100ppm nitrates .09ppm phosphates. What to do?

[Miami Reef]

I used salifert for nitrates and Hannah for phosphates.

I added phosguard last night to the tank to bring down phosphates, but I feel like I made a mistake because I read that I actually need the phosphates in order to lower nitrates.

Should I remove the phosguard?

Tank is new with bleached live rocks. I’m assuming that there’s not enough anaerobic bacteria yet to remove the nitrates.

How can I quickly remove the nitrates while balancing the phosphates?

Edit: tank is 300 gallons.

 

[ScottJ]

Large water change?

 

[theMeat]

You need some phosphate, not .09
Would start carbon dosing. It takes time but works for sure. Water changes can help but they are surprisingly not effective at lowering such high nitrate levels

 

[blasterman]

Google sugar dosing for nitrates. Far more aggressive than common carbon dosing.

 

[Thatdude156]

idk anything about dosing, but what is your filtration setup? I’m dealing with nitrates around 50 and plan to add a refugium plus run my skimmer.

 

[dhnguyen]

vodka is the most effective form of carbon dosing IME. Much better than sugar.

 

[Miami Reef]

I have a good filtration system. Filter socks changed every other day and a protein skimmer.

The issue is more because new rocks leeching dead organics and don't have much denitrifying bacteria inside the pores yet.

I started the carbon dosing and limited my lights. This will prevent the algae from absorbing the nutrients and instead allow the anaerobic bacteria to slowly increase population size.

 

[stephj03]

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[stephj03]

Your PO4 isn't actually high btw. A lot of SPS keepers run right around there.

If you don't have corals yet there shouldn't be a rush to resolve the nitrates.

WC are a good fit for your numbers IMO. I believe RHF has stated that WC will lower nitrate much faster than PO4, so that would get you nitrate down without tanking your PO4.

 

[Rmckoy]

Google sugar dosing for nitrates. Far more aggressive than common carbon dosing.

Sugar is essentially is carbon

 

[Rmckoy]

vodka is the most effective form of carbon dosing IME. Much better than sugar.

Cleaner for sure .....

Fish have bad days too .
they don’t need a cavity

 

[Biff0rz]

Let's step back a second - how new is the tank? When did you finish your cycle? What's currently in the tank (fish, corals)?

 

[ScottB]

Let's step back a second - how new is the tank? When did you finish your cycle? What's currently in the tank (fish, corals)?

Killjoy. Don't be so calm and rational. Can't you just let us go in there swinging sledgehammers like we were born to do? I hear 100 nitrates and it is howitzer time! OK. Sarcasm rant over. Good questions.

 

[stephj03]

Let's step back a second - how new is the tank? When did you finish your cycle? What's currently in the tank (fish, corals)?

This 100%

 

[Miami Reef]

Let's step back a second - how new is the tank? When did you finish your cycle? What's currently in the tank (fish, corals)?

Tank is 10 days old. Cycle was finished a week ago. I used live sand, a lot of bottled bacteria. My live rocks were quickly dipped in bleach because I needed to aqua scape it dry. If I didn't remove as much organics as possible I would have an even bigger mess.


I've been testing ammonia and its been 0 ever since. I have 8 tiny fish and a shrimp. Only GSP from previous tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

I'm thinking I need a really big water change and then to maintain carbon dosing.

 

[Miami Reef]

Is there any product that quickly removed nitrates?

 

[dhnguyen]

Tank is 10 days old. Cycle was finished a week ago. I used live sand, a lot of bottled bacteria. My live rocks were quickly dipped in bleach because I needed to aqua scape it dry. If I didn't remove as much organics as possible I would have an even bigger mess.


I've been testing ammonia and its been 0 ever since. I have 8 tiny fish and a shrimp. Only GSP from previous tank.

Wait what? You dipped your LR in bleach? So basically they're dead rocks now. Wouldn't it have been easier and cheaper to start with dry rocks?

 

[jose hernandez]

So you killed all of your live rock how long did you let the tank cycle for

 

[Miami Reef]

Wait what? You dipped your LR in bleach? So basically they're dead rocks now. Wouldn't it have been easier and cheaper to start with dry rocks?

No it wouldn't. My tank was running for a decade prior and those live rocks were always there. I made a really nice aqua scape after I broke all the rocks up.

It wouldn't make sense to buy rocks if I already have rocks. And it won't make a difference in the long run either. They will turn live again. Another bonus is that I get to start fresh because I had a lot of pests before. It's a win win for me.

But I see what you’re saying. You thought that I’m making a brand new tank and I randomly went out and bought live rocks just to kill them. Yea, that does sound pretty silly. Luckily I just used whatever I had.