No Nitrates in two tanks...

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

OK, what is the operator doing wrong. The Max is 3 years old and I relocated it about 6 weeks ago. Sand was disturbed, then when rescaped it, I cleaned the entire sand bed and likely restarted a quick cycle. The Nuvo is 2 months old (I used wet ocean rock, 30 pounds, in this tank), 1 fish and about 8-9 coral, waiting on 2 clowns to clear customs (QT). The Max is also an ultra light bio load, 5 fish (2 clown, Purple Tang, U. Trigger and a File). As for food/nutrients, feed 2 frozen cubes a day, spot feed some of the corals with the same food as the fish twice a week. Should we just keep over feeding? I know, add more fish, we will. I was worried about Reef Roids and phosphate, should I just do Reef Roids daily? I also do AB+ every day. Thoughts?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you are confident that the nitrate kit results are correct (did it previously work and show higher values?) then I'd likely dose amino acids, ammonia, or nitrate. Feeding more seems suboptimal in this case since you have lots of phosphate.

 

[Dburr1014]

Reef roids is notorious for raising phosphate.
IMO, stop using that and rinse the frozen food first to thaw then feed.

Edit: I don't think your question is clear. Why are you worried about po4?
Because it's lowering and afraid to bottom out or that it was high and afraid it will go back up?

 

[Matt Bravo]

If you are confident that the nitrate kit results are correct (did it previously work and show higher values?) then I'd likely dose amino acids, ammonia, or nitrate. Feeding more seems suboptimal in this case since you have lots of phosphate.

Correct me if I’m wrong but you should never “dose” ammonia. It’s deadly to fish keep in mind. An alternative would be dose neo nitro correctly and elevate nitrates to your desire

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Correct me if I’m wrong but you should never “dose” ammonia. It’s deadly to fish keep in mind. An alternative would be dose neo nitro correctly and elevate nitrates to your desire

Dosing ammonia is an excellent thing to do if N is in short supply, as long as you do it appropriately. You definitely do need to do it appropriately.

DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

Some reef aquaria have chronic low nitrogen availability. One indicator is very low nitrate. Nitrate dosing is a fine remedy, but it is possible that ammonia dosing may be more beneficial for some organisms since ammonia can be energetically easier to assimilate than is nitrate. For this...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

If you are confident that the nitrate kit results are correct (did it previously work and show higher values?) then I'd likely dose amino acids, ammonia, or nitrate. Feeding more seems suboptimal in this case since you have lots of phosphate.

@Randy Holmes-Farley Yes, confident. Using Hanna and have had LFS confirm results regarding nitrates. Any Amino Acids you recommend to dose? I am afraid to dose ammonia, but I do have Dr. Tim's ammonia on hand.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Reef roids is notorious for raising phosphate.
IMO, stop using that and rinse the frozen food first to thaw then feed.

Edit: I don't think your question is clear. Why are you worried about po4?
Because it's lowering and afraid to bottom out or that it was high and afraid it will go back up?

Yes, I am afraid to bottom out, hence why I was thinking about Reef Roids, but I have had at least 3-4 people tell me not to use the stuff. I am currently running GFO to get the phosphates lower. Just shocked about not having any nitrates.

 

[Dburr1014]

Yes, I am afraid to bottom out, hence why I was thinking about Reef Roids, but I have had at least 3-4 people tell me not to use the stuff. I am currently running GFO to get the phosphates lower. Just shocked about not having any nitrates.

Use less gfo. See if it stops pulling out po4 from the rock/sand. You don't "have" to use recommended values.
Feed more in nitrates.

Edit: I have been zero for a couple months myself. I'm feeding heavier and started dosing ammonia also. I was dosing calcium nitrate but trying to get away from that. I must say, what I have been seeing in my tank, 1) glass stays clear longer; 2) po4 is slightly elevating from normal 0.1 to 0.13. Not a big difference but I think it might be because I'm no3 limited.
Corals are still growing so I'm not overly concerned yet. 3) My cheato is "thin". I don't know if it's because of the low no3 or the fluconazole I dosed. Not dead, just thin.
Sorry for the long edit.

 

[Dburr1014]

One more thought on no3...
As long as you are feeding heavy, I assume multiple times a day, the fish are producing N. It's not ideal to be zero but, IMO, the coral are getting N.
To me, it's not a "crazy got get N up now or the tank is going to crash" situation.
Work on it but don't pull your hair out.

 

[blecki]

Worrying about nitrate being 0 is kind of like worrying about your glass being empty while the waiter is bringing you a refill.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Worrying about nitrate being 0 is kind of like worrying about your glass being empty while the waiter is bringing you a refill.

IMO, nitrate or phosphate at at 0 ppm risks dinos.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley Yes, confident. Using Hanna and have had LFS confirm results regarding nitrates. Any Amino Acids you recommend to dose? I am afraid to dose ammonia, but I do have Dr. Tim's ammonia on hand.

When the goal is adding N, I don't really have a preference. It is possible that hard corals may acquire aspartic acid from the water, and that may be desirable, but the evidence is not conclusive that it is better than others. No brand preference, but you can diy if you want.

Food grade sodium or calcium nitrate is also a good plan. Cheap and easy to dose.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Worrying about nitrate being 0 is kind of like worrying about your glass being empty while the waiter is bringing you a refill.

I'll just leave that right there...

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Dburr1014 I am only feeding once a day currently. I am going to read the ammonia dosing info later.

 

[Dburr1014]

@Dburr1014 I am only feeding once a day currently. I am going to read the ammonia dosing info later.

Ah. Okay.
Disregard what I said then.
You may want to up your feeding to multiple times a day. As RHF pointed out, no3 and po4 at zero may introduce dinos. Not something you would want. But as it is, imo, it is better to have po4 at least. But do try to up your no3.