Is there such a product?

[jden092901]

I have been working on keeping my nitrates down...they stay 5-10. I have a skillter, which works very well. It is always putting a brownish green soup in the tray, which smells really nice by the way...lol. I do weekly water changes of 1.3 gallons...my tank is a 30 gallon. Is there a additive or something that will help get ride of these nitrates? My tank has been up for about 4 months.

Thanks again for helping with my dumb questions...

Josh

[dileggi]

I use a product, which I believe is called AmQuel. It removes amonia, nitrites and nitrates. I know a lot of people do not like to dose their tank. I have always been an avid doser! Haha!

[Zestay]

water changes help.. however!
you need to find the problem of your nitrate build up? are you using bio balls as a filteR?

[jden092901]

no..I have the Skilter 400. Its a filter and a skillter together. I have herd and know of people having success with it. So far, its working well. First, it is mechanically filtered by the dense polyester filter material. It then passes through an activated carbon medium that is specially designed to be an effective chemical filter. Finally, the entire cartridge, surrounded by its unique clam-shell style frame, acts as an efficient biological filter, and the skimmer part...The unit hangs on the back of the aquarium, just like a standard power filter. It is made of high impact plastic for years of dependable use, even under the adverse conditions of a saltwater environment. The Skilter 400 employs a quiet, dependable power unit and impeller assembly. Although compact, this powerful system pumps up to 400 gallons per hour. What should I do?

[BurntOutReefer]

when was the last time you cleaned the filter media? and cut down on feeding.

[steven_dean17]

Hey, that was a good add. Although you have a great filter/skillter its never going to suck all that nitrate out. You need to slow down the feeding, and i would suspect the tank never had a chance to cycle. Oh well, we live and we learn. Do some weekly water changes and do less feedings, this is going to be your best bet.

[jden092901]

I replace the media and carbon every 1.5-2 weeks, and I feed every 3-4 days. I'm thinking of feeding every 2 days now, more routine sched.

[IslandCrow]

There are products out there that claim to reduce nitrates (like AZNO3), and I think some of them are actually effective, but in a properly run system you shouldn't need them. A good amount of live rock, not overfeeding and a good skimmer (I don't know anything about Skilters) are key. Using carbon seemed to be what finally got my nitrates from trace to undetectable levels, but that may have just been coincidence. My tank (and me) may have just finally matured to a level where it achieved real balance.

Anyway, follow everyone else's advice and give it time before worrying too much about chemicals. 5-10 ppm really isn't too bad at all. I'd even call it perfectly acceptable for most corals. On a different subject, how did you come up with 1.3g water changes? Seems a bit precise to be arbitrary. Most people do 10% weekly or 20-30% monthly.

[uscharalph]

How many fish do you have in that 30 gallon tank?

[jden092901]

I have 3 fish...My 1.3 gallons of water, Im an anal nerd! I have my clean bucket for water changes and marked it to exactly 1.3 gallons, which is what I do every week. Im in the medical field, and in my specific area (lab) you have to be exact! I know, I prob sound really dumb. I check my water EVERY night. I test for everything at 9pm, then at 10 when my lights go off I do my 2 part dosing which is 9mm of each

[BurntOutReefer]

whats your top-off water source...?
and is this FO only...if FO..then dont sweat the NO3....

[jden092901]

I have RO water...to top off with. Its a reef tank...I have some sps, lps, ricordea..rooms..stuff like that.

[IslandCrow]

Try upping the water changes to 3g per week if that's feasible. You can even make it 2.97 gallons if you want. I think 10% weekly water changes, at least initially, pays dividends.

[usmc121581]

Man talk about being precise.

[DrBegalke]

I have used AZNo3 with success.

Do you have an SPS system? If not, I'm not sure I would worry too much about it.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1212711

[IslandCrow]

Yeah, I definitely wasn't promoting the use of AZNO3. I've heard some people say it works great, and others say that it's worthless. I've never used it, and the real point I was trying to get across is whether or not such products work or not, they should not be relied upon.

[InLimbo87]

Up the water changes weekly, and if that doesn't help you look into adding a refugium or decent skimmer.

[amazd]

Whats the color of the RO filter cartridges? If its dark orange then they're overdue to be changed.