Nitrates and Phosphate just bottomed out...

[anygiven60]

What would cause nitrates and phosphate to bottom out? This happened over the course of three days. I went from 4-5ppm nitrates and .03ppm phosphate to 1ppm nitrate and no detectable phosphate with the Hanna ULR.

65gal stocked with a yellow eye kole, pair of clowns, six line and royal gamma. Fed 2-3 times a day mysis and pellet.

Dosing NeoNitro to help boost levels but within 24 hours after dosing the levels bottom back out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

How old is the tank? What corals do you have? What are you running for filtration?

 

[anygiven60]

Tank is 4 months old. LPS, some SPS, some zoas. Running a skimmer and marine pure.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Your tanks likely just finding its balance. No water changes involved here? Since you aren't running chemical or media (GFO, nopox, lanthanum chloride, etc..) Then your levels likely won't ever hit actual zero and it shouldn't effect your corals short term. If it stays that low for months then your corals would likely show signs of it.

 

[anygiven60]

No water changes and only dosing alk and cal. Had some sps get alk burn when it bottomed out. Alk was 9 but has been adjusted to 7.5 over the last week. Have one torch that isn't liking the changes at all.

 

[PatW]

In my system, my corals tend to not do well with undetectable phosphate with the Hanna ULR.

To compensate, you could

1. Feed your fish more and figure that fish poop will redress it.

2. Feed your coral with one of the popular coral foods.

3. Dose sodium nitrate and trisodium phosphate.

I use a combination of 1 and 3 of the above.

 

[JCOLE]

What kind of skimmer do you have and what size tank is it rated for? A skimmer that is to big will pull out nutrients very quickly.