20 Gallon Tank Lowering Nitrates?

Hello! I’ve always had an issue with high nitrates in my tanks from brown diatom algae, and I was wondering if anyone had any secret techniques to lowering it. It’s always 40ppm, but ammonia and nitrites are always 0. What worked for you?

 

The only real way to lower nitrates is a water change.
Well, plants can sometimes help.

 

Plants, water changes, and if you hate the diatoms enoughtos

 

Hello! I’ve always had an issue with high nitrates in my tanks from brown diatom algae, and I was wondering if anyone had any secret techniques to lowering it. It’s always 40ppm, but ammonia and nitrites are always 0. What worked for you?

have you tested your tap for nitrates as a start? to see what you are actually putting in tank.

 

By the way, it is not a fast solution but you can theoretically maintain lower nitrates with a bio block or other filter media that has the ability to develop anoxic zones that will host bacteria that process it.

 

have you tested your tap for nitrates as a start? to see what you are actually putting in tank.

I did a couple of months ago, and it’s 10ppm, but I can redo the test in the morning to see if it’s changed any.

 

By the way, it is not a fast solution but you can theoretically maintain lower nitrates with a bio block or other filter media that has the ability to develop anoxic zones that will host bacteria that process it.

This has been tested and yes all surfaces in a tank have BB on them but for the filter media that is made for bio growth, they work much better with water flow not just sitting in tank. personal opinion just setting filter media in tank is same as setting a plant or any surface.

By the way, it is not a fast solution but you can theoretically maintain lower nitrates with a bio block or other filter media that has the ability to develop anoxic zones that will host bacteria that process it.

PS do you clean your filter extra well? I was doing this a while back and was OVER cleaning my filter media even when in tank water and was taking away too much BB.

 

have you tested your tap for nitrates as a start? to see what you are actually putting in tank.

PS do you clean your filter extra well? I was doing this a while back and was OVER cleaning my filter media even when in tank water and was taking away too much BB.

I don’t clean my filter that much or on a consistent schedule . Only when I see that it’s dirty, and it’s mostly just the diatom algae I think. I don’t clean the bio wheel in it though.

 

I don’t clean my filter that much or on a consistent schedule . Only when I see that it’s dirty, and it’s mostly just the diatom algae I think. I don’t clean the bio wheel in it though.

how old is tank? diatom algae is usually more common in new tanks then goes away as cycle settles in.

I don’t clean my filter that much or on a consistent schedule . Only when I see that it’s dirty, and it’s mostly just the diatom algae I think. I don’t clean the bio wheel in it though.

PS diatom and all algae eat nitrate, ammonia and nitrite. plants do not ad any nitrate to water column

 

API® | NITRA-ZORB™

I haven’t personally used it, but I‘ve heard it works.

 

how old is tank? diatom algae is usually more common in new tanks then goes away as cycle settles in.

Its 7 months old.

 

how often and how much are your water changes?

 

How much water are you changing at a time, and how often are you doing water changes?

Are there any live plants in the tank?

API Nitra Zorb does work pretty well at lowering nitrates, just put it inside the filter

 

Good questions about water changes! IMO, Nitra-Zorb shouldn’t be used as a replacement for consistent water changes.

 

How much water are you changing at a time, and how often are you doing water changes?

Are there any live plants in the tank?

API Nitra Zorb does work pretty well at lowering nitrates, just put it inside the filter

I usually change around 5 gallons per week. And yes, there are two plants in the tank.

 

I usually change around 5 gallons per week. And yes, there are two plants in the tank.

How big is the tank?

 

How big is the tank?

20 gallons.

 

20 gallons.

I would do 50% every week and then maybe once a month go a little more say 65-75%

 

I would do 50% every week and then maybe once a month go a little more say 65-75%

Okay thanks so much for ur help!

 

All nitrate comes from something we put into the tank...that is usually the food we feed or nutrients we put into the substrate or ferts we inject. Brown diatoms are not net producers of nitrogen so ask yourself where the source is and simply reduce that.