Nutrient balancing

[Acroporaaddict]

My nutrients have always been near undetectable levels. I recently switched from vinegar to Aquaforest. Now my Nitrates are at 20ppm and my Phosphates are at 0. I perform weekly 20% water changes and they are not budging. I'm assuming that since PO4 is so low the bacteria is not able to process NO3. Would I benefit from dosing PO4 in order to restart to bacteria? I've had a few Acros RTN recently and I'm assuming this is the cause.

 

[RobBaglieri]

Interested in this one too...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is hard to say, but it might be helpful to dose phosphate, or cut back on the export or increase feedings.

Do you have any filtration specific to phosphate? Such as binders?

 

[Griff]

What would you use to dose phosphate?

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

My nutrients have always been near undetectable levels. I recently switched from vinegar to Aquaforest. Now my Nitrates are at 20ppm and my Phosphates are at 0. I perform weekly 20% water changes and they are not budging. I'm assuming that since PO4 is so low the bacteria is not able to process NO3. Would I benefit from dosing PO4 in order to restart to bacteria? I've had a few Acros RTN recently and I'm assuming this is the cause.

Vinegar to aquaforest? The salt or their additive? Which additive(s)?
If switching carbon sources perhaps your old bacterial mass died out and now a new one is being established because the food source has changed and doesn't support the old bacteria's food requirement..

 

[Acroporaaddict]

It is hard to say, but it might be helpful to dose phosphate, or cut back on the export or increase feedings.

Do you have any filtration specific to phosphate? Such as binders?

I feed 2 cubes of Mysis daily. 15 fish in a 60g tank. I'll switch to 1 cube daily. No binders, just a skimmer and a zeovit reactor holding 4l of Seachem Matrix for bacteria colonization

What would you use to dose phosphate?

Looking at dosing Flourish Phosphorus. Potassium Phosphate

Vinegar to aquaforest? The salt or their additive? Which additive(s)?
If switching carbon sources perhaps your old bacterial mass died out and now a new one is being established because the food source has changed and doesn't support the old bacteria's food requirement..

Quite possible. I'm using aquaforest Pro Bio S and NP Pro for my carbon dosing along with their balling methos

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

So a bacterial additive and a liquid polymer, interesting! (apologies, I've yet to look into the aquaforest line of products, I've been hearing more about them)

What does NP pro smell like may I ask? Is it just a liquid or is there mass inside? (like instant ocean natural nitrate reducer has little balls inside it)

 

[Acroporaaddict]

So a bacterial additive and a liquid polymer, interesting! (apologies, I've yet to look into the aquaforest line of products, I've been hearing more about them)

What does NP pro smell like may I ask? Is it just a liquid or is there mass inside? (like instant ocean natural nitrate reducer has little balls inside it)

NP Pro is odorless and colorless

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What would you use to dose phosphate?

I'd use a food grade sodium phosphate that you can buy online, or a hobby product such as Brightwell Neophos or the Seachem product mentioned above.

For example:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222595...RIduXKRhNDPW43qL7xTBdTWoLcUrDVGg7xxoCVYTw_wcB