What Should I Do..... Nitrates High In Tap Water

[Davidtq]

Heres how I understand it the bacteria that do the final stage of converting nitrate to free nitrogen gas are not 0 oxygen bacteria but low oxygen level bacteria, if the conditions of the bed turn to 0 oxygen you get a different bacteria develop that produce sulphur dioxide and this takes out the whole tank! The critters keep things turned over enough to stop completely anoxic conditions developing. Theres also an in between stage problem as well where nitrates are converted back to nitrites when things get disrupted.

 

[Behold]

My brain hurts.....

 

[Behold]

My brain hurts.....

 

[andywg]

Heres how I understand it the bacteria that do the final stage of converting nitrate to free nitrogen gas are not 0 oxygen bacteria but low oxygen level bacteria, if the conditions of the bed turn to 0 oxygen you get a different bacteria develop that produce sulphur dioxide and this takes out the whole tank! The critters keep things turned over enough to stop completely anoxic conditions developing. Theres also an in between stage problem as well where nitrates are converted back to nitrites when things get disrupted.

I had read that the gas that can form is Hydrogen sulphate or hydrogen sulphoxide (I forget which) and while it is very dangerous, it denatures the moment it comes into contact with oxygen (such as is dissolved in tank water) and as such is no great risk to the stock.

I do recall reading that nitrates are converted back to nitrite before nitrogen gas, so this is a common reaction, and not a particularly bad thing in and of itself.

 

[Davidtq]

Every case I heard of on the reef forums involving a DSB crash and the rotten egg smell involved complete tank wipe outs , including a couple of friends. Maybe that was just overly sensitive marines, but it was certainly a total loss situation .