Hi my nitrates are low 10ppm(mg/L), and i am not getting to worried, but how do i reduce the nitrates, i do a 20% water change every week, but all it does is give me a lower reading, how do i get to 0, plus i get alge all over my tank witch is getting really annoying, i belive this is due to my nitrates, my tank as only been running for couple of months,and i only have four fish, they seem fine, my other tests all seem good so any tips thank you.
how do i reduce my nitrates
- Thread starter mdottyp
- Start date
ccCapt
Reef Hacker
It's not all that unusual to see low nitrate readings and also have nusiance algae. The algae is using up the excess nitrate and on the test you are only picking up what's left. Have you tested for phosphate? Your tank is still young and starting to get established. You may or may not go thru all kinds of different phases of nusiance algae growth. They go away with time and proper maintanence.
Bottom line is find the source of the excessive nutrients that are fueling the nitrates, which in turn are feeding the algae. What kind of water did you use to fill the tank?What kind of water do you use for top offs and water changes? Are you dosing anything? Do you have a skimmer?
winyfrog
Yep!
+1 capt
also make sure you are not over feeding, this will add high nutrients.
also make sure you are not over feeding, this will add high nutrients.
yote
In Memoriam
+2 Capt
KidJ57
Struggling Reef Addict
The other issue could be your lighting; if you don't have any coral in there you really don't need your lights on longer than 6 hours a day; excessive light + raised phosphates + raised nitrates + over feeding of flake/pellet food = nuissance algae growth.
dcantucson
Reef pro
+3 Capt
+1 Kid
I would add that you tank is still fairly new and still establishing itself. After 6 months or so it should settle down and give you more accurate and stable readings. Then you'll be able to see where problems are more easily.
+1 Kid
I would add that you tank is still fairly new and still establishing itself. After 6 months or so it should settle down and give you more accurate and stable readings. Then you'll be able to see where problems are more easily.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
Use frozen food, not pellets or flakes.
Use RO/DI water, not tap water or well water.
Do you have anything in there to eat the nitrates and phosphates? Any cheato or other macro algae? Do you have a DSB anywhere in the sump or refugium?
IMO, if you don't have some kind of macro algae OR a DSB OR a combination of the two - you'll always struggle with nitrates. Regular aerobic bacteria (found in shallow sand beds, canister filters and wet/dry filters) will never take the nitrogen cycle al the way through to nitrogen gas. They break down from ammonia, into nitrites and finally into nitrates. But thats where it stops with aerobic bacteria. You end up with nitrates. You need something to either break down the nitrates (DSB) into nitrogen gas and complete the cycle. Or you need something to eat the nitrates (macro algae) and then manually export it by clipping the macro algae back and tossing it in the trash monthly.
Use RO/DI water, not tap water or well water.
Do you have anything in there to eat the nitrates and phosphates? Any cheato or other macro algae? Do you have a DSB anywhere in the sump or refugium?
IMO, if you don't have some kind of macro algae OR a DSB OR a combination of the two - you'll always struggle with nitrates. Regular aerobic bacteria (found in shallow sand beds, canister filters and wet/dry filters) will never take the nitrogen cycle al the way through to nitrogen gas. They break down from ammonia, into nitrites and finally into nitrates. But thats where it stops with aerobic bacteria. You end up with nitrates. You need something to either break down the nitrates (DSB) into nitrogen gas and complete the cycle. Or you need something to eat the nitrates (macro algae) and then manually export it by clipping the macro algae back and tossing it in the trash monthly.
