Nitrate Control / water changers

[PhishPhreek]

Acording to this artical, You should maintain your Nitrate levels below some level, depending on your fish & setup.
(between 20 - 100 ppm)

http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/Articles/TonyGriffitts/Water_Changes.htm

So what is your fish & setup and what do you consider the max Nitrate level ?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Nitrate Control / water changers

Tropheus....125 and 135g- twice weekly water changes of 50% or greater....minimal mechanical media to limit how much trapped detritus not caught by the python. About 20x turnover rate to keep waste settled into a small pile where there isn not a great amount of flow to make it easier to siphon out.
Most waste is settled in sump which is easliy siphoned out.

Target nitrate ppm 10-20ppms. Which get close to 40ppms at the end of the week if second water change is skipped.

12g reef heavily stocked...- 10-20% water change twice weekly. Macro algae refugium to soak up any phosphates/nitrates along with a 70g skimmer which is set to skim a little wet to aid in removal of waste before it becomes added strain on nitrates.

Target ppm's of nitrate....undetectable by test kit.  

Planted tanks....well they are planted tanks and I won't have one without super high light and with super high light the plants absorb any and every nutrient there is available.

Target ppm's of nitrate......very difficult to get it detectable which I dose for.




Something to keep in mind.....really high nitrates will not kill fish immediately but will weaken them. Also the drastic drop in nitrates from really high levels will stress the fish out badly just as with any drastic change in parameters so if you're up there gradually lower it.

Also there is lots of alk about using sugar to boost beneficial bacteria into anerobic which will consume nitrates but that is with sw/reef and when I have time I plan to test it with fresh.

Another option is to use a de-nitrafier.

[Tabeguache]

Re: Nitrate Control / water changers

I have 2 small community aquariums (see fish types in my signature).  I try to keep nitrates below 20 ppm...guess I read that somewhere, not sure where though.

The most interesting part of that article was the instruction NOT to vacuum the gravel.  There was a link at the bottom for further info on gravel vacuuming.  Everything else I read says to push the gravel vacuum into the gravel and pull out all the nastiness that has accumulated.  I'm gonna keep doing it unless I hear otherwise from those of you with more experience.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Nitrate Control / water changers

I would definitely gravel vac if you have coarse substrate since detritus can settle and will fuel the nitrates!