NoPoX time frame?

Topside Reef · Dec 20, 2015

G

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
What am I not correct about? I do not disagree that at levels below 0.03 ppm phosphate you can begin to inhibit algae. Even so, 0.02 ppm does not always stop it.

However, we are talking about bacteria consuming organics, not algae photosynthesizing. Denitrification by bacteria in anoxic regions takes up a lot less phosphate per unit of nitrate than does algae growth. Since many people reduced nitrate by dosing organic carbon at 0.02 ppm phosphate, I think that to explain his issue as phosphate too low would require that 0.02 ppm to be wrong..

Good points

marke · Dec 20, 2015

Sorry if you already mentioned, but what test kit and how old? Testing error?

AdamNC · Dec 20, 2015

I've been dosing the NoPoX since November 27th and bought the Red Sea Pro Algae Management kit (both no3 and po4) on the same day, November 26th. The only algae I do have is some bubble, a little red cyano and the dusting on the glass, no hair or other algae. I did tests yesterday on ro/di and a fresh batch of IO water and both came out at 0 ppm if no3. Also last week confirmed the Red Sea test results with an API no3 test and they were near identical.

zzzdiver · Dec 28, 2015

AdamNC so how is it going any updates?

AdamNC · Dec 28, 2015

Tested yesterday and still sitting the same. I'm expecting it to start dropping any day now. It's been a month now since I started dosing it.

zzzdiver · Dec 28, 2015

It should be coming down soon. You have tested with a second test kit right for no3?

AdamNC · Dec 28, 2015

Yea and also tested a fresh batch of IO mix. Fresh batch read 0ppm.

zzzdiver · Dec 28, 2015

Cool well you can rule that out as a source

AdamNC · Jan 6, 2016

@Randy Holmes-Farley
A month and a half later and still no change up or down. I've cut all coral feeding and aminos as of yesterday. Still feeding the fish, only have 3. Would it be unwise to maybe up the dose of NoPoX by say 0.5 - 1.0 mL daily?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 6, 2016

If the phosphate is still at 0.02 ppm and the nitrate is high, then yes, it seems reasonable to up the dose. How much have you been dosing?

AdamNC · Jan 6, 2016

3 ml per day on 20 gallons volume. I just double checked my Red Sea test kit again against my API.

Tested with tank water

Salt mixed up from yesterday

So I think my source water is safe.

Habib(Salifert) · Jan 6, 2016

Did you test the water change water for phosphate?

Perhaps phosphate in your tank is not 0.02 ppm in reality but much lower.
That might explain the STN and nitrate not getting lower, however there can be a dozen other reasons for that.

AdamNC · Jan 6, 2016

Po4 gets tested once a week. Twice it went to 0.04ppm.

Phosphate Measurements
Value Date
0.02 ppm Sat January 2, 2016 18:32
0.02 ppm Sat December 26, 2015 20:32
0.02 ppm Sat December 19, 2015 14:36
0.04 ppm Sat December 12, 2015 15:10
0.02 ppm Sat December 5, 2015 18:40
0.02 ppm Sat November 28, 2015 18:19
0.02 ppm Fri November 27, 2015 20:27
0.02 ppm Sat November 21, 2015 19:59
0.03 ppm Sat November 14, 2015 20:13
0.04 ppm Sun November 8, 2015 12:19
0.02 ppm Mon November 2, 2015 18:00
0.02 ppm Mon October 26, 2015 20:13
0.02 ppm Sat October 17, 2015 19:15
0.03 ppm Sat October 10, 2015 18:47
0.03 ppm Sun October 4, 2015 18:35
0.01 ppm Sat September 26, 2015 17:34

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 6, 2016

Moving up to 4 mL per day seems reasonable to me.

How is the tank looking?

AdamNC · Jan 6, 2016

Other than a bunch of cyano on the bottom it looks just ok but nothing is growing.Bad iPhone pic.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 6, 2016

Are you doing anything to export phosphate specifically? If so, I might let up a tad on it.

AdamNC · Jan 6, 2016

I can try that. I'm using Fluvals version of GFO. Clearmax Phosphate Remover. Wanted to see how it did compared to the pricier stuff. Maybe raise up my phosphate to about 0.08ppm

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 6, 2016

AdamNC said:
I can try that. I'm using Fluvals version of GFO. Clearmax Phosphate Remover. Wanted to see how it did compared to the pricier stuff. Maybe raise up my phosphate to about 0.08ppm

That might be overkill, but 0.03 or 0.04 ppm will at least give assurance that neither the corals nor the bacteria taking up nitrate are phosphate limited.

AdamNC · Jan 20, 2016

Still no change in No3 but I've got the Po4 up to 0.04ppm now holding steady. I've got the sponges back in the AC70 and cleaning them out twice a week.