AZ-NO3 Absoluze Zero Nitrates

[pharris]

Hi all

Firstly sorry if this is in the section, perhapse the Mods could move it if it is.

Has anyone used the product AZ-NO3, Absolute Zero Nitrate Remover.

Did you find it worked or is it just another bottle of rubbish sold in the Aquarium Trade.

In the UK it is rediculasly expensive at about $50 a bottle so I obviouly I would like to know it works before I waste more money on magic potions that dont actualy work.

One other question there is no mention on the bottle as to what you do regarding water changes when using this product. Do you stop during to dosage period or carry on as normal.

Thanks

Paul

[Ninong]

I have heard of that product but I have never used it. Looks like it's only $19.00 over here according to this vendor.

If you decide to try it, I suggest that you start out with no more than half the recommended dosage for the first week or ten days. That's because I have read a few posts by people who lost some fish due to bacterial blooms that drastically lowered the oxygen content in their water. I found the following warning on that vendor's site: "Watch your ORP while using this product and increase aeration if there is a need."

The posts that I have read all seem to say that the product does have the effect of lowering nitrates but a few people did say that there were some other undesirable side effects, including loss of some fish, so I would go slow if I were you. Personally I have no interest in using it but that's assuming you want to use it. If you do, just go slow.

Or you could try adding vodka to your tank. That's pretty much the same principle. Some people add vodka as a carbon source for bacteria. With vodka, the carbon source is ethanol. The AZ-NO3 product contains cozymase, which is often used as a bacterial culture medium. Here is what the manufacturer says it is. Basically what they're saying is that their product is designed to stimulate the growth of bacteria.

My thinking is that you shouldn't need any of these products. All they do is treat a symptom. They don't cure the cause of the symptom. Better to figure out why you have high nitrates and deal with the problem naturally. In a balanced reef system, the live rock and sand bed are more than capable of maintaining extremely low nitrate levels without dosing food for bacteria to create artificial bacterial spikes.