How often to use Red Sea Nitrate & Phosphate Reducer?

[mistergray]

The instructions for Red Sea Nitrate & Phosphate Reducer are pretty vague. I’ve never dosed anything before, but here I am. By daily, do the instructions truly mean to use it every day until my nitrate levels are correct or should I be dosing it weekly? Do I need to turn off my powerheads and pumps?

 

[bushdoc]

I belive you are referring to No3PO4X.
You are basically dosing carbon ( some proprietary mixture of alcohol and vinegar).This is a source of “fuel” for heterotrophic bacteria, which consume Nitrates and to some extent phosphates. You need to dose it daily, but I would go very cautiously and dose initially less than they recommend. Your powerheads should be on, tank well aerated and skimmer also on.

 

[mistergray]

I belive you are referring to No3PO4X.
You are basically dosing carbon ( some proprietary mixture of alcohol and vinegar).This is a source of “fuel” for heterotrophic bacteria, which consume Nitrates and to some extent phosphates. You need to dose it daily, but I would go very cautiously and dose initially less than they recommend. Your powerheads should be on, tank well aerated and skimmer also on.

Should I take out my filter pad? I don’t currently use a skimmer. Should I add one?

 

[bushdoc]

Should I take out my filter pad? I don’t currently use a skimmer. Should I add one?

You don’t have to remove filter pad. Skimmer definitely helps when you dose carbon, otherwise you are multiplying bacteria in water column and not removing them from the system. Skimmer removes bacteria which gorged on carbon and nitrates from your tank. Skimmer also aerates water as bacteria are using lots of oxygen. Without skimmer the whole process will be less efficient. Certainly corals, sponges, tunicates can also consume bacteria, but your system is probably not mature enough for that yet.

 

[mistergray]

You don’t have to remove filter pad. Skimmer definitely helps when you dose carbon, otherwise you are multiplying bacteria in water column and not removing them from the system. Skimmer removes bacteria which gorged on carbon and nitrates from your tank. Skimmer also aerates water as bacteria are using lots of oxygen. Without skimmer the whole process will be less efficient. Certainly corals, sponges, tunicates can also consume bacteria, but your system is probably not mature enough for that yet.

Thank you!