How to safely raise Phosphate and Nitrate?

[Reefing102]

Hey all,

So I am currently running a 2.5 gallon Pico. I have a two head hammer and 4 Ricordea. The Ricordea look great. The hammer seems to be happy but not thriving in the tank (working on an upgrade).

I am currently running a NiCrew 30 watt LED at 20% blue and 20% white. About 8 inches off the surface. I don’t have a par meter but this seems to be a low par LED light. Based on manufacturer specs, it’s 100 Par at 24” in air (I hope that made sense)

I just got all new Salifert test kits and think I found why stuff seems happy but isn’t thriving.
Salinity: 1.025-1.026
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0
Calcium: 430
Alk: 8.3
MG: 1350
PH: 8

I do weekly ~20% water changes with instant ocean.

No dosing of any kind. Tank has been up 2+ years (I honestly don’t remember when it was set up but I’ve been married more than two years and it was up before then)

All coral was added about 2 weeks ago. No significant algae problems.

So my thought is I need to slightly boost Nitrate and Phosphate. I’m concerned as prior to this tank I had massive algae issues (cyano and hair algae). There’s no fish and once a week feeding of a couple pellets to keep the hermits and snails happy. Any thoughts on safely uping these two without decimating the tank? Or just let it be and keep on keeping on? Like I said everyone seems happy just not “thriving”.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Green leaf aquariums kno3, feed more, put skimmer on a timer, put refugium lamp on a timer, Stump remover, 3 drops of water from a petco display.

 

[Reefing102]

I should add no skimmer or fuge

I’m liking the Petco idea lol

 

[ThePurple12]

I use sodium nitrate and trisodium phosphate, which you can buy on amazon.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I was joking earlier but feed more is the safest bet. Don’t dose for nitrates in that small tank. No room for error.

 

[Reefing102]

That’s what I was thinking was to slightly increase feeding. I noticed a lot of products have “for every 10 gallons” or whichever

 

[Uncle99]

I can maintain rock solid nitrate (5ppm) and phosphate (0.07ppm) with NeoNitro and Neophos.
Perhaps you only need a drop every few days.

 

[Azedenkae]

I agree with @Townes_Van_Camp, imo increasing feeding is the safest option.

 

[ThePurple12]

Hmm, I would disagree. Feeding more brings the risk of overfeeding, with can be dangerous to the fish and the tank. With dosing, you can raise n and p by a specific, controlled amount.

 

[Azedenkae]

Hmm, I would disagree. Feeding more brings the risk of overfeeding, with can be dangerous to the fish and the tank. With dosing, you can raise n and p by a specific, controlled amount.

Can you elaborate on how you think overfeeding can be dangerous to the fish in the tank? Just that they might become too fat (and die, maybe?) or something like that?

 

[ThePurple12]

Can you elaborate on how you think overfeeding can be dangerous to the fish in the tank? Just that they might become too fat (and die, maybe?) or something like that?

Something like that, LOL. I read about it in an aquarium book a while ago. The fish don’t know when to stop eating.

 

[Azedenkae]

Something like that, LOL. I read about it in an aquarium book a while ago. The fish don’t know when to stop eating.

Somehow from my experience, that seemed to be truer for freshwater fish compared to marine fish. Mine seems to stop caring about food once they fed enough. XD But fair point nonetheless.

 

[Reefing102]

I would agree with the overfeeding aspect, however in this case there’s no fish in this tank. I feed sparingly just to keep the hermits and snails happy. I can easily watch if there gets to be left over food

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I would agree with the overfeeding aspect, however in this case there’s no fish in this tank. I feed sparingly just to keep the hermits and snails happy. I can easily watch if there gets to be left over food

I’ve used coral food to boost phosphates, reef roids work well but the dosing is great for people that need the po4 boost everyday

 

[PeterZammetti]

Hey all,

So I am currently running a 2.5 gallon Pico. I have a two head hammer and 4 Ricordea. The Ricordea look great. The hammer seems to be happy but not thriving in the tank (working on an upgrade).

I am currently running a NiCrew 30 watt LED at 20% blue and 20% white. About 8 inches off the surface. I don’t have a par meter but this seems to be a low par LED light. Based on manufacturer specs, it’s 100 Par at 24” in air (I hope that made sense)

I just got all new Salifert test kits and think I found why stuff seems happy but isn’t thriving.
Salinity: 1.025-1.026
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Phosphate: 0
Calcium: 430
Alk: 8.3
MG: 1350
PH: 8

I do weekly ~20% water changes with instant ocean.

No dosing of any kind. Tank has been up 2+ years (I honestly don’t remember when it was set up but I’ve been married more than two years and it was up before then)

All coral was added about 2 weeks ago. No significant algae problems.

So my thought is I need to slightly boost Nitrate and Phosphate. I’m concerned as prior to this tank I had massive algae issues (cyano and hair algae). There’s no fish and once a week feeding of a couple pellets to keep the hermits and snails happy. Any thoughts on safely uping these two without decimating the tank? Or just let it be and keep on keeping on? Like I said everyone seems happy just not “thriving”.

overfeed with frozen food.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dosing food grade sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate is cheap and easy.

 

[Timfish]

I'd add a small fish and just feed more.

 

[Reefing102]

Dosing food grade sodium nitrate and sodium phosphate is cheap and easy.

@Randy Holmes-Farley do you have a specific Sodium Phosphate? I checked Amazon and can’t seem to find pure sodium phosphate. Unless it’s anhydrous?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This is a good one:

 

[Reefing102]

Thanks!