Nitrates (1 Viewer)

[Wingnut]

Hey Guys , question been fighting nitrates last couple of weeks , Sunday did 15 gallon water change look for dead spots as suggested , added flow thru tank vacuumed substrate during water change , trimmed my cheato that was in refugium it was kind of out of control , I am getting hair alge on a couple of rocks , I do have a GFO reactor but don't have P04 test kit, also some bubbles in some alge on some rocks. Any suggestions please.

 

[Wingnut]

No3. 25 , No2. 0 , Ammonia 0 , PH 8.3 , ALK. 13.7 , Cal. 480 , Mag. 1400 , temp. 78.5 , SG 1.026

 

[PSXerholic]

Wingnut,

get you bacterial biology a boost and the problem will go away.
Dose Biodigest to start with.

I know it's heavy, but read my posts in that thread here.
Working on a thread in my sponsor section about that subject, but not ready yet.

http://www.marsh-reef.org/marine-an...hemistry-when-does-your-reef-thrive-best.html

-Andre

 

[Wingnut]

Thanks , can I pick some up at LFS and it probably has directions for use on it , that is an awesome thank

 

[PSXerholic]

Thanks , can I pick some up at LFS and it probably has directions for use on it , that is an awesome thank

Thx,
i buy biodigest af Amazon.

2x recommended dose in the first week and then normal dose weekly for rest of the time of the tank.

Andre

 

[Wingnut]

Thanks

 

[PSXerholic]

Thanks

Also get rid of dirty a clogged Foam type filters in the sump or tank anywhere.
Those are Nitrate factories and do not help while trying to reduce N03.

Also make sure you have accurate test kists on hand, so not API or so ;-)

-Andre

 

[Wingnut]

I have Red Sea test kit , there foam blocks in my sump between refugium and return , and between skimmer section and return should I remove those , and when you dose the biodigest do you put direct into DT are in sump. I just ordered from Amazon for overnight delivery.

 

[Wingnut]

Just want you to know , added bio digest Wednesday night when I got it , did a water change today and cleaned my sump , one more dose of bio digest and my nitrates are already down to 10 ppm are lower, already a noticeable difference in the nuisance alge dieing off. Thanks for the help.

 

[Mark L.]

Biodigest and a clean sump works great.

 

[Wingnut]

It did , I did not expect it too be so noticeable quite this soon.

 

[PSXerholic]

It did , I did not expect it too be so noticeable quite this soon.

Wingnut,

thx a lot for the feedback. Following this advise to use the bacterial method, you did the right thing.
With that amount of bacteria now in the tank, you have a headstart to enjoy your tank for a long time.

However the root cause of the high nitrates might be still there and come back.
So you need to do something to keep your bacteria happy on the long run.

Keep Nitrates around 5 and some detectable Po4 and you have a good basis.
I do the Carbon dosing in combo with SIPORAX 25mm Biomedia to keep the bacteria happy.


THX again for the feedback, this works almost on any issue since the reef is a biological thingy ;-)

-Andre

 

[Wingnut]

Yes Thanks for the advise , I don't have Po4 test kit which I obviously need to get but not sure on carbon dosing , are talking about just activated carbon.

 

[PSXerholic]

Yes Thanks for the advise , I don't have Po4 test kit which I obviously need to get but not sure on carbon dosing , are talking about just activated carbon.

If your frontglass covers in algae film over the day then you have sufficient.
Too high, you get Hanna checkers for.

-Andre

 

[Wingnut]

Front glass is never covered with alge , I use the magnet cleaner occasionally , and I have a couple of rocks to close to the front glass where the cleaner can't get but not a lot of alge on front glass , now the back glass just has some round spots on it but I have about 15 small snails and 2 larger turbo snails that clean up pretty good.

 

[Wingnut]

Hey Andre , been reading up on the Carbon dosing , believe I am going to give it a shot as soon as I get a hold Po4 test kit and get a chart made up , question do you still add the Biodigest weekly along with the carbon dosing are just one are the other.Thanks

 

[PSXerholic]

Hey Andre , been reading up on the Carbon dosing , believe I am going to give it a shot as soon as I get a hold Po4 test kit and get a chart made up , question do you still add the Biodigest weekly along with the carbon dosing are just one are the other.Thanks

I'm working on a fresh description in my section for that method.
I do VSV daily (actually on a dosing pump these days), Biodigest weekly and "some" amino acids for the bacteria on which I use the Acropower (half the recommended dose) split to daily dosing as well.

Reason I recommend Biodigest is, I know it works safe in higher doses without causing a bacteria bloom.

Here is what I did use for my initial setup:

200ml Vodka (Svenska 80proof)
50ml Vinegar (Heintz)
1 TBS Sugar (reduced later by 50% due to too many white bacteria)
I also use Biodigest bacteria (1 ampule per week to refresh the bacteria strains, this is important for the bacterial method)
As well I use now Acropower daily to keep up the Aminos

Here is a link to my older resource:
VSV | Achieved through Observation and Experimentation

I have used the above classic receipe, and trying now a different receipe I got from D-D Solutions in UK.

New receipe is:
1000L VSV solution -
600ml Vinegar
400ml Vodka
1 TBS Sugar

You start with 0.1ml on 20G tank water for a 5 days period and keep increasing 0.1 every 5 days until you reach a point where Nitrates go down, then you half the dose per day and dial in higher or lower to find the perfect maintenance dose.

In the beginning you likely observe some minor cyanos which will disappear after a while.
If corals start looking sick or unhappy, stop the method and try later again.

When start dosing VSV, remove any GFO or other nutrient control methods, such as Refugium algae, algae scrubber, bacteria reactors etc.

-Andre

 

[Wingnut]

Thanks Andre , I checked out that link that looks like a little more than I can handle right know with my experience level I do appreciate all the info and help , but probably going keep up the Biodigest and weekly water changes for now.

 

[PSXerholic]

Thanks Andre , I checked out that link that looks like a little more than I can handle right know with my experience level I do appreciate all the info and help , but probably going keep up the Biodigest and weekly water changes for now.

Wingnut, good decision and no reason to be ashamed or so about that!!!
If you feel not ready to go this risk and route, well done !!!
RESPECT.

Too many people just blindly do something that they don't even partially understand.

Going forward dosing the Biodigest weekly is definitely not risky and a big benefit for the tank, continue do that.
I hear good results from Aquaforest bacteria, but have no personal experience with those.

Let us know how the tank comes along.

Happy Reefing,
-Andre

 

[Wingnut]

Thanks again , and hopefully someday I will feel more comfortable with all the new , I have been reading a lot about the carbon dosing , I just not sure I would recognize if things went South right now. But it is very interesting stuff.