Auto-dosing NoPox daily... is this fine??

[SunFish6]

Hello!! Need some advice...

I'm auto-dosing 5ml of NoPox on a daily basis into my 44 gallon corner mixed reef tank. I started about 6 months ago to eliminate severe green hair algae issues. It worked (with many Turbo snails), and now I'm afraid to stop in fear the algae will return.

Does anybody think long term NoPox daily dosing is problematic for the tank inhabitants (corals specifically)??

Only concern is all I havent had luck with stony corals (LPS or SPS) recently, though soft corals are thriving. Would the Nopox be the issue, or something else?

My specs: 2 year old 44 gallon corner mixed reef tank. Three CurrentUSA 1050 GPH powerheads. Lighting is a combo: one 4 bulb T5HO fixture (2 ati blue plus, 1 ati coral plus, 1 6500k bulb) and a Kessil A360x LED. Measured my PAR using the rented Apogee meter from BRS, and peak height is 330par, with 220 par avg throughout the rest of tank. Duration 6 hours max lighting. Also, running a GFO reactor hanging on side, a protein skimmer, and a 5 gallon refugium with a small amount of chaeto that is not thriving (maybe because NoPox).

Worth mentioning, I am also auto-dosing 5ml daily of NeoNitro because I was previously not measuring any Nitrates, was advised my tank was nutrient deficient, and extra feeding made my phosphates too high. This was the only solution i found that was able to finally balance my nitrates to the phosphates.

My levels: phosphates=0.01-0.05ppm, dKH=9, PH=7.9 (always), Nitrates= 5-10ppm, Calcium=400-420 ppm, magnesium 1600ppm (I think, it's higher than the Salifert test kit allows).

My livestock : 1 yellow tang, 2 clownfish, 1 six line wrasse, 1 blue damselfish, 1 Bangaii cardinalfish, 1 cleaner shrimp, 2 blue hermits, 15 turbo snails, 4 ricordea mushrooms, 2 rhodactics, 4 zoa frags, 1 xenia bush, 1 unhealthy acan.

Feeding: I spot feed the corals twice a week (Reef Roids, random squirts of polyplab booster on occassion), feed fish twice daily (alternate Rods food and mysis), and 10% weekly water changes.

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[SPR1968]

I’ve used Nopox in my S650 for around 4 years without any issues so you will be fine with long term use, just follow the instructions

But if you were nutrient deficient, with zero nitrate, you didn't need Nopox anyway, you’ve actually created a need for it by adding nitrates with something else

If everything is fine maybe stay as you are, or alternatively try to slowly stop one or both of them

The simplest way to add more nutrients to a system is to add more fish, and then just make sure you have measures in place to deal with nitrate and phosphate export.

In my S650 I use Nopox, Seachem Matrix and rowaphos. In my new 530 usg system I use Seachem Matrix in large amounts at the moment and rowaphos but would use Nopox as well if and when needed.

Its all just a balancing act to keep everything in check.

And Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Rjmul]

Carbon dosing not only lowers your nitrates, but it also feeds your corals. Run it forever. I am

 

[LegendaryCG]

Its an effective way to grow bacteria that will consume phosphate. Coral can’t easily uptake po4 directly but do need some to live. They can eat the bacteria that NoPox breeds.