Nitrates are not dropping after the initial dose

[jasonrusso]

2 weeks ago I decided to dose NO3. My nitrates were stuck at zero and my trachyphyllia was suffering.

I mixed up the solution and put the initial dose in. I believe it was 2ppm. I tested it after to verify. The next day (I always test at the same time or close to it) it was down to 0.5ppm. I dosed the 2ppm again. This went on for a couple of days.

When they got to 4-5ppm I stopped dosing. I haven't changed my feeding habits either.

All week long, my nitrates have remained at the same level. I have been testing every other day. Is this normal? Did I add enough nitrates that the nitrates I add with food is the same as the nitrates being consumed?

My trachyphyllia is recovering, LPS are huge, zoas are overlapping, etc. My anemone isn't inflating as much, hopefully adjusting. GHA popped buy that is expected. PO4 is about 0.04-0.08

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm not sure how much I'd rely on exact values from such kits, but there may have been pent up demand for N that the initial doses got sucked up faster than later. Now the average daily demand might be lower than initially.

 

[jasonrusso]

So I guess I will just feed normally and test occasionally. I'll just make sure I see some pink in the test.

Would the NO3 be the reason my anemone is acting weird?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would the NO3 be the reason my anemone is acting weird?

I would not think so.