Best Nitrate removal method

[Blujaw]

After many months and different methods still having issues with high nitrates, still doing large water changes have tried reefresh blocks (expensive and done diddly squat) tried the zeo stuff (same) I know a lot of people have had great success with vodka dosing, just seen a product called nitrate zero 2 on flea bay which seems too good too be true but am at the point of trying anything? anyhelp is very very welcome

[Tangman]

Hi the best way i have found is water changes, the only trouble being is that nutrients will hold in the rocks and be released when you start to take it out of the water columm ie with water changes, so it might take a while but it will get rid of them eventualy. HTH Twiggy:D:D

[Gaters]

After many months and different methods still having issues with high nitrates, still doing large water changes have tried reefresh blocks (expensive and done diddly squat) tried the zeo stuff (same) I know a lot of people have had great success with vodka dosing, just seen a product called nitrate zero 2 on flea bay which seems too good too be true but am at the point of trying anything? anyhelp is very very welcome

How high are your nitrates? I'd ask the seller on the bay what it contains? He could be selling vodka with sugar in it.;););)

[mazza]

my korallin denitrator was very good but then again so was the plenum system i used to have in the sump.

[Blujaw]

How high are your nitrates? I'd ask the seller on the bay what it contains? He could be selling vodka with sugar in it.;););)

Nitrates are Massive:jawdrop:100 on my Salifert test kit, got another 30 gallons water change on the go every other perameter is spot on, all fish and corals have been fine.

[piglet]

How big is your tank ? you do have a lot of fish so IIRC that comes with a high bio load ???


Piglet

[Blujaw]

How big is your tank ? you do have a lot of fish so IIRC that comes with a high bio load ???


Piglet
Main Tanks is 5ft x 2ft wide x 3ft Depth and then the sump and 30 gallon change tank got 12 fish largest being the purple and smallest being the clowns

[In_The_Deep_End]

I'd point my finger at the Triggerfish, I used to have a HumuHumu trigger that was at best described as the dirtiest fish i've ever seen food wise, he used to move my rocks on purpose just to stick food there so the other fish couldnt get it, then of course it would rot and send my parameters off the limit, eventually, I gave him to the in-laws and my tank has been perfect since, plus I dont end up with a lump out of my hand every time I had to go in and service it lol he was very agressive, beyone animal control standards :eek:

[piglet]

Main Tanks is 5ft x 2ft wide x 3ft Depth and then the sump and 30 gallon change tank got 12 fish largest being the purple and smallest being the clowns

Crikey 3ft deep you must have arms like an orangutan (sp?) :D

Someone will correct me if I am wrong but I think tanks that are more fish orientated are prone to high nitrates

I have heard really good things about Vodka dosing might be worth a try

I wouldn't trust remedies off the internet unless it states what is in there plus it is probably cheaper to get a cheap bottle of Voddy and try that first then just keep up to regular water changes

Piglet

[Blujaw]

sorry got that wrong its 30 inches deep, yep think its gonna have to be the vodka dosing cant think of what else to do. have asked the seller whats in the stuff he is selling. i try to keep everything as natural as i can and keep additives down

[Gaters]

What skimmer are you using? If you are going to dose vodka have a good read and start slightly under dose-if you get it wrong it will be VERY wrong. Also be prepared for the long term use of vodka as it's not a quick fix-in fact it could be months+ before you see any effect. Hth:D

[Blujaw]

What skimmer are you using? If you are going to dose vodka have a good read and start slightly under dose-if you get it wrong it will be VERY wrong. Also be prepared for the long term use of vodka as it's not a quick fix-in fact it could be months+ before you see any effect. Hth:D

Deltec ap701 skimmer as soon as my salt arrices gonna do a massive water change normally do 20 - 30 gallons so will have to look at doing a 50 gallon change and then test again, have just tested my ro water and its fine 0 readin (pure white)

[angel1]

even a massive 50% water change will only reduce your nitrates by 50%, then further 50% water changes will still only half the nitrate readings each time, so you will need a lot of water changes, find out why your levels are so high, possibly your kits out of date ?? giving you a false reading

Lilyann :p

[Gaters]

Deltec ap701 skimmer as soon as my salt arrices gonna do a massive water change normally do 20 - 30 gallons so will have to look at doing a 50 gallon change and then test again, have just tested my ro water and its fine 0 readin (pure white)

As has been said with the fish you have your nitrates will always be fairly high-messy eaters. If it were me i would watch how much i fed and see if i could reduce the amounts at all. Keep up with weekly 15% water changes religiously and have a very very good read around vodka dosing before jumping in. You can get a cheap bottle of vodka for less than a tenner and it will last ages-unless you drink it;);) Another thing to try is to use a power head and blow all the detritus from your live rock prior to doing a water change-then suck as much of the 'crap' out as you can when changing water. Have you tested the tds of your r.o.? That should be 0 also. Hth

[Hornrob]

i read somewhere about people doing water changes using their skimmer, they just ran the skimmer really wet and attached a drain to the skimmer cup so it filled up a water container. Their theory was that surely this way you are changing water that contains a higher percentage of organic crap in! this might help you combat the nitrates. (never tried it myself though so wait to see what the gurus of this forum say). Rob.

[Gaters]

i read somewhere about people doing water changes using their skimmer, they just ran the skimmer really wet and attached a drain to the skimmer cup so it filled up a water container. Their theory was that surely this way you are changing water that contains a higher percentage of organic crap in! this might help you combat the nitrates. (never tried it myself though so wait to see what the gurus of this forum say). Rob.

Imo if you get your skimmer working well and pulling out loads of 'good' skimmate then it's best left as is. If you 'mess' around with it like this it could lead to more problems with your skimmer. Also, I would have thought it will take a while to take out 50 gallons through the skimmer-it might be a good idea on a smaller tank-but i've never tried it:D:D:D:D

[Mr Tang]

Lots to say about this. PM sent :confused:

[TheCoralGardenLtd]

Nothing to say thats not allready been said, first thing I would do is get a sample tested ACCURATELY electronically to make sure it really is a s high as you think. (you can send a small bottle of tank water, (test tube size, in a jiffy bad to me if you like) Then if it is that high, water change 50% a WEEK untill down to an acceptable level, then find out how much you need to change weekly to keep it there!
I have a second hand, (ex shop use) Deltec nitrate filters for sale, but need a peri pump to use them, and sit in a sump, certainly work however you also need to feed them hence the peri pump, and food.

[Blujaw]

Many thanks for everyones help and advice, :bowdown:had a great chat on phone with Mr Tang am pretty much convinced i need to go down the reactor route so once again thanks as always everyone on here is so helpful :jump:prob wont be everyones choice but thats what makes this hobby so great theres plenty of ways to sort things out:clap: