Nitrate reduction techniques?

NittyGritty · 10/10/2014, 07:26 PM

Hey gang,

What are your forms of nitrate reduction outside of refugiums and water changes?

D

TigeBell · 10/10/2014, 09:11 PM

I do carbon dosing. I use vinegar and I'm pleased with the results. All results are within the suggested ranges for nitrates and phosphate that John at Your Reef and Randy suggest on reefkeeper.

NittyGritty · 10/10/2014, 09:31 PM

What's your dosing rate? Did you incorporate Microbactor7 as well or just the vinegar?

TigeBell · 10/11/2014, 02:17 PM

I sent you a pm.

What I sent

Quote:

I dose 1/3 of a cup daily at this time. Still trying to get a doser and my bioload is rather low (16 smaller fish at this time). I followed what Randy Holmes Farley and Cliff Babcock outlined here: http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index....arine-aquarium

TigeBell · 10/11/2014, 03:08 PM

Oops, forgot to mention that I do run 2 cups of GFO and probably need a little more. I just started the GFO this month. 300 lbs of sand and 310 lbs of rock.

I also feed three times a day on weekends and twice a day on weekdays. Mysis at 7 pm; Reef Nutrition ROE (1 tbs) and Oyster Feast (tbs) at 4 pm; and Two Little Fishes Sea Vegies at 3 pm. On the weekends I add a few pellets at noon since I'm home at that time.

Poriferan · 10/11/2014, 08:27 PM

Water changes?

NittyGritty · 10/11/2014, 10:43 PM

Yes, outside of WC as originally stated.

Saltwaternooby · 10/11/2014, 11:21 PM

Too many Wc can be counter productive Imo.

NittyGritty · 10/11/2014, 11:23 PM

How so?

NittyGritty · 10/11/2014, 11:24 PM

Well, besides the current water saga going on of course

psykobowler · 10/12/2014, 12:27 AM

Too much water change alters the water chemistry drastically. For example, I keep my magnesium 1480+. If I were to remove significant water I have to bump magnesium up too. Each salt mix has different alk level. You will have unstable alk with frequent water change.

usingthejohn · 10/12/2014, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psykobowler

Too much water change alters the water chemistry drastically. For example, I keep my magnesium 1480+. If I were to remove significant water I have to bump magnesium up too. Each salt mix has different alk level. You will have unstable alk with frequent water change.

If you utilized the same salt mix wouldn't the swing be eliminated, or at least minimized?

psykobowler · 10/12/2014, 12:39 AM

Most salt mix has magnesium under 1400. I always have to bump it up when I change water. Doing more water change means adding more mg frequently which is counter productive. Unless alk is kept at new saltwater level it will experience fluctuation too.

NittyGritty · 10/12/2014, 12:42 AM

Ahhh got it =)

glarior · 10/12/2014, 06:32 PM

Sulfur denitrator. Best money ive ever spent. I have few live rocks, two 2ft sharks, 4ft eel and a 3ft eel. I feed them sardines, squid, octopus and my nitrates stay 5ppm. No water change for the last year. Plan on doing a large water change next weekend since its been a year. If you have a smaller tank diy algae scrubber works great too. I built a huge scrubber but switched to the sulfer denitrator. My 2 cents

greenhead · 10/12/2014, 08:13 PM

I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

glarior · 10/12/2014, 08:28 PM

http://www.marinedepot.com/filters_k...trator-ap.html

This is the one ive been using

NittyGritty · 10/12/2014, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glarior

Sulfur denitrator. Best money ive ever spent. I have few live rocks, two 2ft sharks, 4ft eel and a 3ft eel. I feed them sardines, squid, octopus and my nitrates stay 5ppm. No water change for the last year. Plan on doing a large water change next weekend since its been a year. If you have a smaller tank diy algae scrubber works great too. I built a huge scrubber but switched to the sulfer denitrator. My 2 cents

Word. Thanks for sharing. Been pondering this as well.

NittyGritty · 10/12/2014, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhead

I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

Nopox seems to be the commercial carbon dosing product of choice. Thanks for the insight!

sc50964 · 10/12/2014, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenhead

I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

I share the same experience.

NittyGritty · 10/13/2014, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sc50964

I share the same experience.

Thanks!

swk · 10/13/2014, 12:25 PM

Vinegar user here. Went from 30 ppm to under 5 in 3 months. I've drastically dropped the dose over the last couple months as I feel my levels went TOO low. Wasn't getting a reading on any kit and I would like around 3-5 ppm in an ideal world.

NittyGritty · 10/14/2014, 06:44 PM

Any issues with cyano?

TigeBell · 10/14/2014, 07:34 PM

I do have an issue with cyano in my sump (well, what I think is cyano) but from what Randy Holmes and various others have mentioned, cyano isn't an issue with vinegar. From my understanding, vodka does have issues with cyano.

As for me, 3 day lights out has reduced the issue from getting any worse.

DrDNA · 10/15/2014, 06:31 AM

Vodka dosing, about 12ml per day into a 300g mixed reef.

