Massive Parameter Fluctuations

[ecas12]

I have had some pretty wild Nitrate and Phosphate fluctuations in the past few days, and I am not sure where they could be from. Feeding quantity hasn't changed, but these are two things I think may be causing spikes:

(1) I thought I recently had my YWG pair with a tiger pistol, but I haven't seen the goby in about two weeks and I believe the shrimp is still alive as every morning when I check there is sand moved around where he chose to put his burrow. Is it possible the YWG died and I just didn't catch the ammonia spike until it had become converted in nitrate?
(2) I also recently set up a refugium a week ago and originally had the H80 Tuna Flora I bought running on max intensity for a 15 hour photo-period. I just changed it to a 12 hour photo-period, but I haven't seen much change in the chaeto. Is it possible it's also dying and releasing nutrients into the system?

Just as a frame of reference for my parameter fluctuations:

Nitrates up 15 ppm to 22.4 ppm in 5 days (were as low as 10.3 in between)
Phosphates double from .1 to .26 in 5 days. (rose from .1 -> .11 -> .22 -> current value)

 

[ShepherdReefer]

What test kit are you using?

 

[ecas12]

What test kit are you using?

Hanna for both, and confirmed nitrate spike with Red Sea as well. I don't have an additional Phosphate test kit.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have had some pretty wild Nitrate and Phosphate fluctuations in the past few days, and I am not sure where they could be from. Feeding quantity hasn't changed, but these are two things I think may be causing spikes:

(1) I thought I recently had my YWG pair with a tiger pistol, but I haven't seen the goby in about two weeks and I believe the shrimp is still alive as every morning when I check there is sand moved around where he chose to put his burrow. Is it possible the YWG died and I just didn't catch the ammonia spike until it had become converted in nitrate?
(2) I also recently set up a refugium a week ago and originally had the H80 Tuna Flora I bought running on max intensity for a 15 hour photo-period. I just changed it to a 12 hour photo-period, but I haven't seen much change in the chaeto. Is it possible it's also dying and releasing nutrients into the system?

Just as a frame of reference for my parameter fluctuations:

Nitrates up 15 ppm to 22.4 ppm in 5 days (were as low as 10.3 in between)
Phosphates double from .1 to .26 in 5 days. (rose from .1 -> .11 -> .22 -> current value)

I would suggest a test error. Not the test itself but the procedure you are following.

It's important to follow the procedure contained in the instruction sheet to the letter.

You need to rinse out the vials with tank water, then fill exactly to the point where the meniscus of the water sits on the line.

Then wipe clean with a microfibre cloth and ensure there are no bubbles on the wall of the test vial.

Follow the procedure to zero the checker at C1

Add the reagent.

For the Nitrate test you need to shake vigorously for exactly 2 minutes after adding the reagent.
For the Phosphate test you need to gently repeatedly invert for two minutes (no shaking).

Again wipe clean with a microfibre cloth and check for bubbles before putting the vial back in the tester.

Press and HOLD until the timer starts the countdown timer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I see no reason to not go back to the longer photoperiod, but the chaeto may have become limited by a trace element such as manganese or iron and I'd look into a trace element mix, if you are not currently doing so. It may have just used up what was available.

 

[ecas12]

I see no reason to not go back to the longer photoperiod, but the chaeto may have become limited by a trace element such as manganese or iron and I'd look into a trace element mix, if you are not currently doing so. It may have just used up what was available.

Would this happen even with a salt high in trace elements? I use Red Sea Coral Pro and do 10% water changes every week. No actual coral in the tank yet. Chaeto has only been in there a week.

 

[ecas12]

I would suggest a test error. Not the test itself but the procedure you are following.

It's important to follow the procedure contained in the instruction sheet to the letter.

You need to rinse out the vials with tank water, then fill exactly to the point where the meniscus of the water sits on the line.

Then wipe clean with a microfibre cloth and ensure there are no bubbles on the wall of the test vial.

Follow the procedure to zero the checker at C1

Add the reagent.

For the Nitrate test you need to shake vigorously for exactly 2 minutes after adding the reagent.
For the Phosphate test you need to gently repeatedly invert for two minutes (no shaking).

Again wipe clean with a microfibre cloth and check for bubbles before putting the vial back in the tester.

Press and HOLD until the timer starts the countdown timer.

Don't think it's a testing error. I follow all of these directions and I also confirm with my Red Sea nitrate test kit occasionally to make sure Hanna isn't off. My nitrates are the roughly same today at 21.6 and my phosphate is even higher at 0.37. I think my chaeto bunch has shrunk, that is currently the best explanation to me.