HIGH Nitrate in my 65!

[Congaken]

Recently turned my fowlr into a reef with softees...softees because my lattice bf seems to leave them alone...Had not checked parameters in a while because things were going well with the fish...checked today...cal=370, pH =8.2 , Phosphate 1.0...Nitrate.....80...!! Did a 20 % wc yesterday...and added calcium...obviously overfeeding...no sump...but small fuge with chaeto...Aquaclear 150 and 75...Water resources limited...small RO...suggestions...please!;Pompus

 

[Brew12]

Recently turned my fowlr into a reef with softees...softees because my lattice bf seems to leave them alone...Had not checked parameters in a while because things were going well with the fish...checked today...cal=370, pH =8.2 , Phosphate 1.0...Nitrate.....80...!! Did a 20 % wc yesterday...and added calcium...obviously overfeeding...no sump...but small fuge with chaeto...Aquaclear 150 and 75...Water resources limited...small RO...suggestions...please!;Pompus

I would suggest that you just relax. Unless you feel the nitates are causing issues why worry about it? Some people run softie tanks at levels that max out most test kits.

 

[SDReefer]

^
If you are noticing that the corals don't look as good as they should, you can carbon dose to bring down nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Congaken]

I would suggest that you just relax. Unless you feel the nitates are causing issues why worry about it? Some people run softie tanks at levels that max out most test kits.

Made my day!...so you don't think that would have an impact on softees?...GREAT!

 

[Congaken]

^
If you are noticing that the corals don't look as good as they should, you can carbon dose to bring down nitrates and phosphates.

other than my green polyp...which got bald for a while but is coming back...things seem good...

 

[Brew12]

Made my day!...so you don't think that would have an impact on softees?...GREAT!

If you aren't seeing an impact, that I would say it isn't having an impact.

If you are noticing that the corals don't look as good as they should, you can carbon dose to bring down nitrates and phosphates.

This isn't a bad idea at all, either. Just start slow. A cheap bottle of vodka will last quite the long time. And, some softies will eat the produced bacteria as food for a double win.

 

[Tautog]

I have high nitrates from time to time, but I too over feed, they always look hungry!
Relax, high nitrates are not all bad.
20% WC does nothing, but a 80% WC will.
Feed less more often, but just twice daily now until No3’s level out.
If your not dosing 2- part, START, get your parameters with Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium corrected. Don’t chase Ph, chase Alkalinity. Keep your Alkalinity between 7.0 - 8.0 dKH, but when consumption increases, don’t panic! Your corals are growing, and increase the 2- part. I run a mixed reef, 2 1/2 yrs, since I balanced out consumption, and have regularly maintained parameters, my growth has never been better, all corals.

 

[Tautog]

I have high nitrates from time to time, but I too over feed, they always look hungry!
Relax, high nitrates are not all bad.
20% WC does nothing, but a 80% WC will.
Feed less more often, but just twice daily now until No3’s level out.
If your not dosing 2- part, START, get your parameters with Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium corrected. Don’t chase Ph, chase Alkalinity. Keep your Alkalinity between 7.0 - 8.0 dKH, but when consumption increases, don’t panic! Your corals are growing, and increase the 2- part. I run a mixed reef, 2 1/2 yrs, since I balanced out consumption, and have regularly maintained parameters, my growth has never been better, all corals.

 

[Zack K]

I would suggest that you just relax. Unless you feel the nitates are causing issues why worry about it? Some people run softie tanks at levels that max out most test kits.

I have a Mixed reef that has these ratings. As long as both NO3 AND PO4 are high. Don’t worry. If one is high and one is low, then you want to balance them out. Let your tank find an equilibrium, and do all the work.

-Zack, who used to agree this hard.