Instant Ocean Additives

I know you want to do WC every couple of days but its not helping your system to keep changing the water out that much, if needed setup a QT for the fish until your system comes back to normal, 2nd try and figure out whats causing it and then you can bring the nitrate down safely. I was in your same shoes and was doing WC every other day and using chemicals and the prob still persisted, then I found out what was causing it and bam like magic over 5 days it stabilized and system returned to normal.

 

slow down on those WC's.

These are basically bottles of bacteria. The problem with them is that you get stuck in this loop of having to add the bacteria. For ever.


You got your nitrates down to 20. At this point, just give it time. It will take a while for your tanks bacteria colonies to equalize the tank. I would not add any live stock until that happens.

Once it does happen, the colonies will be very strong and should be able to handle everything on their own.

Patience is what you need to add at this point IMO. Just wait it out.

EDIT: i mean the nitrate reducer is a bottle of bacteria. the other is a very poor way of dosing elements. I'd advise against both products. That second one is similar to purple-up. Both are a waste of money.

 

I tried everything to keep the nitrates down in my tank, the fuge worked for phosphates great but then my pump failed and ended up with a small flood, my nitrates were super high, in the red high even after huge water changes. I came across the instant ocean nat nit red in the lfs the other day and decided to try it. Dosed two sundays ago and last sunday again and check my nitrates on two days ago and I could not believe my eyes to see yellow, I had this result on 2 tanks and have heard the same great success from anyone else I know that gave it a shot. Miracle product IMO. Now...to do something about these phosphates now that my fuge is gone.

 

Good for you....I'm glad you got them down. Make sure you find the source and correct it or you will always have nitrate/phosphate issues.
Use RO/DI water....do regular water changes...add fuge if you can!!!

I never did use the additives, I just did water changes and got it below 5 its almost 0 now.

I also put a fuge in with chaeto and mangroves so that helps too.

I still have the IO stuff sitting on a shelf unused....

 

A water change is a sure fire way to bring down the nitrates in your tank but, understanding why you have elevated nitrates is very important. Keeping excess nutrients out of the aquarium water is one key element in reducing your NO3. As you may know, dirty bio media become a nitrate factory, most people don't use any additional bio media besides live rock in their tanks. There are many other things that can add excess nutrients into your tank like some commercial foods which may contain undesirable things like nitrates, phosphates etc and overfeeding the tank is also another factor. Using , RO/DI water, a high quality salt with no NO3, phosphates etc like Tropic Marin or similar good quality salt should really help too. You may also want to have your LFS retest your water to be sure that you are getting accurate results

 

You guy could also try the nb bio pellets, run them in a reactor or something that has lots of flow, and keepyhem loose. Took my nitrates and phophates on my two year old system down to zero in three weeks. And they will keep the numbers there. My system is a heavily stocked 75gal, used about 500ml of pellets and the last a very long time...

 

TJSlayer....where did you get those pellets? Can you tell us the exact name and brand or give a link to them. I would like to read up on them.
Thanks!

 

I bought them up in Canada but they are available all over the place. Pretty impressed with them as is everyone that I know that has been using them.

Several threads about the m everywhere...
http://www.3reef.com/forums/water-chemistry/solid-vodka-75246.html

O.C.'s Pellet questions and answers! - Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board

NP BIO Pellets - SaskReef.ca Forums

But do some reading on them I think they are a great addition to the maintence regiem, easy too!