Nitrates too low

[musicreefer320]

Currently have a fishless reef tank and can’t add until Mid June due to ich outbreak. How can I raise my NO3? It’s plummeted since the fish have been removed. Thanks In advance!

 

[Big G]

You could consider "ghost feeding" the tank a bit.

 

[FishyDP]

Not 100% sure on this but I am thinking you will have to feed the tank so the bacteria can produce the nitrate. Maybe add some flakes or pellets daily to keep the nitrogen cycle going. I know some people have to dose nitrates on established tanks because their tanks run at 0 nitrate due to carbon dosing etc. There are nitrate dosing products out there, but I vote for the natural way and just feed the tank and test.

 

[musicreefer320]

You could consider "ghost feeding" the tank a bit.

Been feeding benepets and Mysis.... feel like i need more. I don’t know. Literally putting a cube of mysis in a 30 gallon tank.

 

[FishyDP]

Are you running a skimmer?

 

[Big G]

Been feeding benepets and Mysis.... feel like i need more. I don’t know. Literally putting a cube of mysis in a 30 gallon tank.

I mix up a fish "smoothie" for my fish. Using several different types of frozen cubes. Let is "slump" in the fridge. Then mix a bit. Now here's the interesting part. If I don't strain off the excess liquid, and feed this mix to my fish the nitrates and phosphates will go up; if I do pour off the excess liquid and feed to the fish the nitrates and phosphates stay just about right. So maybe you need a "mix" of bio material that appeals to nitrate production.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You can dose nutrients or just feed more. Have you measured phosphate?

 

[musicreefer320]

Are you running a skimmer?

No

 

[musicreefer320]

You can dose nutrients or just feed more. Have you measured phosphate?

Phosphate is .04

 

[FishyDP]

I believe some frozen foods tend to produce phosphates. I agree about feeding a good mix of foods for a biodiversity of nutrients, so you are feeding different types of bacteria that feed on different nutrients. If you are not running a skimmer I would be surprised if you dont get a nitrate spike in the near future. This has been my experience when cycling tanks. I also dose ammonia when cycling, seems to speed things up for sure.

 

[musicreefer320]

I believe some frozen foods tend to produce phosphates. I agree about feeding a good mix of foods for a biodiversity of nutrients, so you are feeding different types of bacteria that feed on different nutrients. If you are not running a skimmer I would be surprised if you dont get a nitrate spike in the near future. This has been my experience when cycling tanks. I also dose ammonia when cycling, seems to speed things up for sure.

I’m not cycling

 

[FishyDP]

I’m not cycling

Understood..the process should be similar though, as you are trying to get beneficial bacteria to grow/multiply and produce No3. Without fish, you do not have a food source for your bacteria.

 

[musicreefer320]

Fed the tank reef roids two days ago and my phosphates went from 0 to .12, but my nitrates were only .25. Still can’t get these nitrates up.

 

[FishyDP]

Try dosing ammonia. Dr. Tim's is good, dosing instructions included I believe. What test kits are you using?