Aqua-balance: Do you work to keep your nitrates stable?

[jabberwock]

When they hit 40, I gear up for a 5 gallon water change. That happens every 6 to 8 weeks because my macro algae is a wonderful exporter!

 

[FUNGI]

I no longer chase numbers.....10% water changes every Saturday.....thats all I do.

 

[fishface NJ]

I have a 40B DT and 40B sump with ocean live rock bought 3 years ago. I feed 6x a day and dose nitrate and phosphate. I haven't done a water change in 6 months. NO3 approx 3 and PO4 at .02

 

[hexcolor reef]

I seem to can’t keep nitrates in my tank

 

[Cool Fish]

I pretty much stopped chasing nitrates because no matter what they tend to run high even with skimmer, ozone, bio pellet reactor, sandbed and refugium (restarted and pretty new). Here lately been doing 40g changes every couple weeks to get it back into the realm of reason as part of a remodel. Phosphates pretty much the same but when they get a bit much, I run GFO. Of course, I run a mixed reef with lots of fish, LPS and softies these days with not much in the way of SPS anymore. I suspect most of those issues are all part of old tank syndrome (almost 10 years). I actually just checked nitrates (Hanna) and up to 45ppm and doing another water change this weekend anyway. In reality now that I have a second tank going, I need to move all the sand bed inhabitants to the new tank and do some serious sandbed cleaning even if I do lose some pods, mini stars and worms. Interesting thing is I have not had any algae issues in years or problems with fish and corals.

I feel I am in a very similar situation as you are. Having had a tank for 10 years, I moved occupants to a 90 a little over a year ago. I decided to keep some of the sand, but for the most part changed it out, since it had been so long. Also cleaned my rocks because of a hydroid algae issue. Now I'm dealing with the loss of those rocks. Should've replaced with seeded rock, but didn't. Now, I'm just trying to get things back the way they used to be. Fortunately, the fish are doing well. Good Luck!

 

[Spicy Reef]

I haven't test nitrates in over 2 years...
My best guess is zero and I feed heavily.

 

[Floyd-]

Other for me. I have to dose nitrates in my 25g Lagoon tank just about every other day otherwise it zeros out.

 

[gfxtramp]

Mine are through the roof. Dropped feeding to less than half, dosing nopox, weekly water change. Just added some red macro to the sump to see if that helps. Tried 3 different test kits just in case. Just will not drop. Fish and crabs are fine but that's it.

 

[TheSheff]

I actually am dealing with this issue as well..may have to start dosing fritz like you.

There's a whole thread on this, you should purchase ammonium chloride online and mix it yourself as it has known concentrations. Most manufacturers like fritz will not release the chemical makeup of their products.https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

 

[TheSheff]

My NO3 is chronically low no matter what I do. I'm feeding 3 times a day and started dosing fritz fish less fuel ammonia.

My system still gets what it needs in ammonium, that's what coral prefer anyway. (my pro tip)

Have you considered dosing a solution you mix yourself like ammonium chloride? Companies like fritz don't divulge product information typically so we don't know chemical combinations. With ammonium chloride, we know exactly what goes into it and how much ppm of nitrate and ammonia it will add.

 

[Dburr1014]

Have you considered dosing a solution you mix yourself like ammonium chloride? Companies like fritz don't divulge product information typically so we don't know chemical combinations. With ammonium chloride, we know exactly what goes into it and how much ppm of nitrate and ammonia it will add.

Yes I have.
I just happen to have a bottle laying around and I don't like to be wasteful.

 

[Rjramos]

Other. Also dosing nitrates, straight up liquid and feedings with reefroids, TDO A and B1 pellets, Fuel, etc. Running refugiums with lots of chaeto growth, with reverse lighting and 24 also depending on levels. Skimming on and off. Phosphates maintain easier, but Nitrates can bottom out.

 

[zoomonster]

Kind of amazed by some of the responses about nitrate and all the people that actually dose nitrate (the stump destroyer one has always raised an eyebrow lol) and phosphate. I've had numerous tanks over the years and never had a low nitrate issue (or phosphate for that matter). Just curious the situation and cause. If I were to guess it would be people with mostly acro tanks chasing ultra low nutrients with little or no fish or other animals in the tank and minimal bio diversity?? Also going to guess no sandbed.

 

[Dburr1014]

If I were to guess it would be people with mostly acro tanks chasing ultra low nutrients with little or no fish or other animals in the tank and minimal bio diversity?? Also going to guess no sandbed.

No, mixed, not ultra low nutrients.
Have fish, maybe I need more?? Tang, 2x clowns, 2x royal Gramma, algae blenny. Serpant Star, crabs and snails. All in a 75
Lots of diversity.
Sand bed.
Refuge probably keeps it down.

 

[zoomonster]

No, mixed, not ultra low nutrients.
Have fish, maybe I need more?? Tang, 2x clowns, 2x royal Gramma, algae blenny. Serpant Star, crabs and snails. All in a 75
Lots of diversity.
Sand bed.
Refuge probably keeps it down.

You've definitely got capacity for more fish and/or feed them more. More poo more nutrients.

 

[fishface NJ]

Kind of amazed by some of the responses about nitrate and all the people that actually dose nitrate (the stump destroyer one has always raised an eyebrow lol) and phosphate. I've had numerous tanks over the years and never had a low nitrate issue (or phosphate for that matter). Just curious the situation and cause. If I were to guess it would be people with mostly acro tanks chasing ultra low nutrients with little or no fish or other animals in the tank and minimal bio diversity?? Also going to guess no sandbed.

I have a 40B DT and 40B sump with ocean live rock bought 3 years ago. I feed 6x a day and dose nitrate and phosphate. I haven't done a water change in 6 months. NO3 approx 3 and PO4 at .02

Approx 80 LB of live rock in system (DT and sump)
90% acro
2 wrasses, 2 clowns, 2 Pajama Cardinalfish, 1 midas, and 1 purple firefish
3" sandbed

 

[Azael]

I don’t test my nitrates.

 

[MXz_reefs]

"Unfortunately" i involuntarily keep an ultra low nutrient system. Its a 33g long system thats understocked for a few unfortunate reasons and test results always come back 0 for phosphates and nitrates despite heavy manual dosing of neonitro and neophos.

Not to say these products aren't working, they are, its jusy my fuge is working a bit *too* well and i need to keep tuning it until my nutrients can constantly stay above 0

 

[Floyd-]

Kind of amazed by some of the responses about nitrate and all the people that actually dose nitrate (the stump destroyer one has always raised an eyebrow lol) and phosphate. I've had numerous tanks over the years and never had a low nitrate issue (or phosphate for that matter). Just curious the situation and cause. If I were to guess it would be people with mostly acro tanks chasing ultra low nutrients with little or no fish or other animals in the tank and minimal bio diversity?? Also going to guess no sandbed.

I only have a 25g tank with 2 firefish. Mixed corals all over and I have a sandbed. I need to dose every other day or else ill bottom out.

 

[nmotz]

Strange question, but do red algae use up more nitrates than green ones? Or does it have higher needs? Just curious cause I know very little about macroalgae and setting up a refugium, and I tend to lean more toward the red ones.

I can’t say for certain. I know BRS has done tests on nutrient consumption in Chaetomorpha. IME, red macros grow very fast and can become nearly as invasive as Caulerpa. Gracillaria and Botryocladia are especially vigorous. But they are much easier to remove than Caulerpa which grows roots into the substrate.