0 Nitrates and very low algae in cycled tank??

[Romulax]

I have a 30g biocube that I've had running for over 7 months. Just added a 10g sump a month ago. I have a vipar spectra 350 light that I was running for 14 hours a day and was having a huge cyano bloom constantly with ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and phos readings at 0. I recently cut my light cycle to an 8 hour cycle but my nitrates are still at 0. I have a protein skimmer, chemipure and carbon pellets in my sump. Should I turn off my skimmer? Remove carbon and chemipure? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[shwareefer]

Good call reducing the photoperiod - 14hrs is longer than usual. Most people aim for equatorial 12 hour days or less.

Just to be clear you mean activated carbon and not biopellets correct? Biopellets could cause everything you're mentioning including the cyano so I have to ask.

What is your bioload - corals, fish, etc?

 

[Romulax]

Yeah, activated carbon. I have 2 oscillarus, 2 banggai cardinals, and a orchid dotty back. I also have a gbta and a clean up crew. I'm concerned about having 0 nitrates and afraid it's affecting my bta. It's shriveled up and mouth hasn't been fully closed. I'm thinking the nitrates or lack there of is the problem

 

[shwareefer]

I had the same problem. I threw a canister filter on the system hoping it would be the "nitrate factory" everyone claims but the effect was negligible even after more than 6 months. Dosing neonitro has been effective however and I'm happy with that maintaining between 2-3ppm. Phosphate is as easy as a feeding of reefroids. I swear that stuff is pure phosphate.

 

[GoVols]

I have a 30g biocube that I've had running for over 7 months. Just added a 10g sump a month ago. I have a vipar spectra 350 light that I was running for 14 hours a day and was having a huge cyano bloom constantly with ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and phos readings at 0. I recently cut my light cycle to an 8 hour cycle but my nitrates are still at 0. I have a protein skimmer, chemipure and carbon pellets in my sump. Should I turn off my skimmer? Remove carbon and chemipure? Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

Seachem - Flourish Phosphorus

www.seachem.com

Seachem - Flourish Nitrogen

www.seachem.com

Try to make sure you're not dealing with dinos, other than cyano.

 

[Romulax]

Thanks guys! My anemone was looking rough yesterday and has definitely shrank since I've bought him. I went out and bought spectracide stump removal and started dosing with that until i can get neonitro in by mail. Thanks for the tips guys!

 

[Romulax]

So I've been slowly dosing with sodium nitrate for over 10 hours today. I've added enough that it should have raised it over 15ppm. I've been using 2 different api test kits and am still seeing solid 0. Is this normal? Should I just keep dosing?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I've been slowly dosing with sodium nitrate for over 10 hours today. I've added enough that it should have raised it over 15ppm. I've been using 2 different api test kits and am still seeing solid 0. Is this normal? Should I just keep dosing?

Maybe the kit is wrong, or the dosing solution is off.

Before dosing more, I'd use that solution in new salt water and see if you detect the expected rise 10 minutes later.

 

[Koh23]

Same here, 4 fishes, few crabs, tons of snails, feeding few times a day with whole chopped shrimp, or diy food, comercial food, nitrates are undetectable by salifert and tetra tests....

No algae, few dark brown patches on rock, leftover from diatom, some brown on wavemakers, else is clean.....

Dont know how to raise them.....

Feeding more i find ridiculus, if 3x3x3cm cube daily along with comercial food cant keep nitrates somewhat higher, dont know what will....