Nitrate Dosing Question

[BrianReefer]

I’ve been reading lots and have just started dosing Neo Nitro in my 120g SPS tank to get my Nitrates above 0. Phosphates are currently at .034. My one concern about dosing Nitrates is driving my Phosphates down to 0, thought I’ve started feeding more heavily and reduced my refugium light period to help prevent that. My question is this: if I dose 30-40ml of NeoNitro, how quickly would my phosphates dive to 0 if it were going to happen? Is that an instant reaction, one I’d see in 24 hours, or would it take days to potentially show up as 0? I’m trying to figure out at what pace I should dose Nitrates without crashing my phosphates. Any guidance appreciated!

 

[Diesel]

You have to ask yourself first why your nitrates are that low.
For that matter you phosphates can be a bit more up as well.

 

[Gareth elliott]

This would be tank specific what are your current po4 levels. And what type of filtration are you running?

 

[BrianReefer]

I have a NYOS 160 skimmer, run filter socks and have 57w in-line UV. My Nitrates are low because I have apparently been way underfeeding. So I’m fixing that, but since my Phosphates are .034 now, I felt like I needed to give Nitrates a boost to get things in line (and then hopefully maintain through more feeding). Does that make sense?

 

[Gareth elliott]

Sounds like a good plan, an autofeeder might help with keeping both n and p up. Have it drop a pellet or 2 several times a day. And still feed your main food when you are home. Eheim autofeeder is only around $30 too.

 

[Diesel]

I have a NYOS 160 skimmer, run filter socks and have 57w in-line UV. My Nitrates are low because I have apparently been way underfeeding. So I’m fixing that, but since my Phosphates are .034 now, I felt like I needed to give Nitrates a boost to get things in line (and then hopefully maintain through more feeding). Does that make sense?

Yes not bad.
You also can cut in one of your filtersocks two holes about 2” of the bottom in order to let me nutrients through.
Setting your skimmer on a timer for a few hours a day or just adjust your skimmer.
You also mentioned you have a refugium going if so reduce the macroalgea in there if possible.
Of course feeding more will help but also some dry food in the filtersock to bring up nutrients.
Dosing nitrates is a option but try first to work with things in place already.

 

[BrianReefer]

Just got that setup too . And ordered ocean nutrition formula 1 and 2 pellets as I was reading here they have tons of nutrients. But back to my first question, if I dose Nitrates heavily to get an initial reading in the tank, how soon would I know if that was crashing my Phosphates? Would that reading be instant or take days to register?

 

[Gareth elliott]

It would not be instant. I start testing po4 once a day 24 hours after the initial increase in no3.

 

[BrianReefer]

Ok got it, thx!

 

[Diesel]

It will take a day or so.
Feeding nitrates is also boosting your bacteria load.
If tank isn’t stable you can create a bacteria bloom.
Test everyday on nutrients till you got it in check.
Dosing and not knowing where you are is never a good thing.