Nitrate WONT DROP - even with NOPOX

[EakTheFreak]

Good Evening R2R,

I’ve been dosing 35ML of Nopox daily for the last 5 days and the Nitrates are not dropping. I started with 48.5ppm with the Hannah HR nitrate checker. After 2 days it did drop to 38 ppm but just sticks around this 40 ppm range.

Does anyone else have issues with NOPOX not reducing nitrates? Or ideas for why it wouldn’t be reducing the nitrates or ways to make it work better?


Here are my parameters . I have a 131 gallon water box with sump which equates to probably 160 gallons of total water.

Salinity - 1.025
Dkh - 9.1
Calcium - 450
Magnesium - 1400
Phosphate - .05
Nitrate - 40ppm (THE PROBLEM)

Any and all suggestions are welcome!!

Thanks!!

 

[damsels are not mean]

Sounds like it's dropping to me? Are you doing anything else to reduce it?

 

[EakTheFreak]

Sounds like it's dropping to me? Are you doing anything else to reduce it?

I did one large water change and have cut my feeding down. Currently feed (1) large cube of LRS REEF FRENZY.

will feed occasional white worms maybe twice a week.

How long does Nopox high dosing normally take to reduce nitrates down?

 

[Flux Capacitor]

Are you running a skimmer?

 

[EakTheFreak]

Are you running a skimmer?

Yes, running a Aeraqua Duo AD600 Protein Skimmer - Maxspect that is rated for 150 gallons for heavy bioload.

 

[Dhaleillama]

Sounds like you are lacking beneficial bacteria to me. I had similar issues with phosphate at .15 and nitrate at 50ppm. Just did a big water change and dozed microbacteria7 for a week then re tested and dosed as needed until it was normal. I now add a cap full after every water change.

 

[arking_mark]

Your dosage seems quite high...

 

[Flux Capacitor]

Yes, running a Aeraqua Duo AD600 Protein Skimmer - Maxspect that is rated for 150 gallons for heavy bioload.

You probably don’t have enough bacteria built up yet. Give it some more time. You could also try running the skimmer as wet as possible, that should export more of the bacteria that’s eating the N&P.

 

[EakTheFreak]

Sounds like you are lacking beneficial bacteria to me. I had similar issues with phosphate at .15 and nitrate at 50ppm. Just did a big water change and dozed microbacteria7 for a week then re tested and dosed as needed until it was normal. I now add a cap full after every water change.

When you dosed Microbacter7 for a week, did you dose it daily?

 

[Flux Capacitor]

When you dosed Microbacter7 for a week, did you dose it daily?

You shouldn’t need to dose any bacteria. You already have the colony it will just take time for it to multiply with the carbon dosing you just started.

 

[EakTheFreak]

You probably don’t have enough bacteria built up yet. Give it some more time. You could also try running the skimmer as wet as possible, that should export more of the bacteria that’s eating the N&P.

I will try skimming more wet for sure. Crazy, because I’m dosing so high at 35ML per day, plus have a powerful skimmer, cut back feeding and have fern Caulerpa in my sump!

 

[EakTheFreak]

You shouldn’t need to dose any bacteria. You already have the colony it will just take time for it to multiply with the carbon dosing you just started.

How often should I test my nitrates with dosing 35 ML per day. Daily or weekly?

 

[Flux Capacitor]

Weekly should be fine. Give it some time to settle in. You are dosing quite a bit. I think you only need to be dosing 20ml. Over dosing probably isn’t going to make it happen faster. I’d reduce it, and then test every week. At some point I’ll bet you see a pretty big drop once the bacteria takes hold.

 

[Viva'sReef]

Redfield Ratio? Try dosing less nopox. Your ratio of Po4 is too low to bring down Po3 any more than you are.

I would do a big water change to bring your Po3 down to your desired range then do a maintenece dose of Nopox and see if it holds

 

[vetteguy53081]

My best reduction of nitrate has been addition of a pouch of ChemiPure Blue or elite. It will lower and keep it in check (same with Phos) and remove toxins if present and polish your water clarity
Been using this well over a decade

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Water changes, 50% a few times will to be the quickest way to drop nitrate. Be careful of using that much nopox, you may bottom out your po4 and cause some other issues. I dose at 1/2 of a dose or 7ml a few days a week to keep N&P numbers consistent. Total water volume is approx 115 gallons between display and sump.

P.S. what are you testing nitrate with?

 

[EakTheFreak]

Weekly should be fine. Give it some time to settle in. You are dosing quite a bit. I think you only need to be dosing 20ml. Over dosing probably isn’t going to make it happen faster. I’d reduce it, and then test every week. At some point I’ll bet you see a pretty big drop once the bacteria takes hold.

Thanks for your advice, I will drop down to 20ML as it’s been messing with my PH to much as well.

 

[EakTheFreak]

Water changes, 50% a few times will to be the quickest way to drop nitrate. Be careful of using that much nopox, you may bottom out your po4 and cause some other issues. I dose at 1/2 of a dose or 7ml a few days a week to keep N&P numbers consistent. Total water volume is approx 115 gallons between display and sump.

P.S. what are you testing nitrate with?

Testing with the Hannah Nitrate HR.

 

[dvgyfresh]

Buy some probidio bio digest , I think you need more diverse bacteria , also you are dosing way too much nopox and could actually be hindering itself

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

too much nopox, cut it to 15 for that tank size. You should start dosing phosphates if you keep this up. I would do several large waterchanges over a week or 2 then adjust the dosage.