Nitrates

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Sumps are easy. All you need is an overflow box, a spare tank ( that old 55 would make an awesome sump), and a return pump. Do some searching in the " setup and filtration" section for different sump designs. Drips aren't anything more than a fresh line into the tank and a drain from the sump. As for a nitrate filter, check out SantaMonica's write up.


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man im in the same boat but it's more of my tank being over stocked than nitrates in my tap. what i can suggest is make a auto drip system? people report that their nitrate levels dont usually go over 20ppm, heavily planted tank is another way but if you have fish that will destroy plants that's not an option also not to mention the added maintenance of a planted tank. What im going to do when i get back in the black financially is make a nitrate filter. im going to coil some sprinkler tubing into a 1-1/2 pvc pipe filled with de-nitrate and run low flowing water through it to colonize some anaerobic, de nitrating bacteria.
 
frnchjeep said:
Sumps are easy. All you need is an overflow box, a spare tank ( that old 55 would make an awesome sump), and a return pump. Do some searching in the " setup and filtration" section for different sump designs. Drips aren't anything more than a fresh line into the tank and a drain from the sump. As for a nitrate filter, check out SantaMonica's write up.

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Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll try to look for her write up. As for the sump, I actually gave my 55 gallon tank to my brother so the only spare tank I have is a 10 gallon. If I am to setup a sump for a 150 gallon, how big should my sump be? Is there a DIY sump design that you can recommend to me? I've never had a sump before so I'm a little intimidated by the idea of it but if it can help me keep my water parameters in check, I wouldn't mind taking a shot at it.

anarekist said:
man im in the same boat but it's more of my tank being over stocked than nitrates in my tap. what i can suggest is make a auto drip system? people report that their nitrate levels dont usually go over 20ppm, heavily planted tank is another way but if you have fish that will destroy plants that's not an option also not to mention the added maintenance of a planted tank. What im going to do when i get back in the black financially is make a nitrate filter. im going to coil some sprinkler tubing into a 1-1/2 pvc pipe filled with de-nitrate and run low flowing water through it to colonize some anaerobic, de nitrating bacteria.
Click to expand...

I've also thought of doing a DIY nitrate filter but the conclusion most people arrived on it is that it's not very effective if you have a big tank with big, messy fish because the drip rate would have to be really slow. The maintenance for it is also a little more than most bio filters since I heard you have to add alcohol in it to keep the bacteria alive. But maybe their design isn't that effective. I would love if you keep us updated in case you decide to give this project a try!
 
alcohol? i never heard of that but that's interesting thing to consider...
i was under the impression that it worked sort of how live rock works in salt water setups. dont think those need alcohol.
 
prob meant vodka dosing. we do it in salt tanks to bring down nitrates and phosphates.
 
looking up the alcohol thing, this is a technique for salt water applications.
 
You should make a sump and add a wet/dry portion for housing good bacteria. A lot of people use bio balls but I use something called Matrix. Which is basically a extremely porous rock that had a crap load of surface area for the good bacteria to do its thing. And you never have to clean or replace it like bio balls and such.
The next portion of your sump should be a refugium a lot of people with saltwater tanks have these. Just have a good substrate for your plants and put a bunch of them in there with a light above them and they will absorb any nitrates and nutrients that get past the nitrogen fixing biological filtration (matrix). Then send it back up to the tank. I know other people said add a sump u just wanted to say us the matrix stuff instead of bio balls as you will never have to take care of it.


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