# volcanic rock for nitrate



## chadngeorgia (May 22, 2009)

i was reading about all the things and steps you can use for nitrate. and one of the options was a volcanic rock. i just want to know if using this rock can help with nitrate. my nitrate level is high due to my high nitrate tap water. i even made a nitrate reactor out of pvc filled with nitrate removal. the nitrate has gone down. but not completely. i also made a kind of refugium that i connected to my current wet/dry.i filled it with java moss and a light. i waitin to see how this works. everyone keeps telling me dont worry about it, if its not killing the fish. im not loosing fish. but i know they are stressed. i know im being anal about it. i just want the best quality water for my fish. im thinking about just connecting a r/o unit to my tank if the plants do not work. what do you think friends
i have a 265gal with 200 african cichlids


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

How high is the nitrate level of the tank? Java moss is a poor choice as a nitrate scavenger,as it grows so slowly. hornwort would be a much better choice.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think live rock is a nitrate remover for salt water tanks because of the creatures that live in it. But I don't think volcanic rock alone does anything except scrape up your fish, LOL.

Plants work...I actually have to add nitrate. Vallisneria was best for me. I did not try hornwort.


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## chadngeorgia (May 22, 2009)

ok thanks. i will see if the plants do the job.


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## rileyrk190 (Jul 6, 2009)

I had lava rock in my 55g tank and after a while the bacteria that the lava rock was able to harbor brought my nitrates down to almost 0.


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## chadngeorgia (May 22, 2009)

but why doesnt the bio balls do the same thing the lava rock does. its it because its a rock


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

chadngeorgia said:


> but why doesnt the bio balls do the same thing the lava rock does. its it because its a rock


Lava rock might became a nitrate eater if the holes and water flow allow for low o2 zones to form. Bacteria will grow in low flow areas that can eat nitrate. As you can imagine, it is easy to set up the rock and end up with now low flow areas. If one does that, no nitrate eating bacteria get established. Bioballs do not create low o2 areas at all.


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## chadngeorgia (May 22, 2009)

so do i replace bioballs with lava rock or do i add the lava rock with the bioballs.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

*chadngeorgia*
IME, small bits of lava rock will not produce the de-nitrification that you are hoping for. Larger chunks in a sump will. You could pull out the bioballs and anything in the sump and add your lava rock, or you might want to go for an algae scrubber.

Google algae scrubber and see if that wouldn't be more interesting! :thumb:


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## jzdanows (Jun 20, 2010)

A friend that has a saltwater tank suggested a protein skimmer to reduce my nitrate. is that do-able or not? will it help? Iam not sure exactly what that does.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have read that the protein skimmers are most efficient with the chemical make-up of salt water, can't remember why. My take-away was they are not very worthwhile for freshwater.


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