Nitrifying Bacteria

[Snowmaker]

So i have a question for all you expert reef keepers, How does one get more nitrifying bacteria??? Or increase the break down of nitrates????? I have 2 lbs per gallon of live rock and i do, do regular water changes about 20% every other week. IS there any way to add more nitrifying bacteria to an exsiting system like you can with a freshwater tank????

[Der_Iron_Chef]

You could try something like a coil denitrator. If you do a search on here, you'll find a few threads.

[Jason McK]

The natural population will tend to find an equilibrium based on available ammonia and nitrite in your system. anaerobic zones need to be established to enhance the de-Nirating bacteria. Like a coil denitrator. the best way is to set up a refugium or use a product like ZEOVit, Fauna Marine, Reef Refresh, or Elos Purist. All of those systems will create nitrate and phosphate bacteria.

J

[ron101]

Originally Posted by Snowmaker

So i have a question for all you expert reef keepers, How does one get more nitrifying bacteria??? Or increase the break down of nitrates????? I have 2 lbs per gallon of live rock and i do, do regular water changes about 20% every other week. IS there any way to add more nitrifying bacteria to an exsiting system like you can with a freshwater tank????

Not sure which you actually asking about.

Nitrifying bacteria is the type that converts ammonia to nitrite and nitrate. This is the type that is typically discussed in freshwater tanks and as already stated, will multiply to an equilibrium level with the ammonia output of the bioload. You cannot simply add more nitrifying bacteria to a system without supplying added ammonia to support them.

Denitrifying bacteria on the other hand, breaks down nitrate into nitrogen gas or nitrous oxides in the absence of oxygen (inside live rock or in deep sand beds). Generally maximum denitrification capacity in tanks is much less than maximum nitrification capacity, so we usually see a gradual buildup of nitrates. I'm guessing that this is the scenario that you are asking about...

Apart from the obvious like increased water changes, increased skimming, decreased bioload, and decreased feeding, some other ways of managing nitrate are: increasing sump/refugium/LR capacity, adding a plenum to your system, or installing a denitrification system.

[Snowmaker]

ya my tank is about two years in the running and a good amount grown in with corals (sps). Just when i test the nitrates never drop below 20ppm. Everything is fine and still getting very good growth out of corals. My next question is if everything is running good should i really be conserned??? and yes denitrifying bacteria is the one im taking about.

[Snowmaker]

Maybe Adding some more sand to my reef to create a more low oxygen areas to house denitrifying bacteria might help??????

[Snowmaker]

Any other suggestions????????????

[Static]

http://saltaquarium.about.com/librar...itratornew.htm

Here's an interesting article, explains how you need to starve your water of oxygen somehow, before the anaerobic bacteria will form and start turning nitrates into nitrogen gas. This seems like there would be less chance for detritus buildup than deep sand bed as well.

[Jason McK]

Prior to running ZEOVit in my system my Nitrates sat around 15 to 20. If everything is doing well and you are happy with the colour and growth I see no reason to do anything.
How deep is your sand now?
I'm fearful of the debates that will start with the DSB, shallow SB or Bare bottom if too many varied opinions are given on this topic
Many are now finding that the problems outweigh the solutions when running a DSB.
do you have room to add a section to your sump (if you have one) for a refugium?

[Zoaelite]

Originally Posted by ron101

Not sure which you actually asking about.

Nitrifying bacteria is the type that converts ammonia to nitrite and nitrate. This is the type that is typically discussed in freshwater tanks and as already stated, will multiply to an equilibrium level with the ammonia output of the bioload. You cannot simply add more nitrifying bacteria to a system without supplying added ammonia to support them.

Denitrifying bacteria on the other hand, breaks down nitrate into nitrogen gas or nitrous oxides in the absence of oxygen (inside live rock or in deep sand beds). Generally maximum denitrification capacity in tanks is much less than maximum nitrification capacity, so we usually see a gradual buildup of nitrates. I'm guessing that this is the scenario that you are asking about...

Apart from the obvious like increased water changes, increased skimming, decreased bioload, and decreased feeding, some other ways of managing nitrate are: increasing sump/refugium/LR capacity, adding a plenum to your system, or installing a denitrification system.

In addition to that products such as Cycle by Hagen and Stability by SeaChem do wonders in providing bacteria. The number one way of getting a large amount of bacteria in a tank is time and surface area!
Levi