Dose NOPOX - Neptune Dosing System Question

[User1]

Hi All - was setting up the Neptune Dosing System last night which I originally bought for two part mixes. Tank is still maturing so doesn't need it yet. However, Nitrates are very high so said - hey, I can dose something like NOPOX to see if it helps lower it, right? Ok - so this NOPOX arrived and just before I added it to the container I through I remembered that the containers or acrylic in general isn't wise to use with this stuff. Ok, no harm since it didn't go in.

Enter Voss water bottles, DIY, and instant dosing container. Then the next question hit me and that is this. Assuming any dosing unit can do this but does it matter what tubing is used? I believe that Neptune just ships clear 1/4" tube - nothing fancy. Does NOPOX put more wear and tear is what I was wondering. I'm sure the unit has a whole can does it fine but wasn't sure on the tubing.

Thanks.

 

[Diesel]

What is very high to you on No3?

 

[SPR1968]

You just need to use a good quality silicone tubing that’s it

Edit- you don’t need any fancy dosing container either, just use the bottle it comes in, with a hole drilled through the top for the tubing and then ideally an air valve. When I change the nopox I just swap the lid to the new bottle. I use the 5 litre version and it lasts probably 12 months or so.

 

[User1]

What is very high to you on No3?

Red Sea and consistently in the 50 color bracket. It is a new tank so still maturing. Feb cycle started. March it was finished. April I started the skimmer and lighting. Mid April I moved over the 40 breeder mixed reef over to the new 210 here. It has more or less stayed the same with the only exception of adding in a Tang and 4 Anthias (Lyretails). Some of the corals I moved over I've noticed starting to recede (Xenia oddly enough) and some green button polyps that are fading or turning white.

I'm not actually trying to chase numbers by any means just believe that my nitrate may be a bit high for too long and know a water change isn't going to do much for it. Everything else is more or less fine. Ammonia 0. Nitrite 0. Cal 400 - 430, alk 8.8, mag 1200 (maybe low?), and pH 8.2 range - Apex probe. I don't test much (lazy) but when a Xenia patch on the back of the glass was growing then suddenly stopped I checked to see so that is more or less it.

 

[User1]

You just need to use a good quality silicone tubing that’s it

Edit- you don’t need any fancy dosing container either, just use the bottle it comes in, with a hole drilled through the top for the tubing and then ideally an air valve. When I change the nopox I just swap the lid to the new bottle. I use the 5 litre version and it lasts probably 12 months or so.

Thank you. Didn't think of using the container. I have a spare fitting so can make this work.

 

[Diesel]

I have seen ppl crash a tank in less than a day using that nopox.
Mainly due to the redratio balance of the tank correct it’s self but the hobbyist wasn't testing to find out while he kept dosing nopox.
I allways recommend testing the issue before you start targeting with a dosing schedule.
Just FYI, a Nitrate from 5 up to 20 ppm ain’t a bad thing for a tank but dropping it from 5 to 0.0 can be fatal.

 

[User1]

I have seen ppl crash a tank in less than a day using that nopox.
Mainly due to the redratio balance of the tank correct it’s self but the hobbyist wasn't testing to find out while he kept dosing nopox.
I allways recommend testing the issue before you start targeting with a dosing schedule.
Just FYI, a Nitrate from 5 up to 20 ppm ain’t a bad thing for a tank but dropping it from 5 to 0.0 can be fatal.

Thank you - that is good information. I really do not dose nor have in any of my previous tanks. Like I mentioned in the post the dosing unit was for the future if I needed to supplement calcium and alk via a two part. I tend to be on the lazy side of reefing with minimal water changes. If I do have to add supplements I wanted it to be automatic. Also helps if I'm in a heavy travel window for work.

Seems most people are using vodka or vinegar mostly and then there is nopox which is a mix(?). In any case I picked up nopox to try and was going to reduce the dosing recommendation by 75% and start there. I can do this manually for now. Sounds like that is the better approach. I believe, and I'll double check, but the document for nopox suggested 3/ml per 25 gallon if over 10 ppm. My tank is 210 gallons. 150 lbs of Pukani, 200 lbs of sand, various calculators say estimate 190 gallons of water when my sump is factored in. I'm cutting the dose down to 1 ml per 25 gallon to start then test in 3 days to see if it is even doing anything.

I'll try and take a tank picture later. Nothing earth shattering or major really. Just I guess exploring options since I know water changes alone are not really effective at reducing. Management is better which means I need to look at my feeding routine (which may be heavy).

Thank you again.

 

[SPR1968]

Thank you - that is good information. I really do not dose nor have in any of my previous tanks. Like I mentioned in the post the dosing unit was for the future if I needed to supplement calcium and alk via a two part. I tend to be on the lazy side of reefing with minimal water changes. If I do have to add supplements I wanted it to be automatic. Also helps if I'm in a heavy travel window for work.

Seems most people are using vodka or vinegar mostly and then there is nopox which is a mix(?). In any case I picked up nopox to try and was going to reduce the dosing recommendation by 75% and start there. I can do this manually for now. Sounds like that is the better approach. I believe, and I'll double check, but the document for nopox suggested 3/ml per 25 gallon if over 10 ppm. My tank is 210 gallons. 150 lbs of Pukani, 200 lbs of sand, various calculators say estimate 190 gallons of water when my sump is factored in. I'm cutting the dose down to 1 ml per 25 gallon to start then test in 3 days to see if it is even doing anything.

