&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475420 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : Well, still my guess is that the...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475253&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475253 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 05 2012 at 9:34pm

Well, still my guess is that the snails are starving. There is not enough algae. Not only can I tell from the pic, but I know for sure that one 15W NO(normal output) fluorescent light is just barely enough light to keep the coral alive.
FYI, Any fluorescent tube can be used. It doesn't matter much whether the tube was made for NO, HO or VHO. The light's power supply is what makes the light NO, HO or VHO.

A Nasarrius Snail would be the one that comes out of the sand at feeding time.

Evaporation may actually increase because four T5's will be a little warmer than one.
There is an autonatic top-off device I call a Glug Jug which could really help. I have a write up somewhere on how to make it....
]]> Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:34:21 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475253&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475253 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : The light i have been using is...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475189&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475189 Author: larseb
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 05 2012 at 3:34pm

The light i have been using is like a standard hood except it is just 1 t5 instead of  1 t8  and i have been waiting for my new lights to come for like two weeks then i will have 4 t5 on there.

The snails usually live for a couple of days to a couple of weeks I don't think it is starvation becuase i have had them in there with plenty of algae and they just die. Right now i have 1 cerith I haven seen it in a while but usually come out every couple of days so i am assuming it is still alive 1 stomatella 1 one the goes around under the sand but i can't remember what it is.

 one other question i have is about evaporation what should i do about that i already top it of 2 times a day will i need to do it any more will evaporation stay about the same?

]]> Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:34:26 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475189&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475189 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : Eww, that can happen if the...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475109&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475109 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 04 2012 at 8:52pm

Eww, that can happen if the LR died by being removed from water for a day or more, or by being in an LFS tank with poor circulation. That's what this helpful Tip in the WMAS Reefkeeing Tips tells about recovering dead LR:
Can I use the dry rock and sand that came with this aquarium? http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=41514

Actually, to put y'all at ease, 40 ppm Nitrates is not that bad and since we can see that the coral are okay, "No worries Mate". I believe it's going to be okay with the modifications suggested above.
Big smile


Edited by Mark Peterson - July 04 2012 at 8:54pm]]> Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:52:52 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475109&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475109 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : i setup a fishtank using discount...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475053&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475053 Author: napalm77
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 04 2012 at 1:29pm

i setup a fishtank using discount live rock from lfs and it was a mess i faced the same problem high nitrates i had a great skimmer and sump systm but i could never lower my nitrates. Come to find out it was the live rock causing the problem. ]]> Wed, 04 Jul 2012 13:29:07 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475053&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475053 <![CDATA[How do I lower my nitrates : Sorry, I just noticed that you...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475027&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475027 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 57522
Posted: July 04 2012 at 11:09am

Sorry, I just noticed that you had already answered my question about where the LR came from. The LFS is okay. It would have been a problem if it was re-used old dead LR, so we can rule out the LR as a cause for concern.

The brighter the light the better the Chaeto will grow. There is a threshold of minimum light below which algae does not grow and starts to die off. I'm concerned that this standard 10 gal light hood is near that threshold. Coral will be affected as well, so adding more light sooner rather than later should be a consideration.

Yes, I agree the tank needs the heater to keep it at least above 70. I consider 75-78 as the ideal temperature range.

Regarding algae being able to grow faster when it's illuminated on an RDP(Reverse Daylight Photosynthesis) schedule, I don't believe it would make much difference. Although I was probably the first person in Utah to use an RDP Refugium and I promote the technique, in recent years I have kept many healthy tanks without Refugiums. I believe the bottom to top water flow is the major advantage, helping pH to remain up at night.

Yes, another powerhead placed low pointing up would be very good. As you can see from the pic, that's how the 2003 10 gal tank was set up.

Oh, and regarding a Firefish, I'd wait until this current situation is resolved before adding another fish, especially a jumper which needs a top screen. I'd work on getting snails to survive. PO4 above about .03 ppm can be dangerous to snails and below .02 ppm is considered the desired level in a reef tank.  I question whether PO4 is too high in this young tank, but as Hydropheonix suggested, it ought to be checked.

I am wondering if the snails perish due to starvation? Are they dieing quickly after introduction or are they slowly dieing off? What is the number and type of snails currently in the tank?

Enjoy
Big smile


Edited by Mark Peterson - July 04 2012 at 11:13am]]> Wed, 04 Jul 2012 11:09:08 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=57522&PID=475027&title=how-do-i-lower-my-nitrates#475027