Nopox not working

[Wildreefs]

I have a fairly heavily stocked 150. I do about a 30% water changes every 10 days. I built an algae scrubber t’d off from my uv line a few weeks ago, and I’m getting ok growth.

I have been dosing about 20 mls of Nopox a day for the last 4-5 weeks, and my nitrates hover around 75, only dropping after a water change to 50 or so. According to the Nopox instructions, I believe it has me at 3 ml per 25 gallons being in over 10 nitrates (so 18 mls for me, I’m doing 20)

Being I’m that high, guessing by the pattern in their instructions, 0-1 use I ml, 1-10 use 2, over 10 use 3, maybe in reality I need to scale that and be dosing 40-50 a day?

 

[exnisstech]

Maybe try feeding less and tightening up on water change intervals?

Sorry I can't help with the nopox. I've only ever dosed to increase something never to reduce a level in the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a fairly heavily stocked 150. I do about a 30% water changes every 10 days. I built an algae scrubber t’d off from my uv line a few weeks ago, and I’m getting ok growth.

I have been dosing about 20 mls of Nopox a day for the last 4-5 weeks, and my nitrates hover around 75, only dropping after a water change to 50 or so. According to the Nopox instructions, I believe it has me at 3 ml per 25 gallons being in over 10 nitrates (so 18 mls for me, I’m doing 20)

Being I’m that high, guessing by the pattern in their instructions, 0-1 use I ml, 1-10 use 2, over 10 use 3, maybe in reality I need to scale that and be dosing 40-50 a day?

And rarely does it work as its a form of vodka dosing and best bet is to increase number of water changes, reduce amount fed or strain frozen food liquid and add a pouch of chemipure blue blue or elite to reduce phos and keep it in check

 

[Dan_P]

I have a fairly heavily stocked 150. I do about a 30% water changes every 10 days. I built an algae scrubber t’d off from my uv line a few weeks ago, and I’m getting ok growth.

I have been dosing about 20 mls of Nopox a day for the last 4-5 weeks, and my nitrates hover around 75, only dropping after a water change to 50 or so. According to the Nopox instructions, I believe it has me at 3 ml per 25 gallons being in over 10 nitrates (so 18 mls for me, I’m doing 20)

Being I’m that high, guessing by the pattern in their instructions, 0-1 use I ml, 1-10 use 2, over 10 use 3, maybe in reality I need to scale that and be dosing 40-50 a day?

You simply just have added enough.

 

[Wildreefs]

You simply just have added enough.

Fair enough. 150 gallons total, what shouid be my target with a heavy bio load and current 75 ppm nitrate? I know every tank is different, but if I get up to 40-50 mo a day, is that crazy?

 

[Dan_P]

Fair enough. 150 gallons total, what shouid be my target with a heavy bio load and current 75 ppm nitrate? I know every tank is different, but if I get up to 40-50 mo a day, is that crazy?

Does the NOPOX label give a maximum dose? Based on the info below, 50 mL would seem to be a high does of carbon where you should start to see nitrates drop, possibly bacteria blooming and skimmer producing darker skimmate.

Quote: @redfishbluefish:
Based on an NMR of NOPOX, a diy mix of 500 mls vinegar (5%), 375 mls vodka (80 proof), and 125 mls RO/DI matches the ratios."

 

[Wildreefs]

Does the NOPOX label give a maximum dose? Based on the info below, 50 mL would seem to be a high does of carbon where you should start to see nitrates drop, possibly bacteria blooming and skimmer producing darker skimmate.

Quote: @redfishbluefish:
Based on an NMR of NOPOX, a diy mix of 500 mls vinegar (5%), 375 mls vodka (80 proof), and 125 mls RO/DI matches the ratios."

Yep for my tank size, 18 mls. That’s over 10 nitrates in their instructions. I’m 7x that 10 nitrate guilds

 

[bushdoc]

You didn't exactly tell us what is heavy bio load.
It is possible that even carbon dosing or any kind of bilogical filtration is unable to cope if bio load is too heavy. If carbon dosing is increasing bacteria population, you have to remove them by effective skimming.

 

[BaliReefBox]

had the same prob but on a smaller scale...I just increased the dose by 1 ml every 2-3 days until I started to see a drop in NO3 and PO4. I left it there until no3 where in the 30s then dropped to 3ml per 25gal and followed the instructions. Now I have 10 NO3 and 0.09 PO4. As a full disclosure I was using DIY nopox at 590ml vinegar and 410 ml vodka.

 

[biom]

I have a fairly heavily stocked 150. I do about a 30% water changes every 10 days. I built an algae scrubber t’d off from my uv line a few weeks ago, and I’m getting ok growth.

I have been dosing about 20 mls of Nopox a day for the last 4-5 weeks, and my nitrates hover around 75, only dropping after a water change to 50 or so. According to the Nopox instructions, I believe it has me at 3 ml per 25 gallons being in over 10 nitrates (so 18 mls for me, I’m doing 20)

Being I’m that high, guessing by the pattern in their instructions, 0-1 use I ml, 1-10 use 2, over 10 use 3, maybe in reality I need to scale that and be dosing 40-50 a day?

Did you tested for phosphate?
IME combining biological methods for controlling nitrate doesn't work as expected. The reason could be competition for certain nutrients.

 

[Dan_P]

Yep for my tank size, 18 mls. That’s over 10 nitrates in their instructions. I’m 7x that 10 nitrate guilds

Keep increasing the dose. If you are worried, increase it in steps you are comfortable with. Also, break up the dose over the day.

 

[Dbichler]

increase the dose I have a 210 that sat around 100 nitrates got up to 60mls before it came down then had to start dosing phosphate now my maintenance dose is 30.