Nitrates and Phosphates...ok?

[IndyReef78]

We’ve been fighting to get our nitrates and phosphates down from crazy off the charts high levels for several months now. For a couple of months, we’ve been using NoPox exclusively as a means to control the levels. The tank looks really good and there is very little algae anywhere other than a fine film on the glass at times and what might be some minor Dino/early cyano on the sand.

I just tested and my nitrates are reading about 40 on the API test and the Phosphates are 25 (.077) on the Hanna ULR checker, both of which have stayed pretty consistent through water changes and consistent dosing (via pump). Are these levels ok? The nitrates still seem a bit too high to me, but I know there is a wide range. Same with the phosphate. I can dose phosphate if needed, but I think it’s ok, right? Or do I need more right now to help bring down the nitrates some more? Or should I just leave things alone as the corals seem to be well?

 

[EmdeReef]

40 is on the higher end but the api test kit may be off.

Phosphates at 0.08 is fine, some target no higher than 0.05...

If there’s nothing wrong with the tank I wouldn’t try to fix it.

 

[IndyReef78]

40 is on the higher end but the api test kit may be off.

Phosphates at 0.08 is fine, some target no higher than 0.05...

If there’s nothing wrong with the tank I wouldn’t try to fix it.

I guess I don’t really know if there is “nothing wrong” in the tank for the corals because this is the first time we’ve finally been able to see how the corals react in relatively normal stable conditions, if that makes sense. Up until now, the levels have been way too high to let anything other than really hearty softies grow. I guess I’m just wondering if I should still aim to get the nitrates a bit lower somehow (though I’m really not sure how) or just let ride for a bit and see how everything fares? We have small frags of a wide variety of sps and lps corals now, good lighting, good filtration, steady parameters.

 

[SPR1968]

I would say a good Nitrate target is around 10ppm (my personal preference) so I would say 4o is on the high side. I’m currently running at around 15-20 so slightly higher but I have a very high bioload and am targeting a slight reduction with Nopox which I’ve been using for around 3 years.

Your phosphate is ok, a good target 0.03ppm and I would just continue what your doing and adjust the Nopox dose downwards as the nitrate starts to reach your target level, whatever that may be. I basically agree with @EmdeReef

Just don’t let the nitrate level get near zero or you may have other unwanted issues

 

[IndyReef78]

I would say a good Nitrate target is around 10ppm (my personal preference) so I would say 4o is on the high side. I’m currently running at around 15-20 so slightly higher but I have a very high bioload and am targeting a slight reduction with Nopox which I’ve been using for around 3 years.

Your phosphate is ok, a good target 0.03ppm and I would just continue what your doing and adjust the Nopox dose downwards as the nitrate starts to reach your target level, whatever that may be. I basically agree with @EmdeReef

Just don’t let the nitrate level get near zero or you may have other unwanted issues

Thanks for the reply. I have a somewhat heavy bio load as well (used to be heavier, but we rehomed a few things so it should be better). I would prefer to see the nitrates be lower mainly so we have a little wiggle room for any issues, I’m just not sure how to get them down any further. They seem to be stuck! My original goal was around 10-15 for Nitrates and around .05 for Phosphates.

 

[Goose91]

Im just gonna state this based on the assumption of how dosing for ammonia will still give you a reading for high ammonia even though its been affectively neutralized. So you could be testing postive for nitrates even though theyve been neutralized. But i could be wrong too.

Otherwise do a larger water change to remove and dilute the current toxin lvls. Macro algeas eat the ntritates also, so thats a possible natural way of keeping nitrate lvls in check is by finding a healthy balance of natural plant life that will consune it.

 

[ACF930]

Phosphate is fine. Really depends on what you are keeping (i.e. SPS, LPS, etc.). In general, PO4 0.02-0.15 is fine. NO3 2-30 is a decent range. Some people with SPS dominant have NO3 30+. Most corals are fine with high NO3. It's the PO4 that they don't like.