KurtG wrote:

Don't the live rock and sand cycle out nitrate as well? I don't know
how much, but I'm hoping small water changes will take the edge off
until the protein skimmer & bacteria can do their job done.

That claim was made in another thread, but I've not seen this in my tank.
Nitrates do get pulled out by plant matter, which is why many people keep
mangroves in a refugium.

George Patterson
Forgive your enemies. But always remember who they are.