Bamboo lowers nitrates?

I find that you can submerge bamboo it doesn't hurt the plant at all.
 
I normally shy away from using sdditives wherever I can (I prefer to use the most natural method possible). But sometimes, convenience wins out.

So having said that, have you thought about using a nitrate remover like one of these:

Fluval Lab Series Nitrate Remover
Seachem De-Nitrate
Tetra EasyBalance Biological Water Conditioner

I got behind in my water changes one week and my nitrates spiked up. I had some of the Tetra EasyBalance one hand which I had bought by mistake so I tried it. It work pretty good. Brought the nitrates down to an acceptable level and they seem to have stabilized there. They have not gone back up over the last week.

You may not want to do it as a long term solution but they work in a pinch. I keep it around as part of my emergency kit.


codepath
 
fishie111 said:
I also agree on the large water change idea. I do 80+ percent water changes weekly- basically I drain as much as I can without causing the fish to have to flop over. I've had great success with this method and my fish love playing in the new water as it fills the tank.
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It's funny that you say that because my shrimp does the same thing he runs laps while the water comes in and likes swimming in the bubbles. Just goes crazy.
 
I have an interesting stock of fish. All do well together with plenty of filteration with the water paremeters perfect. Again, My goal is to get the nitrates below 20ppm. So here is my stocking... (5) Roseline Sharks, (2) Rainbows, (7) tiger barbs, (2) Ruby barbs, (4) Gold Barbs, (2) Clown Loaches, (2) Common Plecos, (3) Malawi Cichlids and (3) Zebra Danios.

In my own research, all of the de-nitrate media options out there are not effective unless you have a very low flowrate filter. Not realistic without making a lot of mods to a filter.

The reason why I have avoided larger water changes is due to my Emperor filters not starting back up. Most times it requires a break down of the filters and tickering with them to work again. Not fun!

I'll start first with some of the "easy" and inexpensive plants as suggested earlier such as a Hornwort plant. Seems simple enough. I assume, I will have to stop using SeaChem's Neutral Regulator buffer!?! I hope now Co2 is needed for any of these plants. I do not need another expense or diy projects.

Thanks again for the help!
 
I have filters like that (Eheim canisters). Turn them off/unplug before you do the WC & they won't drain out. That way you can do 75-80% WC.
 
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LOL, I love the filters but are a pain in the a$$ in that aspect. I have replaced the impellers on both which has been a huge improvement. I have not tried to do a larger water change with my Rena XP3 filter. I would hate to also reprime that each time if it looses the siphon. I'll try a larger water change and see what happens with everything Sunday evening (my best time to work on the tanks).
 
I plug all those kind of filters into a strip, so all I have to do is flip one switch to turn them off for WCs.
 
I use Rena XPs (2s, 3s and 4s) on all my tanks. If I turn them off before doing the water change they do not lose their prme.
 
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