Best DIY nitrate 'filter'?

[Kaiden]

What would you consider a more efficient method of reducing nitrates?

1. Algae Turf Scrubber (Like SantaMonica's 'Mega Powerful Nitrate and Phosphate Remover' thread)
2. Refugium/Plant Sump (combination of aquatic and terrestrial plants)

I'm not really looking to replace/eliminate water changes. I'm just looking for a way to bring down my nitrate levels.

Lately, I've noticed that my tap nitrate levels has increased from 20ppm to 40ppm. So even if I do a weekly 50% water change, my nitrate levels are still quite high at 80ppm. This is going to be the first DIY filter I'm making so those two are the only ones I listed there because they seem simple enough for me to undertake without messing up too much (I hope). I'm running 2 canisters and 2 HOBs on my tank which is a 150 gallon - freshwater setup. Ammonia and nitrites are always 0. It's just really the nitrate that I can't seem to control.

For those who have tried either/both option A or B, can you please give me some feedback on what are the pros and cons of it?

Thanks in advance and I really appreciate all the help/information this forum has given me.

 

[anarekist]

i just bough a gallon of de-nitrate. im gona take a 4-5 foot long 1-1/2 inch pvc tube, coil some sprinker tubes inside then fill it with the de-nitrate, then drilling some holes and attaching some brass barbs for inlets and outlets, cap the ends of the pvc and use a desktop fountian pump to run water through it. hopefully it works.

 

[duanes]

Your test may be off, the MCL in the US for finished water from a water supplier is 10ppm.
If NY is like WI, the water provider would have to put out an alert, and be fined for 40 ppm.
Babies under 2 yrs of age can get methymoglobenimia (blue baby syndrome)and die from 40ppm nitrates.

 

[Kaiden]

@anarekist: Are you planning on doing a denitrator? If you are, can you please keep me updated on how it works for you? That's another thing that I've considered doing but the last group of people that have attempted it didn't have much success.

@duanes: Aside from the API freshwater liquid test kit, are there any other test kit you can recommend to me? I just bought another test kit 6 months ago because I thought my first one was bad already. That was bought a year and half ago. Both came up with the same results though. I'm really puzzled too because I'm sure it would be in the news if the water has that much nitrates. Like you said, it's harmful to babies. I've only tested my tap from the basement sink though cause that's where I hook my water changer. Is it possible that the high nitrate readings is coming from the pipes? I'll try to test my tap from the kitchen faucet tomorrow to get a better idea on my water levels.

Thanks to both of you for your input. I hope others would chime in.
I'm really looking forward to finding an efficient way to battle high nitrates.

 

[00rollins]

Purigen from seachem is the best and rechargeable, fluidized bed works wonders with it, you can you tube a dyi fluidized bed, I got one rated to 400 gal on cl for $20, any pump

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[Kaiden]

@00rollins: Sorry for the silly question, but how does fluidized bed exactly work? This is the first time I've heard of it. I did some quick search about it but nothing really solid to explain the concept. Also, someone mentioned that instead of DIY'ing it, it's better to just buy it since it's cheap. Is it similar to a Phosban Reactor? How difficult is it to setup and maintain?

And am I correct to assume that I have to put the Purigen in the Fluidized Bed instead of using sand (as most people seem to use)?

 

[Kaiden]

Just wanted to post some pics of the nitrate test I just did. This is just the 6th day since I did my last water change.

Tap water test (Nitrate between 20ppm-40ppm)


Tank water test (More than 80ppm but less than 160pm)


Side by side comparison


As you can see, this is the reason why I'm desperate about my nitrate readings. I've never had a nitrate reading below 40ppm. It's very frustrating especially when you try your best to keep up with your water maintenance.

 

[00rollins]

@00rollins: Sorry for the silly question, but how does fluidized bed exactly work? This is the first time I've heard of it. I did some quick search about it but nothing really solid to explain the concept. Also, someone mentioned that instead of DIY'ing it, it's better to just buy it since it's cheap. Is it similar to a Phosban Reactor? How difficult is it to setup and maintain?

And am I correct to assume that I have to put the Purigen in the Fluidized Bed instead of using sand (as most people seem to use)?

Sorry i missread the question and thought it was a nitrite issue
Either way it is still good but any bio filter will remove nitrates, first use sechem prime to remove the nitrates from the tap water, then do a water change, next add a good bio filter unless your hob has bio wheels it wont really cut it for a 150. Add a canister or check the great dyi wet dry link on the borrom of this post, the plants will help but not much.
Beneficial bactiria will turn the nitrates to nitrites, water change to remove the nitrites

Just for the info but you probably dont need this, I use it for a fully stocked tank
Fluidized bed
You can put anything in it, best with chem like charcoal or for what you r lookin to do purigen, sand will act as bio, to remove nitrites you must change water or use the purigen, to I like the fluidized bed because it is effective but you can add it to any filter, this is the one I bought with discription

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An awsome dyi wetdry, is http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=F0nAIuMMxUI

 

[golcondorus]

Plants make a pretty nice nitrate filter, if you have AC 110s you can easily grow pothos out of the back of the filter, I've been able to reduce my nitrates by 50 percent on average just with that alone. It's simple and easy, and it costs like 5 bucks


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[ultimatejay]

Sorry i missread the question and thought it was a nitrite issue
Either way tis is still good but any bio filter will remove nitrates, or water change no chem needed. How big is the tank, stock, and maintenance scheduale, how do you do water changes, are the nitrates in the tank or tap water you want to add, if tap water use prime,
Beneficial bactiria will turn the nitrates to nitrites


For nitrite and or nitrate removal to reduce the load on the bio filter heres the info on the fb just to add,
You can put anything in it, best with chem like charcoal or for what you r lookin to do purigen, sand will act as bio, to remove nitrites you must change water or use the purigen, to I like the fluidized bed because it is effective but you can add it to any filter, this is the one I bought with discription
View attachment 777025
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An awsome dyi wetdry, is http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=F0nAIuMMxUI

Fluidized bed filters will not remove nitrates. They are just bio filters. You need to do water changes to remove nitrates and or add live plants/algae scrubber


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