Kedar wrote:
Can something else be grown in an aquarium just to absorb the nutrients
from the water ..like bamboo, wheat grass, anything which grows roots
fast enough to absorb some nutrients .. i may be thinking loud here but
the general idea is without planting anything in the aquarium is there
a easy way to remove nitrates apart from 20 % weekly water change.

Thanks
Kedar

Plants are one of the best ways of controlling nitrates in freshwater
aquaria.
But you do not seem to want to go in this direction.
A thicker layer of coarse gravel utilizing a "void space" called a
plenum is often used for Nitrate removal can be used in freshwater
aquariums. These are not to be confused with under gravel filters.
Another thought is prevention; Besides water changes, make sure you do
not have a build up of organic "mulm" in your gravel or even filter. I
have seen many a customers aquarium where nitrates are a problem where
they have large organic build up in there canister filter, wet dry
filter or gravel. A common mistake of persons with canister filters or
wet dry filters is to assume because of their large capacity to not
rinse the media often enough.
When you do change water try and vacuum in areas of any organic build
up .

Another way to prevent nitrates is thru proper feeding; Do Not over
feed and just as important, feed quality fish foods with quality
proteins made up of amino acids from easily digestible sources such as
white fish meal and vegetable sources such as spirulina algae. For
flake foods I prefer Omega, HBH, Ocean Nutrition, & Spirulina 20.

For more information about the nitrogen cycle:
http://aquarium-nitrogen-cycle.blogspot.com/

Carl