I'll try and take a tank picture later. Nothing earth shattering or major really. Just I guess exploring options since I know water changes alone are not really effective at reducing. Management is better which means I need to look at my feeding routine (which may be heavy).

Thank you again.

I would agree and start low to see how your system reacts and then increase the dose by around 1ml extra per day, each week until you get everything balanced and see the nitrates starting to drop.

If you get any white slime or cloudy water just back off a few ml’s as it’s bacterial blooms. I get in in places with low flow at high dosages and have power heads to ripple the water in the sump.

I have around 175 gallons and do to a high bioload am currently at 22ml per day which is above the maximum but I’m an ‘experienced user’ of it and have also spoken with Red Sea

Just go steady and watch your system as it’s a very powerful tool.

 

[User1]

Thanks all - appreciate the information. Especially the tip there on the cloudy water.

Here is how the tank looks at the moment. Nothing too fancy like I said. It was a 40 breeder that was moved over has part of the upgrade. I had larger hammer colonies but I broke several during the move and others didn't like the power head change from RW-8's to the Maxspect Gyre's. My issue in not having them properly set although my bubble tips thought they are nice. Lights are not fully powered up and it is just a cell phone so can't really see. Washed out and corals are still perking up. That and the Lt. Tang keeps tossing the sand around to grab whatever food they missed from the auto feeder.

Tank has a long ways to go to mature still.

 

[SPR1968]

Thanks all - appreciate the information. Especially the tip there on the cloudy water.

Here is how the tank looks at the moment. Nothing too fancy like I said. It was a 40 breeder that was moved over has part of the upgrade. I had larger hammer colonies but I broke several during the move and others didn't like the power head change from RW-8's to the Maxspect Gyre's. My issue in not having them properly set although my bubble tips thought they are nice. Lights are not fully powered up and it is just a cell phone so can't really see. Washed out and corals are still perking up. That and the Lt. Tang keeps tossing the sand around to grab whatever food they missed from the auto feeder.

Tank has a long ways to go to mature still.

I like the rock work, it looks very nice with all the hiding places and bits to add corals.

 

[fab]

...the redratio balance of the tank correct...

I what is "redratio" and why it is important.

 

[Diesel]

I what is "redratio" and why it is important.

With redratio I meant to say redfield.
It’s the acceptable balance between elements in your system.

 

[User1]

Small note to also say that my sump was a bit messy. I have the auto feeder there dropping what I thought was close to the return pump intake. Seems it wasn't catching all of it so there was a nice pile of food just sitting there. I'll be cleaning that up which should help. Also a water change is due. I was planning on that today or tomorrow but now need to make more RI/RO water. I use a brute 44 gallon bin and one of the wheels broke last night spilling water everywhere in the garage Never seen that before with those units but it did - oh well. Glad I had some tools off the floor and in bins.

 

[Diesel]

At the end imo you don’t need the nopox at the first place.
Nutrients is something that a healthy system can’t add by it self.
Hobbyist is always a stake here.

 

[User1]

At the end imo you don’t need the nopox at the first place.
Nutrients is something that a healthy system can’t add by it self.
Hobbyist is always a stake here.

Agreed. But so far the watch changes do not seem to be really doing much to reduce the nitrate reading. I'm not trying to reach 0 by any means but would like it on the lower scale on the test kit. Normally this isn't even something I test for other than now noticing my Xenia is receding for the first time and some green polyps turning white.

In any case I do not want to do anything that makes a sudden change because I have some bivalve or mollusk type animals in the live rock I moved over that I've had since 2000 now. They are embedded in the rocks pretty well and while you don't really see them I'd hate to make a sudden change that would kill them off.

I still have the sump to clean out and a water change due after I get some shelfs up on the garage. Thanks. I appreciate the feedback and advise.

 

[Diesel]

Got to find out where this high nitrate is coming from, but in most cases it the feeding schedule.
Feed less a lot less maybe one feeding every three days for now.
No feeding on corals at all till you got this under control.
10% water change everyday.
Stop dosing the nopox for the time being.

 

[User1]

Got to find out where this high nitrate is coming from, but in most cases it the feeding schedule.
Feed less a lot less maybe one feeding every three days for now.
No feeding on corals at all till you got this under control.
10% water change everyday.
Stop dosing the nopox for the time being.

Thanks - working on it. I have some water being made to run through a couple water changes this week.
Auto feeder has been taken off line. Tang gets a nori sheet and I'll manually feed.
Sump will also be cleared of visible sediments and left over food (I don't run filter socks or floss).

 

[Diesel]

If you can run filtersocks in your sump it will help you for the time being to lower the nitrate as well.
Oh and one more thing that will help a lot is uploading a avatar, believe me but don’t tell anyone else

 

[User1]

If you can run filtersocks in your sump it will help you for the time being to lower the nitrate as well.
Oh and one more thing that will help a lot is uploading a avatar, believe me but don’t tell anyone else

You mean on the left side here on the forums?

 

[Diesel]

You mean on the left side here on the forums?

Yes that orange square with SA in it.
You can change that, it’s all yours.