Nitrate and phosphate

[Calireefer92]

Hey reefers just wanted to know how everyone is keeping there nitrate and phosphate low and how you maintain it at the right level. I have a 200 gallon with nitrate at 20 ppm and phosphate around 0.63

 

[PeterC99]

Hey reefers just wanted to know how everyone is keeping there nitrate and phosphate low and how you maintain it at the right level. I have a 200 gallon with nitrate at 20 ppm and phosphate around 0.63

Have a well stocked 90 gallon. Refigium with chaeto helps keep my nitrates & phosphates very low (2ppm NO3 and .01 PO4).

 

[amazongb]

I have high levels as well, and don't care because corals look fine.

 

[Fernthereefer]

I think this is a recurrent question. You probably know of the main ways to bring them down. But here I believe your question is: how to maintain a consistent low nutrient level ONCE you bring them down?

1- Dosing how much you feed and what you feed
2- Proper filtration methods, skimmer, regular change of socks, etc
3- The use of a refugium (macroalgae)
4- Proper water flow and avoiding dead zones
5- Regular water changes and cleaning of sand

These are the general ones, more will chime in.

 

[saturn13]

Hey reefers just wanted to know how everyone is keeping there nitrate and phosphate low and how you maintain it at the right level. I have a 200 gallon with nitrate at 20 ppm and phosphate around 0.63

home made alage scrubber on my 45 gallon frag tank, with clip on grow light from amazon with time setting, even at lowest setting 3hrs phosphate is untracable, and nitrate at 2-5ppm max, I can feed and add neophos and these numbers stay pretty constant. I also run a skimmer with an airline outside to keep ph up.

 

[Calireefer92]

Have a well stocked 90 gallon. Refigium with chaeto helps keep my nitrates & phosphates very low (2ppm NO3 and .01 PO4).

I have a refigium with chaeto 9pm to 7 am and it doesn’t seem to be reducing anything. I have a 150w ufo grow light

 

[PeterC99]

I have a refigium with chaeto 9pm to 7 am and it doesn’t seem to be reducing anything. I have a 150w ufo grow light

What is the flow rate through the refugium? Is your chaeto growing well? How long has the refugium running?

 

[Calireefer92]

What is the flow rate through the refugium? Is your chaeto growing well? How long has the refugium running?

I just put a power head to get the cheato to tumble and made the light schedule longer to see if I get better growth

 

[PeterC99]

I just put a power head to get the cheato to tumble and made the light schedule longer to see if I get better growth

With your level of nitrate, chaeto should be growing like crazy.

 

[vetteguy53081]

For elevated nitrate and Phos, I generally recommend ChemiPure Blue or elite which will keep it in check and also polish the water to crystal clear

 

[Calireefer92]

For elevated nitrate and Phos, I generally recommend ChemiPure Blue or elite which will keep it in check and also polish the water to crystal clear

I was gonna try nopox and filter floss