I was doing some research and came across this article written by Scott Fellman.

It's a bit long but definitely a good read for anyone just getting into this hobby.

Nutrient control and export.

As marine aquarists, we strive to provide our fishes and invertebrates with the
highest possible water quality. Collectively, we spend untold thousands of hours, and
even larger amounts of money, working on ways to achieve this goal. Countless
products have been introduced to the market with the goal of creating optimum
water conditions and eliminating the scourge of nuisance algae growth in our
aquariums. While there are a number of very useful products out there to get the job
done, it is helpful to review the basic techniques used to accomplish nutrient control
and export. In this article, we will examine some simple techniques that you can use
to control the accumulation of nutrients in your marine system, which, in turn, will
lead to higher water quality and elimination of nuisance algae.

What Is “Nutrient Control And Export?”

For the purposes of this article, “nutrient control” is the reduction of substances that
can degrade water quality in captive marine systems. “Export” is the actual process
of removal and elimination of these substances from the system. Further, we’ll use
the term “nutrient” throughout this article to identify any substance which can lead
to degradation of water quality and the growth of undesirable nuisance algae. In
order to better understand how to control and eliminate these substances; let us
look at how they get into our systems in the first place.

Fish, invertebrates, and any other animals that we maintain in our captive marine
systems produce nutrients through their metabolic processes, such as eating,
respiration, and elimination of waste. These metabolic substances are released into
the water column, where they can accumulate to potentially toxic levels. Fortunately,
in healthy aquariums, as in nature, countless bacteria break these substances down
into less toxic compounds. However, over time, many of these less toxic substances
remain in the water, slowly but surely degrading the water quality, and leading to
outbreaks of undesirable “nuisance” algae, unless the aquarist takes steps to control
and eliminate them. These substances include phosphate, nitrate, and silicate. While
all of these substances are present in healthy systems, excessive amounts of them
can present long-term problems for the aquarist. Let us look at some simple ways to
reduce and eliminate excesses of nutrients in our marine aquaria.

Nutrient Control and Export Mechanisms

In this section, we will identify and discuss some simple techniques that you can use
to help reduce and eliminate the accumulation of nutrients and get on the road to
better water quality. None of these techniques are revolutionary; most have been
around as long as the aquarium hobby. However, in our quest to achieve optimum
water quality and control nuisance algae, we often overlook some of these basic
techniques in our quest for “The Big Solution” to our problems.

Source Water

Water contains numerous substances which can affect the plants and animals that
live within it in both positive and negative ways. Of particular concern to us as
hobbyists are substances such as nitrate, phosphate, and silicate, which, both
individually and collectively contribute to lower water quality and outbreaks of
nuisance algae. When using source water, such as tap water, for “topping off” or
mixing new water for our aquariums, we are often inadvertently fueling the growth
of nuisance algae by providing them with a continuous source of basic nutrients.

One of the best ways to eliminate nutrients from source water is to employ some
form of pre-treatment, such as reverse osmosis and/or deionization. RO/DI units are
now available to the hobbyist in a wide variety of configurations and prices, and
allow the hobbyist to produce virtually pure water at a very low cost. Do keep in
mind, however, that the membranes on these units do need to be maintained and/or
replaced periodically if they are to continue to perform their function as a means of
water purification. The frequency of RO/DI unit maintenance is largely dependent
upon how much use the unit gets, and the amount of undesirable substances which
these units are expected to remove from the water. Many hobbyists who use RO/DI
units seem to forget that they do need this maintenance, and it is often overlooked
until water quality begins to decline and nuisance algae start to manifest themselves
in the aquarium! Do not neglect the maintenance of your water purification system-
it is on the “front-line” of your battle against excessive nutrients!

Mechanical Filtration Media

A vast array of mechanical filtration media is available to the hobbyist, offering a

wonderful means of removing particulate matter and detritus from the aquarium on
a continuous basis. These media range from the ubiquitous filter cartridges and
ceramic “noodles” found in power filters and canister filters, to the “micron” filter
bags, sponges, and polyester “prefilters” utilized in sumps and overflows. These
media are intended to remove gross particulate before it can accumulate elsewhere
in the system. However, many of these mechanical media are “victims of their own
success,” if you will, and begin to accumulate large quantities of gross particulate
and detritus, which slowly breaks down, and leads to the formation and accumulation
of nitrate and phosphate.

