Nitrate help

[johnyboy]

Hey reefers,

Just tested all my parameters
Alk 8.7
Calcium 400
Magnesium 1350
Phosphate 0.10
Nitrates 4 ppm

Everything is pretty much perfect but my nitrates are high. What are some possible solutions to fix this? Recently my cheato died on me because of a drop in my alk but I just bought a doser and my alk is coming up and becoming stable. Should I go with cheato again? Is there any other macro algae that's good for lowering nitrates or any other solution? Thanks for the answers in advance!

Happy reefing [emoji225][emoji245][emoji226]

 

[pdt7361]

What kind of coral and fish do you have in your system? To me, your nitrates aren't high. I keep softies, LPS, and NPS...with them I keep my nitrates at 3-5.

 

[johnyboy]

What kind of coral and fish do you have in your system? To me, your nitrates aren't high. I keep softies, LPS, and NPS...with them I keep my nitrates at 3-5.

Yea I don't have too many fish so my bioload isn't too high. My nitrates we always zero so I guess I'm just used to that lol

 

[CMD2213]

Try chaeto again, even look into vodka dosing

 

[Tori]

IMHO 4 ppm isn't high at all for nitrates. I would just try to keep it stable unless you're seeing some kind of negatives. You could cause more harm than good trying to drive it down. Again just my opinion and I'm definitely not an expert.

 

[Rick.45cal]

4 ppm is nothing to worry about, I'd add some chaeto back and let it bring your PO4 down a bit. Contrary to what the trend is these days you really don't want 0's for NO3 and PO4. Having some of both will help your colors grow and give them good color if you provide them with adequate light.

 

[johnyboy]

4 ppm is nothing to worry about, I'd add some chaeto back and let it bring your PO4 down a bit. Contrary to what the trend is these days you really don't want 0's for NO3 and PO4. Having some of both will help your colors grow and give them good color if you provide them with adequate light.

What about a sandsifting goby? Will he help? I already have a starfish but I don't think it's enough to clean my entire sand bed (75 gallon)

 

[HgrReefs]

I agree with everyone else, your nitrates seem perfectly fine. I wouldn't try to drive them down any further.

As far as adding a sandsifting type goby, I wouldn't if you already have a sandsifting star. Is your sandbed causing problems?

 

[CMD2213]

0 nitrates is not desired. Especially for those who have sps I know a few guys who dose it to maintain their tanks. But if you are worried about it then chaeto for a while, which I'm assuming your 0 reading was being based off the assistance of chaeto. Then it should help out the reading may say 0 after chaeto is re-introduced for a few weeks.

 

[johnyboy]

I agree with everyone else, your nitrates seem perfectly fine. I wouldn't try to drive them down any further.

As far as adding a sandsifting type goby, I wouldn't if you already have a sandsifting star. Is your sandbed causing problems?

It looks pretty clean to me but it could be contributing to the problem. When I move the sand around a ton of crap goes into the water column so I figured a sandsifting goby would help.

 

[HgrReefs]

Personally, I would be fearful about adding a sandsifting type goby to a system that already houses a sandsifting star for fear the star may eventually be starved.

 

[CMD2213]

Personally, I would be fearful about adding a sandsifting type goby to a system that already houses a sandsifting star for fear the star may eventually be starved.

All depends on the depth of the sandbed as well. They(stars) will go some places a goby may not due to the territory of another fish.

 

[Rick.45cal]

What about a sandsifting goby? Will he help? I already have a starfish but I don't think it's enough to clean my entire sand bed (75 gallon)

It really depends what species you are talking about, if you want one y0u probably can get away with one. Is it going to limit resources for your starfish as it gets larger, yes, it probably will. Sand sifting gobies are cool, but depending on species vary on their actual sand sifting effectiveness. Some more than you want (all your corals are liberally showered with substrate). Yellow Watchmen usually don't do much actual sifting an probably have little impact, especially if they are well fed. The diamond backs are kind of the happy medium of the bunch where they sift quite a bit, but aren't like yellow headed sleeper gobies that dump the sand all over everything constantly. (Your tank is definitely too small for yellow headed sleeper gobies).

I'm sure other's will be able to provide some more detailed information. Those are my experiences and are likely different for others here.

 

[johnyboy]

Thanks so much for all he replies. One last question. My LFS has dragons breath macro algae. I never used it before I only used chaeto. How is dragons breath? Is it beneficial? Are there any cons?

 

[CMD2213]

Thanks so much for all he replies. One last question. My LFS has dragons breath macro algae. I never used it before I only used chaeto. How is dragons breath? Is it beneficial? Are there any cons?

Dragons breath is more of a show macro it will also work but chaeto out competes most macros except various types of culerpas (spelling?) Which only some species are legal to own due to how invasive they are.

 

[johnyboy]

Dragons breath is more of a show macro it will also work but chaeto out competes most macros except various types of culerpas (spelling?) Which only some species are legal to own due to how invasive they are.

So culerpa is better than cheato?

 

[CMD2213]

So culerpa is better than cheato?

Not really better, just grows like crazy and you don't want it to get into the main display or you wll be taking out rock. So just use chaeto it's great and not as much of a pain as culerpa.

 

[Salty1962]

I agree that your N03 isn't bad but I would recommend getting your Po4 to @ .02. Let things stabilize and see how it goes.