Nitrates and Phosphates Assistance

[jp415]

Hi all,

I was curious about how important nitrate and phosphates were in a reef tank. My tank is currently looking in good condition but when I check my nitrate and phosphates with red sea tester is it pretty high.

My tank is a 120-gallon tank with anemones and heavy livestock. I am finished adding any more fish and at the point where I can enjoy the tank and watch it grow. My only concern is my nitrates and phosphate levels may possibly crash my tank from what I read. The system has been running for 3 years with no issues.

Everything in my tank looks like it is thriving but no coralline algae growth I'm assuming due to the high NO3 and Phosphates. I tend to feed my tank 2 times a day pretty heavily due to all the livestock.

Could anyone recommend if I should even worry about the high nutrients since everything is used to it or just let it be since it has had no issues?

Currently running a bubble magus elite 9 and refugium as my only means of filtration.

 

[Lavey29]

Every reef tank is different. If your levels are elevated but your corals are thriving then I wouldn't mess with it. Your tank has just reached a balance point that works for it. Other tanks balance point may be different.

 

[jp415]

Thanks.

I was thinking about having to do massive water changes in the next few months to gradually bring it down. But with my livestock, it's going to be difficult to get my levels as a normal recommendation.

I'll start running some filter socks but I want to install a roller mat, but I have an older trigger elite sump and it's nearly impossible to install one of those on there.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Would it hurt to lower them? Just feed much less for a month and it would reduce it by quite a bit, I'd just reduce feeding for a while, easiest cheapest thing to do. Any system can get used to elevated levels. I would have them in the appropriate range that is known to be beneficial.

That tank looks amazing, I bet to see the motion in person is amazing I wish I could see it, if you want to post a video that would be ok, lol . You have a bunch of great fish and the orange is awesome in uv I bet that tank glows! Good job beautiful display!!!!!

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks.

I was thinking about having to do massive water changes in the next few months to gradually bring it down. But with my livestock, it's going to be difficult to get my levels as a normal recommendation.

I'll start running some filter socks but I want to install a roller mat, but I have an older trigger elite sump and it's nearly impossible to install one of those on there.

3 years with no issues means your approach is working. I wouldn't tweak it much at all just let the tank do its thing.

 

[jp415]

Would it hurt to lower them? Just feed much less for a month and it would reduce it by quite a bit, I'd just reduce feeding for a while, easiest cheapest thing to do. Any system can get used to elevated levels. I would have them in the appropriate range that is known to be beneficial.

That tank looks amazing, I bet to see the motion in person is amazing I wish I could see it, if you want to post a video that would be ok, lol . You have a bunch of great fish and the orange is awesome in uv I bet that tank glows! Good job beautiful display!!!!!

Thanks for the input.

Makes sense to try not to feed as much for a month and drop the levels. I was real worried since I finished my fish live stock list I did not want the nitrates and phosphates to turn into ammonia and something tragic happens.

Oh the tank looks wonderful in person but the camera and filter do no justice to it. Ill definitely try to get a better video in the daytime to share.

 

[jp415]

3 years with no issues means your approach is working. I wouldn't tweak it much at all just let the tank do its thing.

Yea I was trying to lower the nitrates and phosphates to get some coralline algae growth going but I tried before and it's been a struggle for me.

 

[Screwgunner]

Menards 28 watt grow led light and two ruffed up plastic canvases about 60 sq. Inches apiece plastic pipe. Make your own algea turf scrubber it will lower everything and coraline will come. I have a 125 gallon and a 30 gallon sump . Only 120 gallons of water lot of rock. 14 fish yt. Fox face neon goby two clowns 8 chromis flame angle. I run 2 10x 5 inch screens with one light in-between them . All my glass is covered in coraline algea tank is alittle over a year old and rock is getting covered now. I feed 2 pinches of flake . Then 4 cubes of frozen 1 brine 1 emerald 1 photoplankton 1 mysis . My phosphates are at .06 my nitrates stay around 5 my coral grow like weeds.

 

[jp415]

Menards 28 watt grow led light and two ruffed up plastic canvases about 60 sq. Inches apiece plastic pipe. Make your own algea turf scrubber it will lower everything and coraline will come. I have a 125 gallon and a 30 gallon sump . Only 120 gallons of water lot of rock. 14 fish yt. Fox face neon goby two clowns 8 chromis flame angle. I run 2 10x 5 inch screens with one light in-between them . All my glass is covered in coraline algea tank is alittle over a year old and rock is getting covered now. I feed 2 pinches of flake . Then 4 cubes of frozen 1 brine 1 emerald 1 photoplankton 1 mysis . My phosphates are at .06 my nitrates stay around 5 my coral grow like weeds.

Would you happen to have a photo of your DIY algae scrubber?

I am currently running a refugium but I don't think it is as effective as it should be.

I have been reading up on a biopellot reactor that will be able to lower the nitrates and phosphates.

 

[Screwgunner]

Bio pellet will reduce nitrates not that much phosphate. I ran one for years.

 

[Tired]

Chasing nutrient levels will get you all manner of expense and trouble, and is often worse for your tank than just letting them be high. If there's no problems, there's no problems.

Your lack of coraline may be due to lack of calcium or magnesium. Have you checked that lately?

 

[Screwgunner]

The screen you see in the pic was way to big. It was 10x 16 and the other one is on the other side of the light . My phosphates never got above .00 and my nitrates undetectable. My coral never grew and I got dinos . Cut the screen down and dinos went away and phosphate run .06 to .1 nitrates 5 to 10 . My sump has two returns that feed a drip plate with filter in it. I put a whole in the top of my sump in-between the returns . Took out the drip plate and changed the pipes for the screens small zip ties to hold screens in pipe . Walmart has the plastic screens should be by the yarn .

 

[mdb_talon]

Tank looks great and appears to be thriving and i would not fix what is not broke. Would definetely not decrease feedings but if i was concerned about nutrients would figure out how to get some sort of refugium on there

 

[Screwgunner]

Clean one screen one weekend the other the next weekend. Cheaper than gfo or phosguard.
And it grows pods and worms .

 

[Screwgunner]

 

[Tiki_Reef]

Hi all,

I was curious about how important nitrate and phosphates were in a reef tank. My tank is currently looking in good condition but when I check my nitrate and phosphates with red sea tester is it pretty high.

My tank is a 120-gallon tank with anemones and heavy livestock. I am finished adding any more fish and at the point where I can enjoy the tank and watch it grow. My only concern is my nitrates and phosphate levels may possibly crash my tank from what I read. The system has been running for 3 years with no issues.

Everything in my tank looks like it is thriving but no coralline algae growth I'm assuming due to the high NO3 and Phosphates. I tend to feed my tank 2 times a day pretty heavily due to all the livestock.

Could anyone recommend if I should even worry about the high nutrients since everything is used to it or just let it be since it has had no issues?

Currently running a bubble magus elite 9 and refugium as my only means of filtration.

Maybe you should get an anemone all joking aside awesome tank!!

 

[jp415]

That looks awesome and everything looks so healthy.

 

[Screwgunner]

1 year and 6 months of trial and error.