Aquarium cycling question (1 Viewer)

[HolyBanana]

ok, Its been a while since I've had to make a tank to cycle.
I know the first phase is the NH3 (ammonia) and it will spike and go down to create nitrites NO2(this is whats harmful to corals right?) then in turn will spike to go down to produce nitrates NO3.
Here is my question I know that Ammonia and nitrites suppose to go down to zero, what about the nitrates?
Does it suppose to be always high?
Im confused about this. Can someone please explain?
Thanks alot
Jaime

 

[AggieBrandon]

If I know what I'm talking about then if you have macroalgae that will help take care of the nitrates but if you don't then water changes will lower them. Eventually if you use a deepsand bed or any sandbed for that matter and nice live rock (which you have tons of) you will have a bacteria culture that will help reduce the nitrates to a gaseous state that will bubble out of your water into the atmosphere above. Hope that helps a bit.

Brandon

 

[Guest]

Unless you have a filter designed for it, there is not enough denitrifying bacteria in your tank to lower the nitrates significantly. The best way to remove nitrates is water changes.

 

[AggieBrandon]

yeah you could build a coil denitrator pretty easy but I was never convinced that they work.

Brandon