MMcKenna1029
Community Member
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2021
- Messages
- 66
- Reaction score
- 70
- Location
- Gilford
- What state or country do you live in
- New Hampshire
So, a little hesitant to post because it's darn embarrassing when you realize you let things get way out of control but at this point I am at a loss. I have a 29g tank with HOB skimmer in my basement. It held my clown pair after I broke my reef down almost 2 years ago. The only other life in that time is a brittle star and the bristle worms living in the live rock. A few weeks ago I added some frags that seem to be doing well. The live rock is going on 4 years mature and is awesome purple color.
My issue is nitrate
Alk: 7.6, dialing in kalk dosing to maintain 8
Cal: 420
Mag: 1320
PO4: zero
NO3: still too high too test
I historically have tested with all red sea, (i am a fan). My NO3 & PO4 test kits were outdated by a few months. They have always both read zero. I recently purchased the Hannah ULR NO3 & PO4 checker. NO3 came in last week, I test, range too high. I dilute, test, range too high. I pulled out the dusty API kit and check NO3 and it is off the color chart, correlating with the Hannah... Lesson learned, don't use out of date test kits.
I did a 15 gallon water change, around 60%. 1 day later I did another 60%. Corals look happy but I tested today with the standard 10-1 dilution and it was still out of range. I diluted 20-1 and still out of range. I am at a loss. For that to be true NO3 would have had to be north of 600 before the water changes. Granted, I have a few frags that look better since the changes, but they didn't look that bad before.
PO4 checker came in today and I tested, expecting the worse, but Hannah ULR gave me 0.0.
NO3 north of 600 and PO4 at 0?? Is this even possible or am I completely missing something?
I am mixing up another 15 gallons of fresh saltwater now.
I appreciate any thoughts, critiques, even insults if it helps me understand what I am seeing.
Thank you,
Matt
My issue is nitrate
Alk: 7.6, dialing in kalk dosing to maintain 8
Cal: 420
Mag: 1320
PO4: zero
NO3: still too high too test
I historically have tested with all red sea, (i am a fan). My NO3 & PO4 test kits were outdated by a few months. They have always both read zero. I recently purchased the Hannah ULR NO3 & PO4 checker. NO3 came in last week, I test, range too high. I dilute, test, range too high. I pulled out the dusty API kit and check NO3 and it is off the color chart, correlating with the Hannah... Lesson learned, don't use out of date test kits.
I did a 15 gallon water change, around 60%. 1 day later I did another 60%. Corals look happy but I tested today with the standard 10-1 dilution and it was still out of range. I diluted 20-1 and still out of range. I am at a loss. For that to be true NO3 would have had to be north of 600 before the water changes. Granted, I have a few frags that look better since the changes, but they didn't look that bad before.
PO4 checker came in today and I tested, expecting the worse, but Hannah ULR gave me 0.0.
NO3 north of 600 and PO4 at 0?? Is this even possible or am I completely missing something?
I am mixing up another 15 gallons of fresh saltwater now.
I appreciate any thoughts, critiques, even insults if it helps me understand what I am seeing.
Thank you,
Matt
