Researched a little bit. Basically the only "true" way to reduce nitrates is to do water changes. Thats exactly what I did. I just did a 2 g change last Wednesday before I got my hermit crabs and more snails...and my emerald crab. I did a 4 g change tonight...cleaned out the filter...rinsed the intake tube sponge and sponge that's in the filter. Actually cut that sponge in half and put it on the outside of the media basket, right next to the intake tube. I figured a smaller sponge may help reduce the problem. I also rinsed the carbon and phos/nitrate reducer bags. The bottom of the filter had a lot of gunk and at this point I don't wanna take any chances. I tested the water I'm getting from trop...not a trace of nitrates. So its def on my end...Ill test in a few days and see what happens. I want to get these rates down bc I want to add my favorite saltwater fish...the midas blenny.
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Kids got the itch back...
- Thread starter NJ Strong88
- Start date
Off to a good start.
this is an old post, but Mark knows what he is talking about: http://www.melevsreef.com/reducing_nitrates.html
this is an old post, but Mark knows what he is talking about: http://www.melevsreef.com/reducing_nitrates.html
Thanks Mnat. I did read that before and it was very helpful. I have a small tank...so doing a huge change isn't possible. I did a 4 g change like I said. I think I may do another 4 this weekend. I'm going to beat this. My clown wasn't at all disturbed by this. I'm getting a new AC 70 filter bc the one I have is just getting to noisy. I keep seeing that a carbon source can help...wouldnt the carbon in my filter help reduce the rates even more?
Got a new AQ filter and a bunch of cheato from trop. Very happy with it. I found an old clip on light and threw one of those squiggly bulbs in there...maybe 23 watts. Put the small sponge...carbon and two bags of the fluval brand of nitrate and phos reducer and of course sone cheato in the new filterm its running now. Here's a pic. Also...I have a lot of left over cheato. Can I put some in the tank itself?
Its been done. I'm just frustrated with the nitrates.I think I'm going to put a small ball of it in the tank. Towards the back. We'll see what happens.
back of the tankIts pretty solid so far. I didn't want to put it in a container if I can help it. Just another nook and cranny that crap can build up in.
I can't win. Like I posted monday night...did a 4 g change.on the 10 g tank. Tested Nitrates...still about 20. I'm fed up. The cheato is in the AC filter and the tank (pic aboce) What should I do?
API. I tested trops water.. it read 0. There is something going on. I figured after a 4 g change two dsys ago I would see a little bit of a change.
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm hoping in a few weeks they will drop and the cheato will do its thing. I ordered more snails and crabs.Saw a blimp or two of diatoms on the glass. Snails should diffuse that. I'm going to use another test for the nitrates. Just for the fact that I would like a second look at them. If the rates are so high than I don't think the clown would be so happy. I feel like I've been doing well with the tank so I'm just going to do what ylu guys said and ill keep posting. My clown for the most part is hand fed. I cut a sliver of the frozen food and put my hand on the topnkf the water and he takes nips right from my hand.
Wow!!! Is this a starfish? 
I know I know. But what do I do? should I put him in the tank?
I don't want to kill him but idk how he would do in the tank with the crabs roaming so much