10/10/2014, 07:26 PM	#1
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	Nitrate reduction techniques? Hey gang, What are your forms of nitrate reduction outside of refugiums and water changes? D __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/10/2014, 09:11 PM	#2
TigeBell Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 974	I do carbon dosing. I use vinegar and I'm pleased with the results. All results are within the suggested ranges for nitrates and phosphate that John at Your Reef and Randy suggest on reefkeeper. __________________ David B. Red Sea Reefer 350 \| Hydra TwentySix HD http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/tigebell/1

10/10/2014, 09:31 PM	#3
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	What's your dosing rate? Did you incorporate Microbactor7 as well or just the vinegar? __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/11/2014, 03:08 PM	#5
TigeBell Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 974	Oops, forgot to mention that I do run 2 cups of GFO and probably need a little more. I just started the GFO this month. 300 lbs of sand and 310 lbs of rock. I also feed three times a day on weekends and twice a day on weekdays. Mysis at 7 pm; Reef Nutrition ROE (1 tbs) and Oyster Feast (tbs) at 4 pm; and Two Little Fishes Sea Vegies at 3 pm. On the weekends I add a few pellets at noon since I'm home at that time. __________________ David B. Red Sea Reefer 350 \| Hydra TwentySix HD http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/tigebell/1

10/11/2014, 10:43 PM	#7
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	Yes, outside of WC as originally stated. __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/11/2014, 08:27 PM	#6
Poriferan Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 418	Water changes?

10/11/2014, 11:21 PM	#8
Saltwaternooby SPS junkie Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Orangevale ca Posts: 3,915	Too many Wc can be counter productive Imo. __________________ Anthony, MARS President 225g Starfire w/sump room 24g cube for ORA Picasso

10/11/2014, 11:23 PM	#9
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	How so? __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/11/2014, 11:24 PM	#10
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	Well, besides the current water saga going on of course __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/12/2014, 12:27 AM	#11
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	Too much water change alters the water chemistry drastically. For example, I keep my magnesium 1480+. If I were to remove significant water I have to bump magnesium up too. Each salt mix has different alk level. You will have unstable alk with frequent water change. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

10/12/2014, 12:39 AM	#13
psykobowler Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,137	Most salt mix has magnesium under 1400. I always have to bump it up when I change water. Doing more water change means adding more mg frequently which is counter productive. Unless alk is kept at new saltwater level it will experience fluctuation too. __________________ Guitar playing reefer Current Tank Info: 300g & 90g display, 90g fragtank, 34g fuge, 120g sump1 w/ RO Xp-5000, 20g sump2 , 5 (2x54wattT5 retrofits) 3 radion xr15pros, 5mp60s, 4tunze6255s, Apex, WXM, KnopCaRx, Avast KalkRx

10/12/2014, 12:42 AM	#14
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	Ahhh got it =) __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/12/2014, 06:32 PM	#15
glarior Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South TX Posts: 145	Sulfur denitrator. Best money ive ever spent. I have few live rocks, two 2ft sharks, 4ft eel and a 3ft eel. I feed them sardines, squid, octopus and my nitrates stay 5ppm. No water change for the last year. Plan on doing a large water change next weekend since its been a year. If you have a smaller tank diy algae scrubber works great too. I built a huge scrubber but switched to the sulfer denitrator. My 2 cents __________________ 300g SW - 120g SW Reef;

10/12/2014, 08:13 PM	#16
greenhead Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 796	I do run a canister of DENitrate they seem to help a little. But I see a ton of difference when I use NoPoX by Red Sea. They seem to have it down when it comes to carbon dosing. Just follow instructions on the back of the bottle. .

10/12/2014, 08:28 PM	#17
glarior Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South TX Posts: 145	http://www.marinedepot.com/filters_k...trator-ap.html This is the one ive been using __________________ 300g SW - 120g SW Reef;

10/13/2014, 12:25 PM	#22
swk Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Wine Country CA Posts: 2,593	Vinegar user here. Went from 30 ppm to under 5 in 3 months. I've drastically dropped the dose over the last couple months as I feel my levels went TOO low. Wasn't getting a reading on any kit and I would like around 3-5 ppm in an ideal world. __________________ Member of Wine Country Reefers Current Tank Info: 75 gal SPS dominant reef. Geo calcium reactor with masterflex pump, Deltec 1455 skimmer, 2 mp40QD, mp10wes, lit by a 6x54 dimable ATI sunpower and controlled by Reef Angel

10/14/2014, 06:44 PM	#23
NittyGritty Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Galt, Ca Posts: 521	Any issues with cyano? __________________ Be yourself, everyone else is taken. Oscar Wilde~ Current Tank Info: breaking down one to build another!

10/14/2014, 07:34 PM	#24
TigeBell Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fair Oaks, CA Posts: 974	I do have an issue with cyano in my sump (well, what I think is cyano) but from what Randy Holmes and various others have mentioned, cyano isn't an issue with vinegar. From my understanding, vodka does have issues with cyano. As for me, 3 day lights out has reduced the issue from getting any worse. __________________ David B. Red Sea Reefer 350 \| Hydra TwentySix HD http://www.aquaticlog.com/aquariums/tigebell/1

10/15/2014, 06:31 AM	#25
DrDNA Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Loomis, CA Posts: 1,152	Vodka dosing, about 12ml per day into a 300g mixed reef. __________________ O O o o O O o o o o o o O <º)))>< <º)))>< <º)))>< <º)))>< Jeff Current Tank Info: 300g and 540g on one system, 165g sump, lifereef VS3-72 skimmer, LED lighting