Nitrate Control: Opinions about AZNO3

[mmgm]

I am running a 90 Gallon tank which is 6 months into the cycle. Ammonia and Nitrites have been zero for the last 5 months. My tank is set up as a Berlin system with oversized Protein skimmer, 125 pounds of live rock, Calcium reactor and UV sterilizer. My goal is to establish a reef system for this tank. After the first 3 months of operation my Nitrates started going up. (We all know this story). The fish load was realtively low with 5 medium size fish in the tank. Until natural nitrate control sets in has anyone successfully used AZNO3 to expidite the cycle? I purchased some AZNO3 and started treating my tank. Nitrates went down after a month however, water was very cloudy and I lost fish. I am currently reducing dosage to wean my tank off of AZNO3. Also using Poly Filter by (Poly-Bio-Marine Inc) to manage the cloudy water effect.

Any opinions around this approach? Should I just stop the treatments and let nature take it's course? I'm interested in some experienced opinions.

Thanks

[Geoff]

Welcome to the TRT!!!!

i am not a big fan of using additives to solve larger problems. how often do you do water changes? do use RO/DI water for topoff? what kind of substrate do you have? how much flow do you have in the tank? how open is your rockwork?

my initial guess is that you have detritus building up in some areas of the tank causing the nitrates to go up.

G~

[Doug1]

I gotta say that while I havent used that product, I think that if it did work as well as claimed that a lot more people would be singing its praises. Like Geoff said the shortcuts don't solve the long term issues. Personally I wouldn't be willing to risk it

[mmgm]

Thanks Guys.

I do water changes weekly (5-10 Gallons) using RO water and sand substrate. Rockwork is open, however, flow is poor. I just ordered some powerheads (finally budgeted for this) and wavemaker and agree detritus buildup is probably the cause of high Nitrates. I'll let you know how the powerheads work out.

Still interested in any feedback about AZNO3 from anyone that has used this product before.

mmgm

[Prismaco]

I would have boughtn power heads before I bought the UV, and reactor..thats my PO...$0.02



-Paul

[Geoff]

since you are doing the powerhead route. go to the DIY forum and look up the fatmans little behind the rocks water circulator. simple yet does a good job of sweeping out detritus. what kind of clean up crews do you have? how deep is your sand?

G~

[mmgm]

G

Thanks for the advise. I'll take a look at fatmans circulater. For clean up I currently have Turbo snails, a few Hermits, goby and blenny. Sand is less than an inch thick.