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Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading in Planted tank

Discussion in 'Aquatic Plants & Planted Tanks' started by MOD_Dawn, Mar 6, 2009.

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  1. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    I have a ziplock container I keep some Prime in to soak my Purigen. I've used the same Prime to soak my Purigen bags for about 3-4 regens. I think I should change it soon. :)
     
    Anthony, Mar 10, 2009
    #61
  2. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Lmdao! I didn't think of that. Ugh.
    I use the same container--1st with the bleach...then I rinse it out really well...and then I do with the fresh water and prime.
    The container I use holds all 4 bags plus anything else I need soaked/regenerated.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 10, 2009
    #62
  3. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Unfortunately, carbon does not remove nitrates. Sry.
     
    James0816, Mar 10, 2009
    #63
  4. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    It removes dissolved inorganic waste from your water..so in essence I believe it does lower the nitrates somewhat imo.
    But I am defin. NOT a chemist, so not 100% positive.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 10, 2009
    #64
  5. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Nitrogenous waste = Nitrates doesn't it ?
     
    Anthony, Mar 10, 2009
    #65
  6. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    That's what I thought, Lol!
    And women are never wrong. J/k
    Haha!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 10, 2009
    #66
  7. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Well, I thought it was too... If it is then carbon does absorb nitrates.
     
    Anthony, Mar 10, 2009
    #67
  8. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    The carbon will "trap" some waste. However, keep this in mind....the trapped wastes will remain available for the bacteria to break down. Bacteria breaks wastes down into what.....nitrates.
     
    James0816, Mar 10, 2009
    #68
  9. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    But if it traps nitrates... They're trapped ?
     
    Anthony, Mar 10, 2009
    #69
  10. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    It isn't trapping nitrates. It traps material that bacteria can break down. Remember, nitrate is a by chemical by product of bacteria breaking down wastes.
     
    James0816, Mar 10, 2009
    #70
  11. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    according to pondfiltration.com it does...copy and paste
    Why? We use highly activated carbon as the media for our filters. This carbon preforms a process called "Ammonium Oxygenation". We eliminate the Nitrates that support an algae bloom, giving you clear healthy water. The carbon has tremendous internal pores, that over time will fill from the inside out with dying bacteria. This of course will reduce the quality of filtration. You can be determined the efficiency of your element by testing for Nitrates. If your Nitrates levels are 40-80ppm, the carbon is exhausted (other than the surface area) and should be replaced. This generally takes 12 months of continuos use.

    Costs? Don't be fooled by the term activated carbon. There are hundreds of types of carbon that have different activation methods and percentages. Example: What kind of quality do you think you get, when you buy activated from a pet store that suggests replacement after 4-6 weeks period? Costs for activated carbon correlate directly with the time required to manufacture. Our activated carbon is used for other industries, not water filtration. It takes 10 days, in a very controlled burn, to manufacture our carbon.

    Fast summing-->While the product uses carbon, there is no claim that carbon is binding nitrate. My guess is the product allows for nitrate reduction by anaerobic bacteria. There is a hint that this is the mechanism from the phrase dying bacteria.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 10, 2009
    #71
  12. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Wow...um....carbon lasting twelve months? Yeah.....um.....I'm not "feeling" the information that was supplied. [scratch]
     
    James0816, Mar 10, 2009
    #72
  13. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Here's a tid bit from a water treatment article:

    "Similar to other types of water treatment, AC filtration is effective for some contaminants and not effective for others. AC filtration does not remove microbes, sodium, nitrates, fluoride, and hardness. Lead and other heavy metals are removed only by a very specific type of AC filter. Unless the manufacturer states that its product will remove heavy metals, the consumer should assume that the AC filter is not effective in removing them."
     
    James0816, Mar 10, 2009
    #73
  14. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    The 12 months I defin. ain't buying. 6 mos at the very most...and that's really pushing it beyond if you ask me.

    Also, I used the Marineland Black Diamond Premium Activated Carbon and not the stuff listed in the article. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3599
    I was always told that harmful organics included nitrates..dunno [scratch]
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 10, 2009
    #74
  15. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Yeah I disagree that carbon removes nitrates... I have ALWAYS read that the only 2 ways to remove nitrates are water changes and plants....
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 11, 2009
    #75
  16. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    I agree with that Lemon, to remove a large amount of nitrates a water change needs to be done. From the description of the carbon it seems like it does absorb nitrate to an extent.
     
    Anthony, Mar 11, 2009
    #76
  17. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    That's what i was thinking (absorbs some)...I think the de*nitrate is doing the trick...tested the water and all readings were identical with the exception of the nitrates..their down to between the 20 and 40ppm range (trouble differentiating the colors since they are soo close in color on that one).
    Yay!

    Now the kicker is how long will it last. Tomorrow is partial water change day which i'll do at 20%-25% and is also the day to pluck the algone pack and replace.

    I'll pluck it but don't think i'll replace it since I think the de*nitrate did the trick in itself (tests will show and if necessary I can always toss a pack back in).

    Flourish will be due Friday..but I think I'll do that on Saturdays since nothing else is added on saturdays (ie. flourish excel/iron...excel will be due friday)

    As of right now I have 2 very small patches of the green spot algae (once I feel a bit better I'll be able to scrape it away with the razor scrapey attachment on the tom oscar 3-in-1 tool thingey)...and all tha twill be left is what is randomy covering the spray bar and emperor 400 intake thingey (I can deal with looking at those since their barely noticable...or the fish can/saes/bristle can pick on it).

    As for the plants..no really noticalble difference...they all still look good and healthy..the only think I noticed right away is the Limnophila ‘hippuroides’ (Limnophila hippuroides) that I bought from aquariumplants.com is turning a deep burgandyish red, Grr.. I really liked the pinky purple better. (Could be due to lighting though?). That's also happenening to any of the redder plants (deep burgandyish red..it's niceon the others).

    As far as the decor...the corydoras gang claimed the new brown logs from kens...and the bristles are trying to evict them from them (but it aint working)...looks like they bristle gang will have to take the grey double brick-like logs. Lol! The drama.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 11, 2009
    #77
  18. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    <40 is good compared to what it was ! Hopefully it will drop a bit more.
     
    Anthony, Mar 11, 2009
    #78
  19. LemonDiscus

    LemonDiscus Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    High lighting could cause red to show in plants

    Lower nitrate reading is always good!
     
    LemonDiscus, Mar 11, 2009
    #79
  20. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Thread Starter Active Member

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    Re: Green Spot Algae & High Nitrate Reading

    Yea, I'll be glad with the <40..but even lower would be better (20)!

    I know the high lighting causes the red to show more prom.
    But with that plant (requiring lighting basically like mine)..it shoulda stayed Pinkish purple? It was soo pretty when it was pinky purple and really stood out.
    Ticks me off! Ugh!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Mar 12, 2009
    #80
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