Nitrate removal

[eddie]

It is my understanding a DSB will lower the nitrate level in an aquarium. How long does it take for a newly set up DSB to get to this point of converting nitrates?

[Chip]

It all depends on what you start your DSB with. I would try to swap a cup or so out of some other people's aquariums that are well estblished and that will help significantly. Or you can order some garf grunge from www.garf.org and that will help to speed up the process.

[GaryP]

Here you go....

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm

Gary

[Ram_Puppy]

look at gary whippin out the all powerful wetwebmedia links! :) Calfo and Fenner, we honor thee. :)

[GaryP]

Hopefully, before long I'll be able to tell everyone to go to the MAAST library and look it up for themselves.

Gary

[NaCl_H2O]

Hopefully, before long I'll be able to tell everyone to go to the MAAST library and look it up for themselves.

Gary

Imagine that. Gary telling someone where to go, and what to do when they get there ;)

[eddie]

I am still in deep thought? :? With live sand, does it take approximately 1, 4, 12 months to get the nitrates lowered with DSB?

[GaryP]

Probably 6 months to get to the point where it is functional, a year until it is fully mature.

Its going to start working as soon as you get it in place and seeded. Its just going to depend on the amount of load you put on it. By that I mean how much waste its going to handle. Remember also that there are other sources of detrification in a typical reef system such as live rock. The same bugs that live in the DSB are also present in the low oxygen areas in the pores of LR.

Its not a question of how soon a DSB starts to work, rather of how soon at what efficiency level. That's why you shouldn't start stocking less water quality sensitive corals until your system has been running for at least 6 months (some softies) and not stocking the more water quality sensitive corals (SPS) until one year.

Unfortunately we have a tendency to put some of the most nitrate sensitive creatures (snails) in a tank first.

Gary

[Ram_Puppy]

point being, you should stock slowly, allowing your tank to mature with each addition.

[GaryP]

Didn't I say that? :)

Gary

[dan]

ya and don't add a lot of thing at once. he! he! he! :-D :-D :-D

[eddie]

Thanks and Merry Christmas to all