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Thread: How to reduce Nitrate Level in Planted Tank

  1. #1
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    How to reduce Nitrate Level in Planted Tank

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    Dear Pals,

    I have recently set up a tank for just two weeks old and had just started to monitor the NO3 level in the tank. Not to my surprise it is at high level ppm. I can see some algae forming. Thus far, I had done water change. Does it help ?

    Kindly provide advise of other better way to reduce N03 ? Thanks

    Rdgs
    friend688

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    Using plants like hornworts or frogbits?
    Read me! :bigsmile: http://justikanz.blogspot.com/

    I'm crypt collecting... Starting cheap, now have Cryptocoryne beckettii, C.beckettii var petchii, C.crispatula var.balansae, C.griffithii(Melted! ), C.nurii, C.parva, C.pygmaea(Melted! ), C.tonkinensis(Melted! ), C.walkeri, C.wendtii 'Brown', C.wendtii 'Green', C.wendtii 'Green Gecko', C.wendtii 'Tropica' and Cryptocoryne x willisii

    Oh, juggling is hard work, man!...

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    Does major water change helps?

    JC

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    Saw something which suppose to work this way by JBL in Y618. Whether effective or not i'm not sure.

    http://www.jbl.de/uk/aqua/uk_62535.html

    The abstract from the website state

    JBL BioNitratEX works on a biological basis. The BioNitratEX bag reduces the oxygen level and the bacteria break down the nitrate in order to access the oxygen contained within. All the nutrients required for this process are contained in BioNitratEX. BioNitratEX continues to be effective in the biological break down of nitrates for months without harmful side effects and should be replaced after between 6 months and one year.

    Anyone has experience in using it ?

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    If you wan to try media, I'll recommend Seachem Matrix. http://www.seachem.com/products/prod...es/Matrix.html

    "Matrix™ is a highly porous media designed to provide exceptionally efficient biofiltration for single site removal of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate from freshwater, marine, and reef aquaria. Each liter of Matrix™ provides over 160,000 cm2 (170 sq. ft.) of surface, equivalent to over 40 L (10 gallons) of typical plastic ball media! This product is sold by volume. Cited weight is minimal weight."

    Used it 4 my marine with DSB. After putting it in, my NO3 drops. Whether is it my DSB matured or the matrix doing its work, to be honest, I also dun know.

    Cheers
    JC

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    JC,

    Thanks for the info .. looks good. But never seem to see them around. I think this is like a bio media stuff. Marine shop have ? What's the price roughly ?

    From what i know nitrate can be removed with media provided there is no oxygen inside. Hence you see that the JBL nitrate remover say the media is in a bag which is oxygen free .... don't ask me how they can do that, i was wondering too.

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    Basically, nitrates are in the water. It has to be removed by Anaerobic bacteria which will break it down to nitrogen gas by consuming the nitrates for oxygen or by water changing since nitrates are in the water in the 1st place.

    These media basically provides the ideal location for these Anaerobic bacteria to strive. In marine, there is a popular way of removing Nitrates by have a deep sand bed but I'm not sure why its not practise in planted. Probably due to the size of the gravel used in planted is too coarse and the plant's roots, the sand bed is alway been stirred up thus anerobic bacteria cannot survive there. A local marine online store is selling the 1L matrix for $18+. http://www.eaquanature.com/store/pro...roducts_id=355

    Another approach is to use a Nitratereductor filter like those from Aqua Medic. http://www.aqua-medic.de/index0.html http://www.eaquanature.com/store/pro...roducts_id=628

    "A filter for reducing the nitrate concentration in aquaria up to 400 litres. The Nitratreductor 400 is a completely sealed biological filter. It is operated at a very low flow rate so that an oxygen free environment is created wherein naturally occurring bacteria reduce nitrate to harmless nitrogen gas."

    Cheers
    JC

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    Quote Originally Posted by friend688
    Dear Pals,

    I have recently set up a tank for just two weeks old and had just started to monitor the NO3 level in the tank. Not to my surprise it is at high level ppm. I can see some algae forming. Thus far, I had done water change. Does it help ?

    Kindly provide advise of other better way to reduce N03 ? Thanks

    Rdgs
    friend688
    A large water change should reduce it way down unless the tap water is loaded with NO3 (Not more than 40ppm definitely...WHO standards).

    The algae issue is not from the NO3 unless the source is NH3/NH4.

    Regards
    Peter Gwee

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    JC,

    Thanks for the good site. Their seachem nitrate and Matrix is really good price for 1 litre

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    I remember my first reaction when i first tested my pleco tank for nitrate. I was shocked that it's above 40ppm! Didn't test for the exact amount cos anything at that level is considered no good liao.

    I do a weekly water change of 1/3 of the tank water and it still doesn't help! Even after every water change the reading's been like that and this went on for a few months. At that time I have about 4 plecos and less than a dozen other fishes in my 3ft tank.

    I then introduced some floating plants (don't know the name) to control the nitrate and it definately helped! Now i currently have 9 plecos and more than a dozen other fishes and the nitrate is 10ppm most times or 5ppm when i let the floating plants grow to cover 95% of the water surface.

