Nitrate Phosphate Balance

[shadynate]

Their Hybrid Pro salt mix shows a dKH of 8. If that is the salt mix OP is using how could ALK reach 12 w/o dosing?

I'm assuming OP is using their Reef Salt+ mix, which has ALK at 11.8

My apologies, it is the reef salt. Regular aqua forest reef salt.

 

[shadynate]

Totally agree; OP I would recommend changing your salt mix to lower your ALK, adjusting your weekly WC based on your nutrient readings. I target 15% every week but will adjust if nitrates or phosphates are low or will skip a week. I test before the WC.

Could feed more or try NeoPhos and/or NeoNitro. I've tried both and they're great when needed.

Awesome thanks for the tips. I’m gonna try to stop using nitrate reducing bacteria and lower water change amount, and increase feeding to daily or twice a day and will report back. Might switch salt mix as well. Anyone recommend a salt mix for mainly softies and some LPS?

 

[shadynate]

The back of the reef salt mix container says the mix should be 7.7-8.2 alkalinity. What could cause higher alk in the tank? From what I recall, when I’ve mixed fresh salt water the alk is high in the mix at 1.025. Perhaps switching salts will do the trick… lmk any salt recommendations

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

The back of the reef salt mix container says the mix should be 7.7-8.2 alkalinity. What could cause higher alk in the tank? From what I recall, when I’ve mixed fresh salt water the alk is high in the mix at 1.025. Perhaps switching salts will do the trick… lmk any salt recommendations

Maybe bad salt? The fresh saltwater should test around that ALK wise...

I use and can't recommend enough Red Sea Blue.

Found an older post from the forum chemistry guru @Randy Holmes-Farley

Alkalinity can only rise if it is added to the water somehow.

Ways can include:

1. Topping off with tap water that has alkalinity in it.
2. Release from artificial rock that uses cement (including frag plugs)
3. The consumption in the aquarium of nitrate (so nitrate is declining due to uptake)
4. Rise in salinity (as mentioned above)
5. Addition of something else that contained alkalinity. Do you add anything aside from foods?
6. A batch of Neomarine for water changes that is higher than you thought due to inhomogeneity within a bucket (settling and separation of the contents)
7. Mismeasurement of the alkalinity (not that rare)

Consumption of 10 ppm nitrate will boost alkalinity by 0.45 dKH.

 

[shadynate]

Maybe bad salt? The fresh saltwater should test around that ALK wise...

I use and can't recommend enough Red Sea Blue.

Found an older post from the forum chemistry guru @Randy Holmes-Farley

I’m curious if my dosing of aqua forest pro bio s and NP Pro is causing nitrates to be sucked up and thus causing an alkalinity rise? Any way to raise nitrates quick or is that ill advised? Preciate all your help. I’m gonna mix a batch of salt water and test all the parameters

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

I’m curious if my dosing of aqua forest pro bio s and NP Pro is causing nitrates to be sucked up and thus causing an alkalinity rise? Any way to raise nitrates quick or is that ill advised? Preciate all your help. I’m gonna mix a batch of salt water and test all the parameters

NeoNitro will add it instantly.

 

[dr_vinnie_boombatz]

I’m curious if my dosing of aqua forest pro bio s and NP Pro is causing nitrates to be sucked up and thus causing an alkalinity rise? Any way to raise nitrates quick or is that ill advised? Preciate all your help. I’m gonna mix a batch of salt water and test all the parameters

NP Pro says it reduces nitrates and phosphates

"NP Pro will help reduce nitrate and phosphate and is apart of the probiotic SPS system."

 

[shadynate]

I added neonitro and got nitrates up to 10. Alkalinity went from 12 to 8.3

 

[UtahReefer]

Aqua forest pro mix.

That salt is for tanks with lots of mature colonies that have a high demand for ALK. You want to use the AF Reef Salt. That ALK level will be more inline with what you currently need.

 

[Dburr1014]

You can use a pinch of gfo to lower phosphates and amino acids to supplement nitrate (nitrogen)


PS soft corals don't care about alk.

I would go 2g every other week for awhile. Feed more to get your nitrates up. Don't worry about your phosphate level currently. You are right your corals aren't growing so they aren't using any alk or calcium which is why you see rising alk number with weekly water changes. Get you nitrates to 15 and your alk number will slowly start coming down.

He's saying that soft coral don't use alk. Not really, so if you think the alk stalled because the coral is not growing, that's wrong. The soft coral was never using alk to begin with.(or calcium)

 

[Lavey29]

He's saying that soft coral don't use alk. Not really, so if you think the alk stalled because the coral is not growing, that's wrong. The soft coral was never using alk to begin with.(or calcium)

You are correct. I read his first post again and he indicates he only has soft corals which do not uptake alk or calcium but do uptake nutrients and come trace elements. Lack of growth could be the very low nitrates then or something else. I thought he had LPS and softs in his tank.

 

[ErikVR]

12 ALK

Red seas coral pro salt is 12 out of the box iirc.

 

[shadynate]

Awesome thank you!!