No change after 25% WC

[Pauliex77x]

Tested nitrates and phosphates today. They were at 25ppm and .5 ppm. After a 25% wc i waited about 4 hours and tested again. No change. Used salfiert kits. Did i not wait long enough to test?

 

[piranhaman00]

Tested nitrates and phosphates today. They were at 25ppm and .5 ppm. After a 25% wc i waited about 4 hours and tested again. No change. Used salfiert kits. Did i not wait long enough to test?

It’s just testing inconsistency. Whatever the original NO3 and PO4 were they are now 25% less. It’s hard to detect those changes with tests kit. PO4 salifert is useless also, your gonna have to get Hanna.

 

[Pauliex77x]

It’s just testing inconsistency. Whatever the original NO3 and PO4 were they are now 25% less. It’s hard to detect those changes with tests kit. PO4 salifert is useless also, your gonna have to get Hanna.

That sucks ive only used it twice lol. Im starting to drive myself crazy with these numbers. I only have 2 clowns as livestock and my cycle just finished so im not too worried. I'd just like to see some stability before i try to add corals and im really not getting any.

 

[Billldg]

If your cycle just finished then the bacteria population hasn’t really been established yet. When it is fully established it will help with some nutrient transport. I would let the tank mature a little bit more so you have success with the corals. Also, how much are you feeding the clowns? It could also explain the high levels. Water changes work to help lower levels, but if the levels are that high, meaning the P04 then it would take several water changes. I have no experience with salifert test kits, so I can’t help you there.

 

[Pauliex77x]

Clowns get fed pellets twice a day just enough for 3 or 4 bites for each of them. Theyre small. Im pretty sure im not overfeeding.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Tested nitrates and phosphates today. They were at 25ppm and .5 ppm. After a 25% wc i waited about 4 hours and tested again. No change. Used salfiert kits. Did i not wait long enough to test?

phosphate won’t reduce well by water change due to the reservoir of bound phosphate on rock and sand. Nitrate went down, but your kit may not be precise enough to see it.

 

[Pauliex77x]

phosphate won’t reduce well by water change due to the reservoir of bound phosphate on rock and sand. Nitrate went down, but your kit may not be precise enough to see it.

So time for the fuge light and chaeto i guess.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It’s just testing inconsistency. Whatever the original NO3 and PO4 were they are now 25% less. It’s hard to detect those changes with tests kit. PO4 salifert is useless also, your gonna have to get Hanna.

Correct on nitrate, but not phosphate. It might only be 1% or 5% or some other number lower than 25% reduced due to phosphate coming off the rock and sand when you try to reduce it.

 

[Billldg]

Clowns get fed pellets twice a day just enough for 3 or 4 bites for each of them. Theyre small. Im pretty sure im not overfeeding.

Yea, that doesn't sound like you are overfeeding. @Randy Holmes-Farley touched on what I had said about water changes, he just went into it further, they are not a good way to reduce P04.

 

[Pauliex77x]

Yea, that doesn't sound like you are overfeeding. @Randy Holmes-Farley touched on what I had said about water changes, he just went into it further, they are not a good way to reduce P04.

I run chemi pure blue in the media basket and i also have a fuge basket waiting for a light and chaeto. Just didnt want to add the chaeto to a cycling tank. I was under the impression that a WC lowers phosphates like it does nitrates. Good to know it doesnt.

 

[piranhaman00]

Correct on nitrate, but not phosphate. It might only be 1% or 5% or some other number lower than 25% reduced due to phosphate coming off the rock and sand when you try to reduce it.

That’s assuming there is PO4 bound to rocks/sand already. Sure it’s not exactly 25% less than before but I was trying to make a point that can’t rely on test kits for that type of precise measurement

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That’s assuming there is PO4 bound to rocks/sand already. Sure it’s not exactly 25% less than before but I was trying to make a point that can’t rely on test kits for that type of precise measurement

Phosphate will almost instantly bind to rock and sand. One of our members did a test and he dosed phosphate to water/dead rock and tracked the amount left in solution. He found that there was hundreds of times as much on the rock as in the water. If you reverse that experiment, lowering the concentration in the water, it will come back off again.

 

[Pauliex77x]

Phosphate will almost instantly bind to rock and sand. One of our members did a test and he dosed phosphate to water/dead rock and tracked the amount left in solution. He found that there was hundreds of times as much on the rock as in the water. If you reverse that experiment, lowering the concentration in the water, it will come back off again.

So my options are getting my fuge running or dropping in some GFO? If i vac the sandbed next wc would that help?

 

[Pauliex77x]

Nevermind randy i found your article gonna give it a read. Thanks for the help.