    This method is cheap and effective!

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    Hi Pals,

    Found something to reduce the Nitrate for good. Wonder any local Fish shop sell ?

    Tetra Nitrate Minus details :-

    Tetra Nitrate Minus Liquid

    • Improves Water Quality
    • Helps Control Algae
    • Easy to use


    NitrateMinus keeps nitrate levels in your aquarium low It improves the water quality long-term and helps control algae, thus reducing additional maintenance work and helping to keep your aquarium in top condition
    As nitrate, one of the major nutrients of algae, is removed, algae growth is also reduced
    NitrateMinus has a stabilising effect on KH and pH - if used with existing high levels of nitrate or other products that stabilise carbonate hardness, KH levels may increase
    Reliably reduces nitrates, decreases algae nutrients, improves water quality, and a completely biological process.

    The new liquid formula is highly efficient and easy to use

    For all freshwater and saltwater aquariums

    Use weekly to control nitrates

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    Go natural. Try to use less chemicals. Not too good and waste money too... The best way to control excess nitrates is

    1) Water changes. That's what the running river/rain water does in nature. The old tank water can be used to water house plants.
    2) Keep a healthy substrate. Some of the beneficial bacterial in the deeper parts of the substrate will convert nitrates to nitrogen. But your substrate must be healthy to prevent the production of hydrogen sulphide gas.
    3) Change the food type. Switch to food that contains or produces less nitrates after digestion.
    4) Feed sparingly. Can also prevent overfeeding problems.
    5) Plant heavily. Some plants are good nitrate absorbers. Floating plants and fast growing plants are good, such as frogbits, hornworts, Hygrophila spp. etc...

    My 2 cents.
    Read me! :bigsmile: http://justikanz.blogspot.com/

    I'm crypt collecting... Starting cheap, now have Cryptocoryne beckettii, C.beckettii var petchii, C.crispatula var.balansae, C.griffithii(Melted! ), C.nurii, C.parva, C.pygmaea(Melted! ), C.tonkinensis(Melted! ), C.walkeri, C.wendtii 'Brown', C.wendtii 'Green', C.wendtii 'Green Gecko', C.wendtii 'Tropica' and Cryptocoryne x willisii

    Oh, juggling is hard work, man!...

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    Having balanced fertilisation regime helps as well.
    Ensure the tank got enought P (from KH2PO4) and K (eg. from K2SO4) helps as well.
    koah fong
    Juggler's tanks

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    Talking

    Quote Originally Posted by juggler
    Having balanced fertilisation regime helps as well.
    Ensure the tank got enought P (from KH2PO4) and K (eg. from K2SO4) helps as well.

    Hi there,

    Check with you...... Can P lower the nitrate level ?

    Rdgs
    friend688
    Last edited by benny; 22nd Dec 2005 at 11:24.

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    P by itself doesn't lower the nitrate level. plants need NPK. so if there is enuff P and K, the plants will then utilise the N in the water betta, thereby indirectly lowering the nitrate level.

    that is wat juggler is trying to put across by having a balanced fertilising regime.
    ~ Vincent ~ Fishes calm your mind...
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    Hi Valice,

    I have HPC brand Potassium Nitrate and the HPC multi-chem. Do they help ?
    Don't seem to help and will get Algae.

    Rdgs
    JTam

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    Quote Originally Posted by friend688
    Hi Valice,

    I have HPC brand Potassium Nitrate and the HPC multi-chem. Do they help ?
    Don't seem to help and will get Algae.

    Rdgs
    JTam
    If you're introducing Potassium Nitrate in to your water, you'll increasing the Nitrate levels. Suggest Potassium Phosphate instead.
    Cheers!!

    Sherwin Choo
    [email protected]

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    Quote Originally Posted by Justikanz
    Go natural. Try to use less chemicals. Not too good and waste money too... The best way to control excess nitrates is

    2) Keep a healthy substrate. Some of the beneficial bacterial in the deeper

    My 2 cents.
    Hi,

    Care to share how we do this?

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    The easiest would be to use a thick substrate (~3 or more") and plant heavily. The roots will keep the substrate healthy.

    The next method is a little controversial... We can also adopt the marine plenum method, where a plastic egg crate (or undergravel plate) be placed on the tank bottom and the substrate on it. The substrate can be thinner than the above method.

    The nitrate consuming bacterial will grow in the deeper parts of the substrate and use the oxygen in the nitrate molecule, breaking it down to release nitrogen gas.
    Read me! :bigsmile: http://justikanz.blogspot.com/

    I'm crypt collecting... Starting cheap, now have Cryptocoryne beckettii, C.beckettii var petchii, C.crispatula var.balansae, C.griffithii(Melted! ), C.nurii, C.parva, C.pygmaea(Melted! ), C.tonkinensis(Melted! ), C.walkeri, C.wendtii 'Brown', C.wendtii 'Green', C.wendtii 'Green Gecko', C.wendtii 'Tropica' and Cryptocoryne x willisii

    Oh, juggling is hard work, man!...

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