By regularly cleaning and replacing these mechanical media, it is possible for the
hobbyist to remove large quantities of undesirable matter from the system before it
begins to break down and degrade the aquarium’s water quality. Many of these filter
media need to be cleaned and/or replaced several times a week, or they can easily
become a major contributor to nutrient accumulation in the system. Some hobbyists
have accumulated enough prefilters and filter bags to “rotate in” a new one several
times a week, or even daily. Trust me on this-if you replace your mechanical media
on a frequent basis, you will see a very noticeable improvement in water quality and
a measurable reduction in nitrate and phosphate accumulation within your system!

Protein Skimming

One of the very best means of nutrient control and export for captive marine
systems is the continuous use of a protein skimmer. It is arguably the best means of
removing organic substances from the aquarium water. An efficient, well-maintained
skimmer can reduce the amount of organics present in the water before they break
down and begin to accumulate. There is little argument among aquarists as to the
effectiveness of protein skimming for removing these compounds. However, there
are many different opinions as to which type of skimmer, and which model, is the
“best.” The review and comparison of the relative merits of different skimmer
designs is beyond the scope of this brief article; suffice to say that the inclusion of a
protein skimmer in the marine system is, for most of us, and absolute necessity, and
a key contributor to the maintenance of a successful aquarium!

Of critical importance when using a skimmer is its placement within the system. A
skimmer should be placed at a location within the system where it will receive “raw,”
unfiltered water, ideally from the surface of the aquarium. This water has the highest
concentration of organic materials and other substances that should be removed
from the system. The skimming should ideally take place before any other filtration
occurs, with the possible exception of gross particulate removal. This will ensure that
the skimmer is receiving the largest amount of organics to work with.

A skimmer should be adjusted so that it produces at least one to two cups of dark,
yucky smelling stuff per week. Stable, “dry” foam within the neck and collection cup
of the skimmer is a sure sign that you’ve found the “sweet spot” within your
skimmer’s operating parameters. One thing that is a “constant” with protein skimmer
use is the necessity for frequent maintenance of the skimmer itself. The sludge that
accumulates within the neck and collection cup of your skimmer actually inhibits the
production of desired foam after several days, so for optimum performance, a
skimmer should be cleaned at least once, possibly even twice, per week. At the same
time, inspect and/or clean venturis, injectors, and airstones which may be present in
your skimmer. You’ll be surprised at the increased efficiency that will result from
regular skimmer maintenance! A well-maintained, properly set-up protein skimmer
may be the best single contributor towards optimal water quality and nutrient control
in a closed marine system.

Water Changes

Another one of the most basic aspects of aquarium husbandry (and one of the best
means of achieving nutrient control and export!) is the performance of regular,
modest water changes in your system. In my opinion, smaller, more frequent water
changes are preferred over larger, less frequent ones, and are much less labor-
intensive. Try changing as little as 5% of tank volume on a twice-weekly basis, and
you’ll be astounded at the difference this will make in your system! Fish will be
livelier and more colorful, corals will open up like you’ve never seen them do before,
and levels of dissolved organic substances, such as nitrate and phosphate, will
decrease significantly. Frequent water changes allow the aquarist to help dilute and
reduce the concentration of waste products from the system before they begin to
accumulate as nutrients. This, in turn, will result in less potential for nuisance algae
growth, and a more stable system.

Remember to use high-quality source water when mixing up your saltwater for water
changes. Be consistent, methodical, and siphon out as much detritus as you can
from the rockwork and other areas from the aquarium. Frequent water changes also
give the hobbyist the added advantage of being “in touch” with the system on a very
regular basis, resulting in a better understanding of just what’s going on within his or
her aquarium. As the old hobby saying goes, “nothing good happens quickly in a
marine system,” so the benefits of frequent water changes will begin to manifest
themselves gradually-but they will become obvious after a brief period of time. Give
more frequent water changes a try!

Bioload

The best (and worst!) part of the marine aquarium hobby is choosing among the
hundreds of available creatures in order to stock our aquariums. With new corals,
fishes, and other invertebrates hitting the market on a regular basis, we are
constantly tempted to add new animals to our systems. High tech protein skimmers,
filters, and various “additives” often provide the hobbyist with a false sense of
security, lulling us into believing that our system can “handle” an absurdly high
biological load. Despite our best intentions, the temptation to add “one more” fish,
coral, or invertebrate can risk upsetting he delicate balance that occurs within our
systems, and creates the potential for an over-crowded, unsanitary, and
unsustainable aquarium. It is important to “under crowd” our systems with animals,
so that we may create a better life for our captive specimens.

