Why are the tenticals getting small?

[psteeleb]

Water changes are the best short-term fix to reduce the nitrates but you should go after the source one of two ways

Reduce the ammonia --> nitrite --> nitrate by cutting down feeding

or, increase the bacteria count that reduce nitrate. The nitrate reducing bacteria are anaerobic (or don't like oxygen) and are found deep in live rock and in deep sand beds. There are some other ways to stimulate growth in existing live rock and sand beds by adding sugars. I have never done this so hopefully someone like Tri will chime in with some more data

I also know Tri added a mechanical nitrate reducer to his setup. I think it is a big plastic box with a form of dense media with a slow flow that allow the anaerobic bacteria to thrive with the addition of sugars – I pretty sure he adds vodka as the sugar

 

[Guest]

you want nitrates down to 0...sugar and vodka is used to feed the bacteria in your tank....what is your phosphates at? what is you specific gravity at

 

[Guest]

if your nitrates are at 0 then you do not need to add sugar...you canif you want...i put two sugar packets you pick up at restaurants in my 150...your skimmer will start skiming like crazy for the next coupl day....

what type of lighting are you using

 

[Guest]

in the first pic in the AM is that aptasia next to the torch....cant tell if it is touching the torch it might be stinging it if it is close to it

 

[DalaiTom]

You've mentioned a green tipped anemone and a green tipped torch in this thread. Are you talking about both or did you just mean to be talking about the torch? The two animals have very different requirements.