High nitrates constantly

[mymarinedream]

I’m sure this topic has been discussed in length but not on my individual tank needs. My Nitrates have always been high. Why won’t they come down?

 

[mymarinedream]

.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What number does that correspond to?
What have you tried?

 

[mymarinedream]

What number does that correspond to?
What have you tried?

The million dollar question 10 maybe? Don’t think it’s as dark as 25.

 

[windemerejack]

I would kill for nitrates at over 10, your nitrates are fine.

 

[mymarinedream]

But shouldn’t there be almost no pink? Nitrates should be less than 1 I thought.

 

[windemerejack]

I don't know where you heard that from, unless you are going for an ulns then it is not advisable to be that low.
I would be ecstatic to have that high nitrates, some people run tanks with nitrates 50 and above. Yours is absolutely fine as it is.

 

[Hemmdog]

But shouldn’t there be almost no pink? Nitrates should be less than 1 I thought.

No. If you are running a standard reef you can keep it from 5-25. Ulns is a different story.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

But shouldn’t there be almost no pink? Nitrates should be less than 1 I thought.

My recommendation is 2-10 ppm. Higher is better than lower.

Older (lower) recommendations, including mine, were mostly from a time when folks really couldn't get nitrate below 2 ppm without a big effort. Mine never got below 2 ppm no matter what I did.

 

[mymarinedream]

I don't know where you heard that from, unless you are going for an ulns then it is not advisable to be that low.
I would be ecstatic to have that high nitrates, some people run tanks with nitrates 50 and above. Yours is absolutely fine as it is.

At the moment I’m dosing aquaforest pro bio s and np pro as these (I thought) reduce nitrate and phosphates. Are these designed for an ulns ?
I’ve also got a refugium, rowaphos in a reactor and JBL Nitratex balls in my sump.

 

[windemerejack]

Sorry but I have no experience with Aquaforest products, but if everything you are doing is keeping your nitrates at or around 10 then everything is fine and you should carry on with what you are doing.

 

[mymarinedream]

My recommendation is 2-10 ppm. Higher is better than lower.

Older (lower) recommendations, including mine, were mostly from a time when folks really couldn't get nitrate below 2 ppm without a big effort. Mine never got below 2 ppm no matter what I did.

I assume they’re at this level from dosing pro bio s and Np pro then. If this pink reading is <2.5 & my PO4 is at 48 ppb(0.048ppm) should I stop dosing these.
I have a refugium, rowaphos in reactor and JBL Nitratex media in sump. should I stick with just these

 

[mymarinedream]

I assume they’re at this level from dosing pro bio s and Np pro then. If this pink reading is <2.5 & my PO4 is at 48 ppb(0.048ppm) should I stop dosing these.
I have a refugium, rowaphos in reactor and JBL Nitratex media in sump. should I stick with just these

Other items
Ca 425
Mg 1275
dKH 7.1
Ph 8
Salinity 1.025 @ 25.6°c
Aquaforest products as below
Dose Pro bio S & NP Pro.
Use probiotic reef salt
Dose components 1,2,3