Nitrate reactor

[DGabbs]

Hi,

Any body know if this thing will work/help with my 25 gallon brackish tank?

http://www.aquacave.com/Nitrate-Reductor-400-up-to-150-gal-by-AquaMedic-P383C83.aspx

Seems a little too good to be true (why wouldn't filter media bacteria do the same job).

But if anyone has any success that they would like to share, this would make life a bit easier and cheaper!

Thanks

[bertie 83]

Yep it is too good to be true. Nitrate is only one pollutant there are many others we cannot test for

[J-P]

it is possible. I have never seen that before but if you are willing to give it a go and write a review we're behind you.

Most nitrate reduction systems I have seen are based on vodka dosing or anaerobic bacteria culture. There are other ways to accomplish this (including macro algae and veggie filters), but rarely is a new device introduced.

For the price point, I'd give it a try and see what it can do.

[DGabbs]

I heard that it is posible for it to work if you tweak the flow rate perfectly... I heard that having plants like java fern can also help with nitrates.

If i do buy one, i will defiantly do testing and a review and post it here.

[Terrance]

I didn't like this part: "The Deniballs filter media is a carbon “food” source for these bacteria and they should be replaced annually."

[puffykid]

Did a little research on Nitrate reactors, and the general idea is suppose to be correct. However it appears that the most efficient ones are the coil variety that can actually slow the water down enough for oxygen to be at the low enough level for anaerobic growth.

Also read about how some people feel they arent that useful because it is only testing for 1 aspect of quality in the tank, and its the one that tells you when you should do a wc because we can't test for other things such as trace elements, or total dissolved solid but only ammonia, nitrates, nitrites. I'm not telling you not to buy one, as I would be happy to read about what your thoughts are on it after you own it for a while. Thats if you decide to get it.

[Terrance]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I haven't tested my water parameters ever since each of my tanks were stable. As long the I don't overstock, do at least 50% pwc, and inspect the cleanliness of each part of the entire system once a week, then I know my water quality will be good. I test parameters once every 1-2 months since it gets really tedious to test for the same result every week.

Its nice to reduce the nitrAtes in between the water changes, but plants can be used more efficiently. The faster growth plants will soak up more up DOCs and nitrAtes, but requires more in operating cost and weekly maintenance.

These are the little things we do to keep better water quality in between water changes.

[DGabbs]

The reason i would get the nitrate reductor is to put off water changes to say, every other week. I have had FW tanks for over 12 years, and only do max 30% water changes per week. Then again i test every week, so i usually base water changes on nitrate levels.

50% weekly water changes is a lot! That gets quite expensive especially in higher end brackish water. If you could somehow control the flow of this nitrate deductor, i think it could be a bit of a time saver.

I thought that anaerobic bacteria converted nitrates to nitrogen gas that is released from your system into the air?

[DGabbs]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AQUARIPURE-NITRATE-FILTER-SMALL-DENITRATOR-/220545745281?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33598d0181#ht_1211wt_1215

This one could be better...

[bertie 83]

I think we need rtr to jump in on this and explain it thoroughly lol

[DGabbs]

The by product of these anaerobic nitrate filters is nitrogen gas that is released into the air. So I'm pretty sure that its safe and doesn't release anything else into the tank like some of the sulfur filters.

Lets see what RTR has to say.

[Terrance]

I think we need rtr to jump in on this and explain it thoroughly lol

I just found the first time he explained it to me: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=28682

DGabbs, read RTR's first post on the above thread. Its good to have low nitrAte, but its just one pollutant out of hundreds that we can't measure with hobby test kits. Keep doing weekly water changes to keep water clean.

In overstocked tanks (such as the common cichlid tanks) needs nitrAte readings not to be skewed by plants or nitrAte reactor. Whether they know this or not, but its the measurement that helps them know when and how much water to change during a single week.

[DGabbs]

Fair points, but if the nitrate reductor is basically exchanging nitrates for nitrogen gas which is being released, then that is the end of that chain of pollutants. Obviously that chain of pollutants cant be destroyed, as it continues to occur in the air afterwards, but at least its not in your tank anymore. I'm not going to buy this and think that its a ticket to doing a water change every 2 months, but maybe it can make it so that water changes are only needed every second or third week.

I understand that there are other pollutants in the water that can't be tested in our master kits, but those are likely from the water source that you use to fill the tank with. Ammonia >nitrite>nitrate>hopefully nitrogen gas. What other pollutants would occur in a fish tank naturally?

I'm not trying to be difficult at all here, just getting myself and everyone thinking.

[Terrance]

For visual purposes:
Have you ever seen a saltwater tank with a skimmer? Those tanks try to minimize the water changes needed in a month. If you search online for an image or video of a skimmer that needs to be emptied, then you can see some (not all) of the other waste that was in the water. Its pretty gross to me.

[DGabbs]

Ya, but from what i understand that is just protein that will eventually be converted to ammonia. Is that right?