20 ppm Nitrate/0.06 ppm Phosphate - Cure my analysis paralysis!

[pluikens]

I agree with Anthony your tank is very new and not all that stable just yet, adding a bit stonger light to the fuge wont hurt you, but I wouldnt worry too much about chasing these level just yet, just perform regular water changes and monitor the levels for now, Most importantly keep your Alk stable, constant fluctuations of Alk is generally the cause or coral problems aside from pests.

Thanks. I do test mag/alk/calc every four days and have BRS 2 part on hand when I need to dose. The only thing I've had to dose is alk. After four days my test shows around 8.24 so I dose back to 9. One of my next purchases will be a Hanna checker so I can test alk more accurately. Once I'm certain of the numbers, I'll start dosing daily.

 

[anthonys51]

Also flow is your friend. I only see one powerhead. Add more I would go Jebao if on a budget. Because you want changing flow not just straight flow

 

[pluikens]

Also flow is your friend. I only see one powerhead. Add more I would go Jebao if on a budget. Because you want changing flow not just straight flow

Yeah, that powerhead. I got rid of that Jebao PP4 a couple days after the photo was taken. It's been replaced by an MP10W that runs the Reef Crest Mode at about 50%. It's opposite my return which comes from a Sicce Syncra 3.0 My cloves there in the middle of the tank near the bottom really move around when the MP10 is switched to Lagoonal so I think that is sufficient flow.

 

[pluikens]

After reading everyone's comments (thanks all!) I think I should relax on trying to lower the nitrates via biopellets, NoPox, MB7, or the Brightwell brick. I was wrong in one of my first posts, my fuge light is only 7 watts and is actually this exact one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ID6A1MO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_-F4xAb9MM4YTN
I would like to replace it with is: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FFMEABM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_FH4xAbX3AK828

I wasn't concerned with the nitrate and wasn't even testing it for probably 6-8 weeks but just did it recently and was surprised by the results. It seems like if I have an urge to change something, upgrading the fuge light is probably the safest/least interfering. I'd like to see growth from the chaeto and rid the DT of most algae. From what I understand I can keep running the GFO and focus on growth in the fuge to control nitrates. I'll also switch to weekly WC after doing one 50% change and retesting nitrates.

Am I missing anything?

 

[madweazl]

I would not panic with these figures. The NO3 level could be a little bit lower - my goal is normally around 2-10 ppm. Are you sure for the NO3 level? Can you check it up with another test?
Is your Chaeto green and in rather good shape but with slow growth? If that´s the case - I would concentrate my effort to have it to grow. It could be lack of trace elements like iron or not enough of light (I doubt that in this case) To be honest - the first thing I´m thinking of according slow growth of Chaeto is lack of nitrogen (NO3 is a nitrogen species) Therefore - bes sure of your NO3 level. The best thing to see if your measurements is right (and lower the NO3 level for the moment) is to do a 50% WC with a good salt. (it will give you some trace elements too). If you do that - your NO3 level should be around 10 ppm after the WC.

And I have run mixed reefs with much higher NO3 levels than 20 ppm.

anthonys51 was faster with the same advices

Sincerely Lasse

I think Lasse is on the right track; given the age and size of the tank, water changes are likely the best way forward at this point.

 

[Lasse]

Thanks @Lasse The chaeto is a light green color and I haven't noticed it growing in the three weeks that it's been in the tank. I was considering a higher power fuge light like one of the UFO LED grow lights on Amazon to see if I could more naturally reduce nitrates. That would probably be the best scenario for my nitrate control if I could just trim chaeto rather than adding more reactors or chemicals. As for the 50% WC, would you consider hw-Marinemix Reefer "good salt"? I can do the WC this week and retest.

I´m living in Europe – I’m not familiarly with that salt – but I suppose is good.

If you do a WC – just to be sure – test your NO3 before and after. If the test is OK you should read a down going in the nitrate level in the same % as your WC.

Nitrate tests is known to be not reliable when they become to old.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[madweazl]

Alkalinity will be something worth noting as well. If you haven't yet, test some after mixing and compare with your tanks results; if they differ significantly, bring the mixed stuff inline with the tank water prior to making the water change.

 

[pluikens]

As originally suggested by @Lasse I did a large water change last night of about 18 gallons (about 33%). I tested NO3 before and after the water change. Before the WC, my NO3 was close to 20 ppm. After the WC, NO3 was reduced to about 15 ppm. This is about as close as I can get given the reference colors on the Red Sea test kit. I'm glad that the color changed to be between two different reference colors than before the WC. I tested the WC saltwater for Alk and got 8.3 so I dosed to increase that to 9 before doing the WC. My original post had Mag of 1480, this should have been 1580. My correct levels before and after the WC are as follows.

Before-
Alk: 9 dKH
Calc: 490 ppm
Mag: 1580 ppm
NO3: 22 ppm

After-
Alk: 9 dKH
Calc: 450 ppm
Mag: 1500 ppm
NO3: 15 ppm

I have a very newbie question about WC. When you have to do say a 50% WC, are you removing 50% of the system water from either the DT or sump and then replacing that water or are you adding new water at the same time as old water is being removed? I'm used to freshwater tanks and doing WC by just adding new water while extra system water overflows out of the system down the drain. For saltwater I have been removing water from the sump, then replacing it before starting up the return pump so that none of the new water gets removed during the WC. Last night I removed as much water as I could from the sump while keeping the pumps and chaeto submerged and then removed water from my DT to clean the sand until the water was just above the highest coral. This came out to the 18 gallons. I would like to know what others are doing when they say a 50% WC because if I'm adding 50% of my system volume in new water to the system while I'm pumping out system water (even if I'm doing that from behind where the new water is added) I know I'm not actually removing 50% of the old water. Again, am I way over thinking this? Thanks!

