Thread: Nitrate!
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Old December 20th 06, 07:31 PM posted to rec.aquaria.marine.reefs
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Default Nitrate!

KurtG wrote:

I have an anemone that didn't look so hot, so I finally sat down with a
notebook and started working through my jr. chemistry set.

Arg! Eye popping levels of nitrate! I only had ten gallons of water
mixed up, so exchanged that. And, I put the fish on a crash diet. I've
only had the protein skimmer running for 72 hrs, but that should help.

All my other levels are normal except for Ca+ which is 600ppm.

I'll continue doing water changes as soon as the salt water gets 24 hrs
to stand.

Anything else I can do? (Remember: I'm a newbie.)

--Kurt


Best thing for Nitrates is macro algae. They will absorb it (it's a
fertilizer)

If you have a lit sump or refugium, put some Chaetomorpha or Calurpa in
it (Calerpa pulls the niates down faster, IME)

Or you can stick either straight in your tank if you have no sump or
fuge. Problem is your livestock may munch on it (less so with the caheto
than the calerpa, but I have seen tangs munch on chaeto...)