Ever used this?

[U4BOYZ]

I'm trying to get my nitrates down. My LFS told me this is a safe and effective product. Has anyone ever used it? It looks like white carbon in the container. They said to put it in a mesh bag and keep it in the sump. I've learned it's best to ask of this site before I do anything new. :) Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[daugherty]

it will help but you still need to get to the root of the problem. that will just help hide it.

 

[mng777777]

+1 James. The problem with any of these types of products is that they just prolong the inevitable and often make it worse when you do finally face it. You can use this product temporarily, but you must still identify the problem and attack it.

 

[Bifferwine]

That stuff works. I've used it!

 

[dcantucson]

I have some but haven't used it yet. Been using Chemi-Pure instead.

 

[U4BOYZ]

it will help but you still need to get to the root of the problem. that will just help hide it.

Thanks. That is my plan. I've cut back on the feeding to a smaller amount of mysis once a day. I got my tank down to 15mg of nitrates through small water changes. My thought is to use the Denitrate and cheato to get my level down to between 0-5. Once I accomplish that, I'm planning on take out the Denitrate and then checking my levels once a day for awhile and seeing what happens.

 

[Reefrookie]

That soungs like a good plan. Good luck, you will figure it out, I'm sure.

 

[mng777777]

That sounds like a good plan to me! Congrats on getting to 15ppm. How is the clam doing?

 

[daugherty]

you have a good plan

 

[U4BOYZ]

That sounds like a good plan to me! Congrats on getting to 15ppm. How is the clam doing?

I don't know if I mentioned this...but my rose bubble tip anemone did die. I did the sniff test, PU. :( My clam is not happy. To be honest, it's hard to tell if it's dead. I'm keeping a close eye on it. It might not just be water quality...a few days ago, it fell off of its rock and was face down in the sand. I set it up on the rock....but now it's sort of slipped off the rock again. Could something have eaten its foot? I don't a lot about clams....that's why I got the derasa....they're supposed to be EASY. I'm learning nothing with saltwater is easy! :frustrat:

 

[mng777777]

Sorry for your loss! If the clam were dead or close to dead, your hermits would be all over it. If something ate its foot, they would eat the mantle too. There would be nothing more than just shell by morning so if there is still "meat" on the clam then I'd say you have a chance. It doesn't sound good though... If it's not staying where you have it, you might just try leaving it in the sand for now. Also, are you feeding Phyto? With a clam, you need to be dosing Phyto every 3 days. I know with your nitrate problems the last thing you need is more crap in the water, but the clam will die from starvation if you don't feed it. Can you take a picture of the clam?

 

[Bifferwine]

Clams won't die from starvation without feeding. I think you are getting them confused with scallops. Clams will do just fine with only light.

 

[U4BOYZ]

I only feed it Rotifers once a week? Where it fell it really doesn't have the best light...here's a photos:

 

[U4BOYZ]

 

[U4BOYZ]

 

[mng777777]

Clams won't die from starvation without feeding. I think you are getting them confused with scallops. Clams will do just fine with only light.

I'm not challenging you, I just am hoping for more explanation. Why do we feed Phyto if they don't need it? I haven't looked into this, I'm just going based on what I've been told at the LFS, granted they wanted to sell Phyto so they could have very well steered me wrong.

 

[Bifferwine]

I've never fed my clams phyto. I don't think there are a lot of people on here that feed their clams. You should start a new Invert thread asking!

 

[mng777777]

That clam is not dead, just unhappy! It could be jumping off the rock because it doesn't like the flow, or it's not getting enough light, or something (like a fireworm) could be bothering it from within the LR. Another Idea I got from a local reefer is to place them on a small piece of ceramic tile. The whole goal in placing them on any surface is to give it a place to attach itself where it will be protected from predation. Consider placing it on a tile and placing that on the sand in direct light. You can build a "campfire" with LR rubble to keep it upright for a week or two while it attaches.

 

[mng777777]

I've never fed my clams phyto. I don't think there are a lot of people on here that feed their clams. You should start a new Invert thread asking!

Done and done. Here it is I think there is something to this seeing as DT's has a picture of a clam on all of the Phyto bottles and most Phytos that I've seen for sale have instructions pertaining to clams on the bottle... Again, I assumed that it was a necessity but I don't really know. Perhaps it's more of just an enhancer, like tangs with Garlic and Vit C.

 

[tankedchemist]

That clam is not dead, just unhappy! It could be jumping off the rock because it doesn't like the flow, or it's not getting enough light, or something (like a fireworm) could be bothering it from within the LR. Another Idea I got from a local reefer is to place them on a small piece of ceramic tile. The whole goal in placing them on any surface is to give it a place to attach itself where it will be protected from predation. Consider placing it on a tile and placing that on the sand in direct light. You can build a "campfire" with LR rubble to keep it upright for a week or two while it attaches.

instead of a tile-- which is flat--- I use an old clam shell I got at the LFS for like a buck. It's curved, so putting a bit of sand in the bottom with the clam keeps it upright until the clam attaches. The shell I got is probably 3-4" long, half a clam shell.