 

[tnyr5]

We typically remove first, then add. 50% is a bit much.
I agree with others that your main problem is the age of your tank. The good news is, all you have to do is wait ^_^.
As for the nitrate & phosphate levels, go look at the thread I posted of Sanjay's corals to see some stuff grown at levels similar to yours.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

As originally suggested by @Lasse I did a large water change last night of about 18 gallons (about 33%). I tested NO3 before and after the water change. Before the WC, my NO3 was close to 20 ppm. After the WC, NO3 was reduced to about 15 ppm. This is about as close as I can get given the reference colors on the Red Sea test kit. I'm glad that the color changed to be between two different reference colors than before the WC. I tested the WC saltwater for Alk and got 8.3 so I dosed to increase that to 9 before doing the WC. My original post had Mag of 1480, this should have been 1580. My correct levels before and after the WC are as follows.

Before-
Alk: 9 dKH
Calc: 490 ppm
Mag: 1580 ppm
NO3: 22 ppm

After-
Alk: 9 dKH
Calc: 450 ppm
Mag: 1500 ppm
NO3: 15 ppm

I have a very newbie question about WC. When you have to do say a 50% WC, are you removing 50% of the system water from either the DT or sump and then replacing that water or are you adding new water at the same time as old water is being removed? I'm used to freshwater tanks and doing WC by just adding new water while extra system water overflows out of the system down the drain. For saltwater I have been removing water from the sump, then replacing it before starting up the return pump so that none of the new water gets removed during the WC. Last night I removed as much water as I could from the sump while keeping the pumps and chaeto submerged and then removed water from my DT to clean the sand until the water was just above the highest coral. This came out to the 18 gallons. I would like to know what others are doing when they say a 50% WC because if I'm adding 50% of my system volume in new water to the system while I'm pumping out system water (even if I'm doing that from behind where the new water is added) I know I'm not actually removing 50% of the old water. Again, am I way over thinking this? Thanks!

Some people (like me) do water changes automatically, and those are usually in and out at the same time. Changing 50% of the water that will may be less effective than one 50% removal and replacement.

Manual water changes are typically out then in.

All that said, in 20 years I never did a water change anywhere close to 50%.

 

[anthonys51]

Lol didn’t we say don’t do anything drastic or over react. 50 precent is a lot to do and would be considered drastic

 

[pluikens]

Thank you. I do have plans to at least simplify my WC process, I just need to wait for some plumbing parts. I already have the Pan World 200PS pump to get water between my Brute containers in the basement as well as to mix the saltwater and then deliver it upstairs to the tank. Then I'll be able to pump from the sump at the same time as I'm adding water from my mixing container downstairs into the sump. WCs should be much more frequent when I'm not bringing 6-gallon buckets of water up from the basement. I'm not worried about the nitrates after all the feedback I got yesterday. I just had a case of wanting to mess with stuff so I'm glad I had the community to get me back on track before I went ahead and started adding reactors or chemicals. I think I'll just get a better grow light for the fuge and try to get my chaeto growing so I'm not cleaning algae off my sand and glass every day. Thanks again everyone!

 

[pluikens]

Lol didn’t we say don’t do anything drastic or over react. 50 precent is a lot to do and would be considered drastic

I agree, that would be a big change. I took the "don’t do anything drastic or overreact" advice into consideration by not implementing a biopellet reactor or dosing an NO3 remover. I was getting advice to do a larger WC and retest to confirm results and this was seconded. I was able to get the change in colors on the test chart I wanted to somewhat confirm my test results for NO3. I have more heated, mixed water ready to do another big change but since my levels aren't a concern for me now, I'm just saving that water for next week when I can do a ~10% WC.

 

[anthonys51]

The problem with big water changes is they can drastically alter your water chemistry. Even if your water isn’t ideal your corals still got used to it and your fish big water changes you run the risk of hurting them. That size would only be used imo if you tank was crashing

 

[IslandLifeReef]

If your salt mix alk is 8.3, why are you trying to keep your alk at 9? In my experience, lower nutrients means you want lower alk. Allowing your alk to slowly fall to the 8.3 to 8.5 range would make water changes easier if that is the level of your salt mix. Also, that range isn't really that low.

 

[Lasse]

I´m sorry if I was unclear - but the 50 % change was a suggestion for lowering the nitrate and be able to measure that its really was changing. You can do it in one - in and out - maybe not the smartest when it not a panic event - but you can also do it in smaller portions. if you do it in 15 % portions (9 gallon) every second day for 10 days (5 times - total 45 Gallons) WC during this 10 days - you will have an effect that´s a little better than 50% directly. If you want to compensate for NO3 production during this 10 day – do one more

This way - I have done when i wanted to fix some problems.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lasse]

I am sorry - I did not see your post 28 before my answer. But you got the answer - you can rely on your NO3 measurements.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[pluikens]

Thanks for your input @Lasse I really just needed a kick in the pants to haul the buckets and do the dang water change. I bet a lack of trace elements from slacking on proper WCs would do more harm (if any) than an NO3 reading of 20 ppm.

 

[Apotack]

Just slow down and stop making changes. Nothing good will happen quickly. 10-20% water changes max once or twice a month. New tanks will go through different stages of algae and other things as they mature. Try to resist the temptation to constantly “fix” everything sometimes doing nothing is the best course of action. You have a lot of fish and coral for a new tank try to just let it be for a while.

 

[anthonys51]

I agree with apotack but disagree with once or 2 times a month. Simple because tanks with nutrient issue need more frequent water changes than once a month but everything else he is spot on