NoPox Problems - Low Nitrates/High Phosphates

[mbarber87]

I've been dosing 5ML of NOPOX daily for about 30 days. Nitrates look great at 2-5ppm, but Phosphates are still through the roof at .41. I have no other nutrient export system other than NoPox...should I start GFO back up? I turned it off when starting NoPox because I was under the impression that it would zero out phosphates if I wasn't super careful.

Any suggestions? I'm not currently doing water changes, been dosing trace and majors for about 6 months

 

[redfishbluefish]

Your choice is to either dose nitrate or use a phosphate "absorber". Since you're familiar with GFO, I'd crank that back up to take care of the high phosphate. I'd also continue with the NOPOX, but at maintenance dose levels.

 

[mbarber87]

Your choice is to either dose nitrate or use a phosphate "absorber". Since you're familiar with GFO, I'd crank that back up to take care of the high phosphate. I'd also continue with the NOPOX, but at maintenance dose levels.

Thanks! Thats what I was thinking too, just wanted to make sure I wasn't making a bad decision!

 

[2Sunny]

Just another opinion, but I am no longer a fan of NOPOX. I dosed NOPOX for a year or so until it caused a bacterial bloom, but before it did that I always had to use GFO in addition to NOPOX because it was great for nitrates but did nothing for phosphate. If you search the forum you will find this is a common problem. Also if you search NOPOX and bacterial bloom you will find many folks ultimately run into this problem as well. In my opinion there are simpler and better ways to control N&P rather than NOPOX which really doesn't work on its own and ultimately can lead to a situation where your nutrients become too low.

Anyways just a thought.

Here's one thread of many:

White slim bacterial bloom

Hey guys. So I currently have a white slim bacterial bloom that I got from dosing nopox. Wondering what you guys recommend to treat it. Currently trying to wet skim and stopped all nopox dosing. Any help will be appreciated

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just another opinion, but I am no longer a fan of NOPOX. I dosed NOPOX for a year or so until it caused a bacterial bloom, but before it did that I always had to use GFO in addition to NOPOX because it was great for nitrates but did nothing for phosphate. If you search the forum you will find this is a common problem. Also if you search NOPOX and bacterial bloom you will find many folks ultimately run into this problem as well. In my opinion there are simpler and better ways to control N&P rather than NOPOX which really doesn't work on its own and ultimately can lead to a situation where your nutrients become too low.

That is the normal expectation for any organic carbon dosing. It is not really a "problem" (IMO), it is just that organic carbon dosing is a nitrite solution, not a phosphate solution.

 

[KevinC]

old thread, Im having the same problem as him in my pico tank. I think dosing nitrate and nopox would be easier for me since I never ran GFO before. Would that work in terms of keeping nitrate high and low phosphate?

I am aiming for a high nitrate for LPS growth

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

old thread, Im having the same problem as him in my pico tank. I think dosing nitrate and nopox would be easier for me since I never ran GFO before. Would that work in terms of keeping nitrate high and low phosphate?

I am aiming for a high nitrate for LPS growth

It is a fine thing to do, but I would not expect much drop in phosphate from organic carbon dosing.