Nitrate!!

[Aliasger]

Hi everyone!!

We all have read about nitrates, its reduction, toxicity to reef in some ways etc etc. But alot of people have different views for nitrates:
1) Some say, it should be kept less then 10 or 15ppm.
2) Some say below 10-15ppm their reef doesn’t survive.
3) Some say keeping nitrates at high levels doesn’t really affect the fish (30-50ppm)
4) Some say it results in algal bloom.

My question is, if nitrates are consumed either by micro or macro algae and converted to free nitrogen then why do we do water changes?
The main reason as i have read from all the forums is that water changes help in reviving the nutrients and keeping the NO3 levels low so that fish don’t get stress. But if algal bloom is yet to release the nitrogen why do we do water changes?

Also, are there any articles where in people have done some serious works on nitrates and its ill effects on fish?

Kindly share your views thank you!

 

[Retro Reefer]

Water changes are not done to specificity remove nitrates, it’s to also remove other waste from your tank such a detritus and replenish elements lost or depleted in your reefs existing water.

 

[BluTang85]

Water changes are not done to specificity remove nitrates, it’s to also remove other waste from your tank such a detritus and replenish elements lost or depleted in your reefs existing water.

Perfectly said.

 

[Aliasger]

O

Water changes are not done to specificity remove nitrates, it’s to also remove other waste from your tank such a detritus and replenish elements lost or depleted in your reefs existing water.

Ok agreed!! Detritus and to replenish elements lost in reef.. perfect, but imagine:

1) if it is not reef only Fish, or
2) there are elements from variety of companies selling for reef. So why?? If we are putting these elements in the tank then there is not point of saying that water changes are done to replenish the lost elements.

I am sorry but i am not arguing just want to clarify these things. There are 1000 people on youtube running there own channel with there own ideas. But we still don’t have a particular article about these things.

 

[Retro Reefer]

O


Ok agreed!! Detritus and to replenish elements lost in reef.. perfect, but imagine:

1) if it is not reef only Fish, or
2) there are elements from variety of companies selling for reef. So why?? If we are putting these elements in the tank then there is not point of saying that water changes are done to replenish the lost elements.

I am sorry but i am not arguing just want to clarify these things. There are 1000 people on youtube running there own channel with there own ideas. But we still don’t have a particular article about these things.

There are a million ways to run a reef, yes you can skip water changes and purchase elements to replace what is lost however that will require a large investment in a multitude of additives, dosing pumps and quality testing equipment, IMO it adds a huge amount of time, complexity and unnecessary cost.. Not sure about you but I have no desire spending countless hours every month chasing numbers and tweaking dosers trying to maintain desired element levels. I will stick to what has worked for me for 30+ years, a simple 15 minute water change every few weeks and I'll spend the rest of my time enjoying my reef

 

[Aliasger]

There are a million ways to run a reef, yes you can skip water changes and purchase elements to replace what is lost however that will require a large investment in a multitude of additives, dosing pumps and quality testing equipment, IMO it adds a huge amount of time, complexity and unnecessary cost.. Not sure about you but I have no desire spending countless hours every month chasing numbers and tweaking dosers trying to maintain desired element levels. I will stick to what has worked for me for 30+ years, a simple 15 minute water change every few weeks and I'll spend the rest of my time enjoying my reef

That’s what i was looking!!! Thanks for the answer!!!

 

[redpine42]

I'm new to this whole reefing thing and it's hard to tell what notions are science and what are urban legend.

Good question!

 

[Aliasger]

Has anybody tried putting live rocks in a wet and dry filter?? I am just thinking of doing some experiment with my wet and dry trickle filter chamber. I have lots of bioballs and have such chambers so i was thinking of doing this experiment. Has anyone tried before. The chamber will house live rocks which will not be submerged completely in the water. But the water will trickle continously. What you think???