Over-crowded aquariums result in excess amounts of metabolic wastes, which will

create seriously degraded water quality in little time. An aquarium with a very high
bioload will offer little “margin for error” on the part of the aquarist. The very real
potential exists for the dreaded “crash” of the system, a horrible situation where the
toxic metabolites accumulate to rapidly for the biological filtration mechanisms to
process and reduce them into relatively harmless substances. Utilize common sense
when stocking your aquarium, both in terms of the number and types of animals that
you are attempting to keep. The bottom line here, dear reader, is to resist that
temptation to add more specimens to your system than it can handle!

Foods and Feeding

One of the easiest to control sources of excess nutrients in captive systems is food.
Frozen and other prepared foods contain large quantities of phosphate and other
organics that can seriously degrade the water quality in even the largest aquariums.
When feeding frozen foods, it is of utmost importance that you do not simply dump
the food, frozen juice and all, directly into your aquarium. The processing juices
contain huge amounts of nutrients that may not be utilized by the life forms in your
aquarium, and thus accumulate, creating optimal conditions for nuisance algae.

Always thaw out frozen foods slowly in a container of water, then dump out the
water, and feed the food with a toothpick or other small implement. Yes, this
technique is a bit more tedious, but it will significantly reduce the amount of excess
organics that enter the aquarium. It is a basic tenant of aquarium keeping that you
should only feed as much food as your fishes will consume in a reasonable length of
time, and that uneaten food should be removed before it has a chance to decompose
and affect water quality.

When utilizing liquid foods, such as those developed for invertebrates, be sure to use
a syringe or baster to “target feed” the animals. Some hobbyists actually remove
animals such as Tubastrea, and even small clams, to a separate container to allow
them to feed without fear of polluting the display tank. The extra time it takes to do
this can reward the diligent aquarist with much higher water quality, and less
possibility of nuisance algae appearing in the display tank.
Additives

Fortunately or unfortunately, we live in an era where technology makes it possible to

produce all sorts of additives, “water conditioners”, trace elements, and other
“extracts” which are supposed to somehow make keeping marine aquariums easier.
Manufacturers tout the effectiveness of their products in enhancing invertebrate
growth, supplementing fishes’ diets, and helping to create “natural” conditions in our
captive aquaria. Some of these products are excellent, some not so good, and still
others are outright junk. When utilizing any additive, you need to ask yourself why
you are using it! If you are trying to “push” corals to grow faster, or make
invertebrates grow larger, or even attempting to cultivate macroalgae, some thought
must be put in as to what these products are doing to the overall water quality.
Some “additives” contain high quantities of sugars and other micronutrients which, if
added without a lot of diligence, can turn an otherwise healthy, attractive aquarium
into a virtual cesspool!

There are many elements that can be replaced in captive systems by simply
conducting regular water changes with quality source water and a good salt mix. If
you are adamant about using some additives (such as iodine, which is a commonly
used additive), be sure to conduct water tests for that element, to make sure that
you are not “overdosing” your system. In fact, it is a good general rule of thumb to
not add anything to your aquarium unless you understand exactly what it will do to
the water quality, what benefit you expect from the product, and what the long-term
implications are for its use.

Use of Chemical Filtration Media

An excellent means of nutrient control and export is to utilize some form of chemical
filtration in your system. There are many different products on the market that are
formulated to remove everything from ammonia to phosphate, and many substances
in between. Use of commonly available, high quality activated carbon on a regular
basis in your aquarium will help to reduce excess nutrients continuously. Other fine
products include specialized media, such as PolyFilter, which has an affinity for a
wide variety of organics.

Of particular importance when utilizing chemical filtration media for nutrient control
is the regular replacement of these media. In order to do the job expected of them,
these products must be inspected and replaced as needed. If used in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions, chemical filtration media can provide the
aquarist with a safe, effective means of nutrient control and export. It is my opinion
that every aquarium should utilize some form of chemical filtration media on a
regular basis. These media provide a convenient and cost-effective supplemental
means of removing undesirable substances from the water with minimal effort on the
part of the aquarist.

Macroalgae

Macroalgae play an important role in closed marine systems. They utilize nutrients,
such as nitrate and phosphate, which are found in abundance in most aquariums. As
they grow, they take up required nutrients from the water column.

