Update on water/nitrate removal systems

[Cermet]

Hello,
the tank remains algae free (a first for me.) I am considering junking the nitrate bio-filter removal system since it keeps cycling for no apparent reason ...every few weeks it will stop processing nitrates and give a faint nitrite signal! Strangely, only for a day ... .

With weekly large water changes (using water containing a 10 ppm nitrate level) but with both units my nitrates are being kept around 3 ppm to 1 ppm by week's end.

My canister can handle the nitrite release with no issue and the in tank algae scrubber handles the nitrates 24/7 when the nitrate bio-filer cuts out (but processes slower without the help .)

Still, the feeding of the nitrate bio-filter with alcohal is getting old, too (I had to up the dose and provide it daily (instead of twice a week) to counter its trying to cycle - still does, but less often.) The Aquaripure is not worth the trouble esp. considering its cost compared to a simple and far smaller in tank algae scrubber!) but I am stubburn ... or rather, is that spelled stupid?

At least my phosphates remain low - about 0.2 ppm and that is very nice and only due to the algae scrubber.

[Cermet]

Just would like to add that until I bought a phosphate measuring kit (Seachem) - thanks Lady Hobbs for that idea! - I never realized how high that super algae food was in my tank! Anyone with algae problems should test for phosphates ...

Rant alert!!!

I now understand why it was so critically important to remove phosphates from laundry detergents back in the seventies ... that explains the huge algae plumes that had occurred back then in lakes and streams. Also, considering the improvements in air quality (thanks to catalytic converter's), and removal of lead in fuel (less brain damage for all of us!); also, the decrease in the ozone hole thanks to freon removal in refrig units and let's not forget acid rain reduction (which also has reduced airborne fertilizer production hitting streams and bays) due to mandated coal plant scrubbers that remove the deadly nitrates, the air/environment has really gotten far better. So government mandates do really work and is the solution ... sometimes