how to get nitrates to 0

Booboo33062 · 01-19-2006, 11:30 AM

I have had my tank up and running with sand, salt and water since last summer and it has never been at zero since right after I set it up. I plan on putting my homemade rock in the tank soon. Then soon after buying some LR to put in. Will that do it after some curing time. I do W/C every two weeks. I did water test this morning and got
pH 7.9
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 10
Right now that is all I have been testing for. The nitrate used to be up to around 30, 20 and now it's 10 so I guess it is doing better.
I did the water change 1/5/06

xtopher · 01-19-2006, 11:46 AM

How much water are you changing???

Fishdoc11 · 01-19-2006, 11:58 AM

Nitrates are typically from detritus building up somewhere in the system ie under/behind rocks, on filter floss/micron bags/bioballs, in an improperly setup/maintained sandbed etc........Get rid of the detritus and you will most likely get rid of the nitrates.
Chris

Kevin1000 · 01-19-2006, 12:44 PM

Remember that unless you have sufficient LR or DSB (which convert nitrate into nitrogen gas) your nitrate level is only controlled by water changes and in a fish only environment that level of nitrates would be considered pretty good. Once you add your LR you should eventually see your nitrates levels drop.

Graham · 01-19-2006, 03:32 PM

Agreed.
Increase the available area for anaerobic processes and you will increase your denitrification. I have a 120 gallon with no sand and 100 lbs of rock, feed pretty healthy and have never had a problem with nitrate. Part of the battle is getting detritus and uneaten food out of the system before it starts/continues to decompose. We can't often get to all of it, but we have to make its removal a priority.

FWIW and BTW, 10ppm nitrate in and of itself is not going to hurt anything.

Hogan · 01-19-2006, 05:03 PM

I wonder where that stuff is trapped?

Do some more water changes? MORE often! And are you using GOOOOOD water (RO/DI or distilled)

Geoff · 01-19-2006, 08:33 PM

what kind of test kit are you using? if you are below 20ppm you are fine. most of the time test kits do not read below 20 real well. do you test right after feeding time?

G~