Nitrate Killer!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Why don't you start using R/O if your tap 20ppm?
 
I dont have over $100 for the R/O or i would. I was thinking plants or algae would be the best to deplete this. I've heard R/O water can strip vital things out of tap water and/or put fish in an unnatural sterile environment.
 
Lava rock won't work in that concept, but Pond Matrix will! Most lava rock is closed-cell, which means water doesn't reach below the surface. For anaerobic bacteria to grow, you need to get water/nutrients to the middle of a medium that has been deoxygenated by the aerobes on the surface. That usually means the first inch or so will not be anaerobic. So very fine and large sponges, thicker biomedia that can exchange water slowly and fine sand are some examples where nutrients get through the aerobic layer and into an anaerobic layer. I like sand because it's cheap. Playsand works well and only costs about $3 per 50 pound bag. It takes a few months before there is enough mulm in the lower levels of the bed to feed the anaerobes, but it's almost 0 maintenance since you can't stir it. I have only Malaysian trumpet snails and blackworm in mine and that helps to sift mulm into the deoxygenated areas to feed the process of nitrate reduction. Do some googling on Freshwater Deep sand bed, but realize it's a lot easier than some reads make it seem. I've gotten good results in my 5g with only 1" of fine sand!
 
knifegill said:
Lava rock won't work in that concept, but Pond Matrix will! Most lava rock is closed-cell, which means water doesn't reach below the surface. For anaerobic bacteria to grow, you need to get water/nutrients to the middle of a medium that has been deoxygenated by the aerobes on the surface. That usually means the first inch or so will not be anaerobic. So very fine and large sponges, thicker biomedia that can exchange water slowly and fine sand are some examples where nutrients get through the aerobic layer and into an anaerobic layer. I like sand because it's cheap. Playsand works well and only costs about $3 per 50 pound bag. It takes a few months before there is enough mulm in the lower levels of the bed to feed the anaerobes, but it's almost 0 maintenance since you can't stir it. I have only Malaysian trumpet snails and blackworm in mine and that helps to sift mulm into the deoxygenated areas to feed the process of nitrate reduction. Do some googling on Freshwater Deep sand bed, but realize it's a lot easier than some reads make it seem. I've gotten good results in my 5g with only 1" of fine sand!
Click to expand...

Cool this makes sense, If you had a 90g and were looking to get a 180 in a year what size tank would you use for the deep sand bed? and how deep would the sand bed be? How much does this lower nitrates and if more or less effects how much nitrates get turned into nitrogen then how much would i need to make my nitrates go low or <5-10

Ive also read about the lucky bamboo nitrate killer where you set a tub of bamboo next to the tank and run tank water through it. people were geting 2.5 ppm nitrate reading?! is this better than fuge? or a matter of opinion of what plant you like?
 
Most of your questions will be variable based on how stocked the tank is. I see no reason not to use bamboo and sand together, though!

Deep sand beds are usually between 2" to 5". The anaerobic layer will begin at different depths in different grain sizes of sand, but is usually around the 1.5" mark. Below that your anaerobic microbes will grow, and the deeper the sand the more effective it will be, as long as diffusion is facilitated by sand-dwelling microorganisms like blackworm and Malaysian trumpet snail, planaria and the like. Water must be able to get through the aerobic layer to get the nitrates to the anaerobes, but here is where I have questions as well. If you didn't sift the sand on top, wouldn't the anaerobic layer just rise a little to meet the mulm? I don't know. I'm trying a critter free DSB now to find out.
 
I'd go with a HOB with pothos and bamboo. Looks awesome and helps a ton.
 
Younglin said:
I'd go with a HOB with pothos and bamboo. Looks awesome and helps a ton.
Click to expand...

i just bought some pothos from my local lowes. cost about 5 bucks, split it up to fit 3 net cups, and setup a small light. hopefully itll help with my nitrate issue (as well as me doing some big water changes the next few days, arrgh
 
I have a dozen or so Pothos clippings that I hung over the edge of my tank about two months ago. All of them have taking off with lots of roots and lots of new growth! My nitrates are less than 5ppm (the lowest discernible level on my test strips).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom