Reducing or eliminating Nitrates by removing biological filtration?

[aries]

It was suggested that if I remove my prefilter from my fluvial canister that the biological process would stop thereby the nitrates would not be created. Right now, my aquarium is running smoothly, and only my nitrates are starting to rise. If I remove the prefiliter, I only will have the carbon, the crushed coral and live rock for filtration.

Your thoughts?

 

[Scooterman]

I use LR for my main filtration, skimmer & or filter socks but have to replace the socks often. You don't need the canister if you have enough LR & skimmer to filter your water. You do need to vacuum your CC base also it get detritus out of it asap, otherwise you will deal with nitrates. The canister is fine If you clean it every few days or just run carbon & maybe phosphate remover in it as I use mine like that, just make sure to keep it cleaned.

 

[aries]

Appreciate it.

 

[returnofsid]

How long has your tank been established? How large is your tank and how much live rock do you have? Typically, you'll get more than adequate filtration with plenty of live rock (1 - 1 1/2 lbs per gallon), good skimming and good flow (10X-20X turnover). Canister filters make a great place to put carbon and are great for additional flow. However, any synthetic or other filter medias will tend to become nitrate factories. As was mentioned above, Crushed Coral tends to accumulate detritus and also becomes a nitrate factory over time. You will need to stir it up and vacuum it on a regular basis. My first tank had a Crushed Coral substrate. I was much happier after switching it to an aragonite based sand instead!!

 

[RockyHeap]

Other than a bolder catcher for cleaner clearer water, why would you run a filter sock to strip the water of particulates with filter feeding corals in the tank? Many many corals are not soley photosynthetic, and they extend feeding polyps at night to gather the detritus and suspended food that you're filtering out!

 

[OldFishMan]

Hello;

Many people use no filters at all --- like was mentioned above they rely on their live rock.

If any biological filter with aerobic bacteria is working it is producing Nitrate --- including live rock. Live rock is said to reduce Nitrate by some anaerobic bacteria that live in the holes and small places in and on the rock. I think this is true, also deep sand beds do the same thing.

If detris builds up somewhere like the pre-filter and has time to break down Nitrate will be created. However, if not mentioned before bacteria builds up everywhere and your filter will still create Nitrate as the bacteria will multiply to contend with the waste. Also, without a prefilter your crushed rock (in the filter I assume) and the Carbon will have to contend with the added waste not screened by your absent pre-filter. The Coral and Carbon will become dirtier and the small openings or holes that make them a great filter will become plugged in places making them less effective.

Everyone deals with these issues differently as you can see from the previous posts. I use a UGF (Nitrate factory) on the left side of my reef and grow Algae with my Nitrate. My tank has a lot of snails and I do not mind a little hair Algae. I also use a Fluval 404 filter with the first basket full of filter material medium, then polyester fill, then ceramic rings, and finally Carbon. I change my filter floss weekly or bi-weekly as needed. On the right side of my tank I use a deep sand bed.

IMHO -- I can try to eliminate Nitrate (pain) or grow something that uses it --- I chose the later.

Can someone else help out with there creative filtering schemes ?

Enjoy!

OFM

 

[quibrzif]

As a former Fluval user on the mixed reef tank, that had frozen food almost all the day (Mandarin Diner), I had to clean mechanical filtration (foam pad) every 3rd day, to remove all what was accumulated there.

Now no more canister filter, but added 50 Lb Reef Rocks (dried ex-LR, CaribSea). Much better. Even some denitrification takes place: nitrates are lower, then were before.

In other, skimmerless tank, I have ceramic biomedia after mechanical prefiltration (less than 50 micron sock). No detritus accumulation on the media to decompose, and the sock is changed daily (easy access). Sill, problem with dissolved organics.

Removing prefilter allows the floating particles set on carbon, phosphate remover and ceramic biomedia.

Removing all biomedia - foam and ceramics (or bioballs) - without adding LR or any other substrate for nitrifying bacteria to colonize, may lead to raising ammonia.

I prefer nitrates, and, furthermore, LR helps with it.

 

[mark peacock]

Hi on reading this i have a fluval fx5 which is very good at cleaning the water etc, if i was to take out the foam media out and just leave in the carbon and phosphate remover in there and carry on with the weekly water changes i have got i think around 100kg of LR in a 120 gallon tank plususe a V2 1000 skimmer would i see a big difference, i have notice over the last 6 months or so that certain corals are not showing any growth but where before i got the fx5 they are not dying just not growing do you think that the filter is doing to much of the cleaning of the water. mark.

 

[OldFishMan]

Hello;

IMHO -- I think there is a balance between biological and and straight mechanical filtering that should be maintained. Tank loads and filter feeders, live rock etc,. are all a part of this cycle. I am sure any known means of filtering will do if it is sufficient to handle the load of the tank.

Mark Peacock -- on your question --- I turn off all filters including skimmer when I feed my food mix. I let it feed for 30-minutes before turning on my filters and once a week I feed at night after the lights go out for some of my Gorgonians. I believe the filter is necessary in my tank and it keeps a lot of matter from landing on my live rock etc,. My Fluval and skimmer remove waste quickly after feeding and keep the tank cleaner. If you have a high load of filter feeders and feed small particles and juices as I do --- the tank may be able to use all you put in and stay clean.

Maybe, you are removing food before your Coral can properly feed. If all else is the same from before and after installing your filter.

I also, feel that all water should be filtered, before being blown around the tank (many talk about their dirty live rock) and filtering can help keep it clean along with good flow and an occasional blow off with a turkey baster.

I feel Carbon is part of the insurance policy to remove toxins, heavy metals, and DOC's from an Aquarium. There is nothing like a large basket for this to keep water crystal clear .

I have found over the years that a filter will only create Nitrate if there is something to convert. I have added extra filters and different types to my tanks to see what exactly happens on fresh and saltwater. There has been very little change in Nitrate with good filter maintenance. I have found a UGF filter to be the best at freshwater and very easy to clean. I also, use a mechanical filter for Carbon and mechanical filtering.

I use a UGF on my reef 1/3 on the left side and use my Fluval for filtering the water and as a Carbon filter --- it is also a biological filter as I keep one basket of good open pore ceramic media ( pieces of live rock works well ) that creates and removes some Nitrate. I clean all but the ceramic media under tap water as I do not care if I lose the extra biological filtration, my UGF is more than I need for my tank load. On the right side of my tank I have a deep sand bed. I feel all are benifical.

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"Any two variables which do not commute cannot be measured simultaneously — the more

precisely one is known, the less precisely the other can be known."

Heisenberg - "Copenhagen interpretation" of quantum mechanics.

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Enjoy!

OFM

 

[mark peacock]

Cheers OFM thanks for your reply will try and see if i get any change.
mark.