The use of macroalgae in marine aquariums is a matter of personal preference, but

can provide the hobbyist with an affordable, natural means of exporting excess
nutrients from the aquarium. Many hobbyists grow and harvest “purposeful”
macroalgae, such as Chaetomorpha, Gracilaria, Halimeda, and Caulerpa somewhere
in their systems in order to assist in the control and export of excess nutrients. By
carefully cultivating and harvesting the macroalgae on a regular basis, you are
literally removing excess nutrients from the aquarium. The macroalgae may be
grown either in a separate section of a sump, algal turf scrubber, or even a
refugium, depending upon the hobbyist’s preferences.

The degree of nutrient export provided by macroalgae is largely dependent upon the
growth rate, density, and quantity of the macroalgae harvested. Under optimal
conditions, some species of macroalgae can achieve tremendous growth rates,
providing the hobbyist with a wonderful means to export nutrients from his or her
system.

Deep Sand Beds

Recent research by scientist and hobbyists alike has identified a superior means of
nitrate reduction and nutrient export by utilizing a deep bed of fine aragonite sand in
the aquarium proper, or in a specialized remote sump. Deep sand beds (3 to 8
inches or more) have been proven to foster natural biological processes that serve to
reduce nitrate and efficiently process organics in captive systems. Some advocates of
deep sand beds, such as Bob Goemans and Sam Gamble, suggest the construction
and use of a plenum in conjunction with a sand bed, which provides significant
nitrate reduction capabilities. Other authors and hobbyists advocate simply placing
the suggested layer of sand directly on the aquarium bottom to construct their sand
beds.

Regardless of which approach to a deep sand bed the hobbyist utilizes, the benefits
of a properly constructed, well-maintained deep sand bed are dramatic and
impressive. Deep sand beds are a valuable tool for the hobbyist to help maintain a
more natural, biologically stable system, and provide a simple, efficient means of
controlling and exporting nutrients from captive systems.

Refugia

One of the relatively new concepts in marine aquarium and reef keeping, but one
that has caught on dramatically, is the use of a refugium attached to the main
system. As their name implies, refugia provide a protected place where delicate
organisms can grow and reproduce, free from predation and harassment from other
animals. Many of the organisms which grow in refugia efficiently utilize and process
nutrients found in the water column as part of their natural growth processes.
Organisms such as feather duster worms, amphipods, copepods, small anemones,
and even sponges, provide an amazing natural “filtration” service for the aquarist,
and offer the added benefit of providing the system with a supplemental food source
through production of plankton and other animals that find their way into the display
aquarium. The implementation of refugia into captive displays is almost a “sub-
hobby” of its own, and should definitely be explored by hobbyists for its rich potential
benefits.

Other Natural Methods

Some aquarists, such as Steve Tyree, have suggested the potential of sponges and
sea squirts as part of multi-level “zonated” filtration for reef aquariums. This concept
is wide open for exploration by adventurous aquarists, and may offer an incredible
means of nutrient control and export which has yet to be fully utilized within the
hobby at this time. Other authors, such as Anthony Calfo, point out that even so-
called “pest” animals, such as the dreaded Aiptasia anemone, can be utilized in a
sort of “scrubber” as another natural means of nutrient export. Still other hobbyists
are experimenting with autotrophic animals, such as the soft coral Xenia, to perform
the same function. With a bit of experimentation, and a lot of persistence, the
intrepid aquarist may discover entirely new means of nutrient control and export for
captive systems. There simply is no telling what types of creatures and methods may
work in this capacity!

Conclusion

I hope that this brief review of nutrient control and export methods has encouraged
those of you who are struggling with high nitrate or phosphate levels, unstable water
chemistry parameters, and nuisance algae growth to explore some of the methods
that we touched on here. None of them alone is the “one” answer to all of our
problems. However, by understanding what means of nutrient control and export are
available, and how they can be implemented, you may just find the key to solving a
problem that has caused you considerable grief! One of the great things about our
hobby is the ability of hobbyists at all levels to contribute to the general knowledge
of marine aquarium keeping. Perhaps you have found a better way to approach the
problem of nutrient control and export, or simply have modified an existing approach
to better suit your needs. Either way, be sure to share your findings with others, so
that the hobby, and most importantly, the animals which we keep, can benefit from
your labor and research!