de-nitrate

[boatswainmate]

OK my 29g oceanic bio cube is up and running and has been for a while but my nitrite and nitrate always seem to be kinda high i had a guy recommend DE-nitrate to help counter the prob.... has anybody ever used it? or should i order a bit and post my results ???????????


the only things in the tank are 2 onyx clowns 1 large maroon anemone and a lawnmower blenny not to mention the 50 or so mini brittle stars that live in the rock

 

[gotfish]

If you have nitrites, you have a problem with overfeeding or the tank hasn't finished cycling. You shouldn't have nitrites at all. As far as nitrates, start doing weekly water changes of 25% until it's under control. As far as the product, most of those are just a gimmick. Doing regular maintenance will keep everything in check.

When I had mine running, I did weekly water changes of 3 gallons and everything was fine for 10 months and that's when I took it down to move everything to a 75g.

 

[Darthv247]

get the bio balls out of there first of all they are probably creating the nitrite. Can replace them with live rock or take both shelves out and add a skimmer. its tough to go with a fuge or live rock back there though because its such a catchfall for detritus already. I siphon out the pump area and middle chamber as much as possible when doing water changes.

 

[boatswainmate]

noope no bio balls have lr in there no skimmer yet trying to find one that fits in there and will do a decent job of it.... i chaing 10g a week with ro/di water the tank was purchased used and had been up and running for about 6mo to a year.... oh yea even have some cheato in with the ruble

 

[Darthv247]

Im using the CPR SR3,fits perfectly in the center chamber, i also heard the nuocean bbqq is a nice skimmer. would take some mods to get it to hang off the back though as it doesnt fit in the chamber with the top on.

 

[boatswainmate]

but wouldent that take up the room for my lr ruble or replace the bale with the lr

 

[Darthv247]

yup. I have 30 lbs in the display area so i opted not to go for the rubble. lots of different ways to go about it though.

 

[boatswainmate]

i have about 25-30lb between the display and the sump could move the ruble to the display

 

[Darthv247]

yeah that would work could spread it out under some green star polyps or xenia and make frags easy.

 

[Darthv247]

oh can probably back down on the water changes a bit if you get a skimmer too. Im changing about 3 gallons a week. Tanks been up about 3 months now.

 

[gotfish]

If you do a weekly water change, you won't need the skimmer. I'd have to say you're just overfeeding by what you're describing.

 

[rainydave]

Try blowing off the lr rubble. You might have some detritus building up on it. It can be as bad as the bio-balls.

Also, check under the false floor in the 1st chamber. You can get quite a bit of junk accumulation there too.

 

[boatswainmate]

goin to do a 5 g water chaing here shortly ... the nitrates have droped substantuly when i got the tank it was over 100 and now just under 40 ... how the critters that came with it were alive i have no clue but they seem way happier now that its dropping slowly

 

[r. denny]

skimmer

sounds like you need to make more water changes and also invest in a good nano skimmer. i use a nc28 saphire skimmer from premium aquatics. thay are well worth the money. the best i have ever used in a nano tank. talk to them and tell them rod denny sent you and thay will treat you right. thay also have a nano carbon chamber to fit your tank. i would also recomend getting one. thanks for listening, rod denny

 

[luisse25]

i had an overstocked 24 gal before and no skimmer..a filterpad to collect waste and uneaten food..a weekly water change like 3-5 gallons..when i do water change i blow off the detritus in the rocks then siphon it out with a turkey baster,its like cleaning the sandbed...then i feed fish every other day..i had like 2 big clownfish,a fat yellow watchman goby and a fat cardinal..i feed very little to the fish and try to wait for them to consume food before i add more,though i feed a lot on my acans but its just 2-3 times a week...im guessing you are over feeding...
but if you do like feeding your tank a lot..then research for a nice skimmer...i cannot recommend any because i never had one...

 

[boatswainmate]

thanks for the advice guys I think im goin to invest in the skimmer and eventuly the carbon

 

[plack]

Some say a refegium growing calerpa or chateo will pull out more nutrients than a skimmer.

But you still will need the skimmer. But try the refegium also.


Paul

 

[DonW]

get the bio balls out of there first of all they are probably creating the nitrite. Can replace them with live rock or take both shelves out and add a skimmer. its tough to go with a fuge or live rock back there though because its such a catchfall for detritus already. I siphon out the pump area and middle chamber as much as possible when doing water changes.

Bio balls dont create nitrite they create nitrates after being cycled. The tank would have to be cycling to have measurable nitrites. LR will also create nitrate when it is give o2 just like the bioballs.

Either the tank is still cycling or the ammonia load is excessive. Remove the fish and let the tank cycle.

Don