will haviong more rock in the tank help to bring down nitrates

Yes.

how???

jmm

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Remember Fish are alive when we get them, lets keep it that way!!!

To elaborate on Ninong's "Yes" [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img], anything you add to the tank that will increase the area of anerobic(no oxygen)areas will decrease the amount of Nitrates in your tank. Nitrates can either be absorbed (through plants and algal species(note this doesn't remove nitrates, it just absorbs them into plant/algal tissues)) or consumed by bacteria and released as nitrogen gas. The bacteria only consume nitrates in Anerobic conditions, such as in the middle of the rocks, or in a deep sand bed.

Originally posted by jmick01:
how???

jmm

Hi JMM ~

Are you experiencing nitrate readings right now with your wet/dry filter? I assume it still has bio-balls? (P.S. - I was assuming you had a reef tank but it looks like you have a fish-only, right???)

Ninong [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

no i do have corals in the tank musroms polips and lethers thay are all doing fine but the nitrats are alway between 15-20 i keep fish in the tank also and dont have the amount of rocks that are nesasary to do the work of biobals

If it stays less than 20 than I wouldn't be worried. Do you have any inverts? If I am thinking right nitrate is the hardest on them. If everyone in the tank appears fine then most likely all is ok. How often do you make water changes? How much do you do?
SHOG [img]/ubb/eyemouth.gif[/img]

Neal ~

Once you get some more live rock in your tank you will have to start removing the bio-balls from the wet/dry filter or the nitrates will not come down. Nitrate readings of 20ppm are not good for a reef tank.

Ninong [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

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Irrational Exuberance!

nitrates are tricky.. i had the worst alge in the world couldnt figure out why i testes and it was always way low...well on a fish aquaruim it was low but for a reef it sucked. bought a low level nitrate tester found my problem.

i can now say after a new skimmer and waterchanges.
nirtate is undetectable to my testers.

Neal359,

Adding more live rock and removing your bio-balls is a good first step.

But a DSB, there’s the ticket… much more efficient at nitrate processing that live rock.

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

Can't a DSB lead to detritus and related problems?

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"Why is the carpet soaked WAY over here?? ...oh no!"

Originally posted by t0adman:
Can't a DSB lead to detritus and related problems?

Suggested reading: http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/a.../1/default.asp http://sites.netscape.net/douglxyzzy/sandbed16.html http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog...ek_090698.html http://www.reefs.org/library/article/r_shimek4.html

Ninong [img]/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]


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Irrational Exuberance!