how to lower nitrates

[jamest0o0]

well my nitrates have been high and I can't seem to lower them, I am doing water changes, feeding less, added a CUC, removed HOB filter..... any suggestions?

[demonsp]

Is the tank 2 months old?
Can you list all equipment and stock you have?

[jamest0o0]

actually its about 3 months old now, but anyway I have a skimmer( clean cup regularly), about 50 lbs live rock, about a 4" sand bed/CC bed CC is on the bottom(I actually want to replace my whole bed with aragonite), lot of snails, about 10 hermits, fire shrimp, 2 clowns and that is it atm.... other than heater, powerheads, etc.

[drillsar]

do you have any sponges on your equipment, bio balls, how much rock you have, do you run a filter?

[jamest0o0]

I have no sponges, bioballs, or filter.... and about 50 lbs live rock

[rbursek]

What is your Nitrates?

[Sk8r]

What are you using for a water source? Have you used only ro/di from the get-go?

[demonsp]

What size powerheads?
The CC bottom is a nitrate farm.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I prefer skimming and growing macroalgae, but there are many methods of reducing nitrate, many of which I detail here:

Nitrate in the Reef Aquarium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/august2003/chem.htm

[drillsar]

50lbs of rock isnt enough for 1, the CC substrate could be your issue, what kind of nitrates we talking over 20 or?

[jamest0o0]

about 20, I have 2 koralia #2's, but I plan on getting 2 more #3's is this too much? and I only use RO/DI stashed away in a rubbermaid

[tmz]

I think 50lbs lr can be enough. Crushed coral can accumulate lot's of detrius and decaying material. Vacuum it.Then puff it up or stir it once a week or so.

[DarthSimon]

The HOB is a nitrate factory after a while... Just run carbon in your HOB and add a good protein skimmer will always help... add another 30 pounds of live rock.... Are you doing liquid test kits or test strips?? the test strips suck. Mine always show 10-20, then the liquid says 0....

[jamest0o0]

I just have the cheap liquid test kit set that is about 15$ or so I'm thinking of purchasing salifert kits though is this a good idea?

[DarthSimon]

That test kit is prolly fine... What are your nitrates?? #

[NCguy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11941971#post11941971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jamest0o0
I'm thinking of purchasing salifert kits though is this a good idea?

Yes

[jamest0o0]

around 20 no matter what I do

[drillsar]

20 is really not that high. Can be your test kit or CC, as well on the LR, add more will help

[jamest0o0]

im thinking of changing to live aragonite in the next month, I think this might help a bit... I also might add 20 lbs or so of lr

[drillsar]

I think you cant change all of it at once keep this in mind

[BurntOutReefer]

so....let me understand this......HOBs are bad unless you have carbon in it?

I just want to make sure of that before I give my 2 cents

[drillsar]

YES HOB are bad all together, there ONLY GOOD TO RUN CARBON THROUGH IT NOTHING ELSE>

[BurntOutReefer]

take your water to a LFS and get it tested.....that will give you a benchmark.
Most likely your test kit is off....

[BurntOutReefer]

"YES HOB are bad all together, there ONLY GOOD TO RUN CARBON THROUGH IT NOTHING ELSE>"

Yawn!....

[BLKTANG]

I was asking the same question on here 3 years ago,& someone told me to "get rid of the nitrate trap in my tank" (Crushed Coral) well i did,& never had another problem again.