How Do You Manage Nitrates in Your Aquarium?

So I have hit a point where the Nitrates in my JBJ 45 RL AOI Aquarium have hit what I consider inn acceptable levels and have experienced 2 lost Acropora Frags and a third is partially suffering from Slow Tissue Necrosis. After measuring with my Salifert Nitrate Test Kit, it revealed that my nitrates were at 10ppm. I have already begun the increased water changes from 2 gallons of water per week to 4 gallons which has reduced the Nitrate level to 7.5ppm. Question is what do you do to maintain your nitrates to an acceptable level within your nano aquariums?

 

Well, I do 10% water changes weekly. My nitrate levels are always <2ppm. If you had a sump w/refugium I'd say you might be able to get away with 10% every two weeks (which is aprox what you were doing) but since you don't I'd strongly recommend 10% every week. In fact, since you are 45gal, I'd say just round up to 5gal per week.

 

Well, I do 10% water changes weekly. My nitrate levels are always <2ppm. If you had a sump w/refugium I'd say you might be able to get away with 10% every two weeks (which is aprox what you were doing) but since you don't I'd strongly recommend 10% every week. In fact, since you are 45gal, I'd say just round up to 5gal per week.

 

I am most likely going to do the round up to 5 gallons. I appreciate the chime in and recommendation.

 

Bigger water changes, and bio media. Get a reactor and run some seachem matrix or something similar. From my understanding, purigen seems to help with it, though I've never really had a nitrate issue.

 

I actually have two nano reactors. One running Aquamaxx Carbon and the other running Aquamaxx GFO. I normally change the carbon every month. But I could start doing it every three weeks.

 

Oh yeah, totally agree with VA. I forgot to mention that I keep a bag with SeaChem Matrix and Phosguard in one of the chambers in my 29 biocube. Media reactors are better but I don't have the space.

What kind of bio load do you have?

 

Carbon and GFO don't really help with nitrates, at least not in the way a bio media would. Something like matrix or ceramic rings act as extra live rock, the high surface area and porosity of them allows for increased biological filtration. I believe filling up a TLF 150 reactor with either of those equates to somewhere around 100lbs of extra live rock.

 

That makes sense, I will keep that I mind.

 

I actually smack the nitrates right out of the water with an open hand! Another option to think of is biopellets. It's worked wonders for me, use a quality pellet with a good reactor