how do I get rid of nitrate and keep it down.

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

What's in my tank: I have a 55 gal tank with 5 fish about 100 pounds of live sand and a few pounds of rock like umm 15 or 20. I'm curently making sum rock because buying it is way over priced. Any way also have an bubble anenome ( not sure I spelled it correct but I'm sure u got it) and he has gottin very small think it's. Poor lighting and but new light cum in on Friday!! I got a cascade canister rated for a 100 gallon tank. I can't get the nitrates down I'm tiered of doing all these water changes with r/o water which is very expensive.. Help any good ideas that aren't expensive???


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[Killerdrgn]

RO water is expensive? Are you buying it from a store? You should just invest in your own RO/DI filter. The other thing is that the canister filter is a Nitrate factor. Also you should list out which fish you have in the 55 because some fish produce more waste than others.

FYI- when you make your own live rock, don't forget to cure it for a while.

 

[Dre]

First off ,is it worth making rocks?Be sure to cure them before you put them in your tank and monitor your PH as well.Have you ever tested your tap water for nitrate ?What kind of sand,what size fish?How often and how much do you feed?How much water change and how often?Yes they are all important QUESTIONS.

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

I've done 10 to 15 gal water changes.. My fish 2 damsels a firefish and clarki clown.. Can't buy a r/o setup I live in an apartment.. Live sand is Florida keys white live rock is a mix of stuff at the lfs.. Yes I kno to cure the rock started the precession already


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[Killerdrgn]

Why can't you buy a Ro/Di? I live in an apartment and just use the faucet attachment. Oh and in the above post I meant nitrate factory, not nitrate factor.

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

I guess ur rite about the r/o unit.. Lol. I also have like 4 large sails and 1 hermit crab.. I don't understand my gf dose nothing to her tank and all her levels are in check always and she just tops off the water with tap.. And she got the same setup as me.


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[Killerdrgn]

I guess she forgets to feed her tank?

 

[Dre]

I've done 10 to 15 gal water changes.. My fish 2 damsels a firefish and clarki clown.. Can't buy a r/o setup I live in an apartment.. Live sand is Florida keys white live rock is a mix of stuff at the lfs.. Yes I kno to cure the rock started the precession already


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You didn't mention how often.Getting a RODI may not be your final answer.Try doing a 50% water change, test the tap water ,test test test and see what happens.Keep in mind a little nitrate is not bad either.

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

She feeds them twice a day as well...
Actualy she over feeds idk mabe luck or sumthing...
I was doing a water chage like every 2 days in 2 weeks 15gal. I don't use tap water in my tank cuz don't want to kill anything.


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[Cadiz.Jonathan]

O and my nitrates is at it's highest and I'm trying to get my tank ready for corals but I herd I can't have any nitrates


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[Dre]

O and my nitrates is at it's highest and I'm trying to get my tank ready for corals but I herd I can't have any nitrates


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1.You have to be exact,high doesn't mean anything. 2.That is not true about nitrate and corals btw but you need more practice first.:lol_large

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Yea practice makes perfect.. My nitrates is like 100 or sumthing can't remember now it's the highest that it could be acroding to the test


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[SevTT]

If you're using a skimmer, any carbon dosing regime is an easy way to increase your nitrate-removing power.

 

[fallenlordz]

How old is this tank?

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Don't have a skimmer and my tank is a year old have not lost one fish since I started


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[ryangrieder]

my opinion...get rid of the canister. i dont care how big its rated. its not proper for salt water. i learned the hard way. my first tank was with a marineland canister rated up to 90g and it was only a 29G tank. i did fine with it and the tank looked great. packed with corals and ect...but nitrates were always off the chart! got rid of it...made my own sump, did alot of water changes, bought a good skimmer, and within a month nitrates were completely gone and i THOUGHT my tank was doing great before....yeah right. coraline algae exploded in the tank, corals fully extended, fish seemed much happier, and all around the tank went from clear to looking like everything is floating! the sump did WONDERS! no oxygen can be realeased in or out of a canister and the pads are fully saturated in water 24/7. they should be trickeling through it. take the canister and make it into a reactor with something better in it and go buy a sump or build one. its easy!


also...i could be wrong but 100 pounds of sand in a 55g? isent that a tad bit much? and also do yourself a favor and just buy lr. get it off line or from someone on here! your lr is one of your main filtration process. pack it up! dont hold back by making fake!

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Just a tid bit to what everyone else has added- have you tried a different test kit for your nitrates? I have a hard time believing theyre at 100 and an anemone and your clean up crew are survivng, theyre pretty sensitive to nitrates. Also with anemones- if its poor lighting theyll usually stretch out to try to get what they can, so I think it would be bigger if anything if poor lighting.

 

[Cadiz.Jonathan]

Actualy my anenome is on it's way out. It's not Evan showing tenticals any more. I herd their are things to put in my canister to actualy take out nirtates and benifit instead of cuz more problems any ideas to put in the canister.. That will bentifit?


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[anthony27]

my canister


not a good idea to have one, just build a sump or buy a tank and make it a sump fastest way to get the trates down is to buy a skimmer that is over reated for the tank. the cainster is the worst thing to have on a reef tank.

 

[ryangrieder]

nitrate reducing media.....never works. tried them all. seachem, kents...you name it. it wont work so dont waist your money. the ONLY product i will say that worked was AZ-NO3 Nitrate Eliminator. even though this did work very well for me...i still just reccomend getting rid of the canister, gettting a sump, and doing water changes. plus 20 bucks a bottle for that AZ-NO3 gets pricey. the canister is your leading problem.

and honestly man if money is the issue or something then you find me a tank ill build you a sump for free, just to get your rolling on the right track. id be more then happy to help you out. i have built a bunch of sumps for friends and everyone worked great. its not going to be top notch like custom kings on here, but i make you a nice and simple set up. i can put some baffles in for you and make you a berlin, refugium or wet/dry. let me know