Nutrients all over the place, bad checkers or something else?

[rennjidk]

Back again with a new issue. No matter how simple I keep it, I keep running into problems.

So my tank has been up and running for 4 months. It started with live rock which was cycled at my lfs for over 2 years, and ocean direct sand. I do not skim, I dose nothing but neonitro and neophos as needed. I feed heavily with both frozen and pellet food on alternating days. My only nutrient export is a 10% WC every 30-60 day.

I started testing low nutrients and dosed a decent amount of no3 and po4. I've waited 24 hours in between dosing to test, and they're just gone. My last dose brought me to 0.10 po4 and ~15 no3. 24 hours later and I'm sitting at 0.00 & 5ppm.

My tank is a 25g cube with a 21g volume. Currently stocked are 17 zoa frags (1-10 heads each), (2) 2" rbta, and a 4" chalice. As you can see from the pics, I do have a couple small patches of gha, and a patch of cyano the size of a half dollar.

Are my testers broken? If not, where could my nutrients have gone so quickly?

 

[Stephen Glover]

The rock and sand could be absorbing all the P04. Eventually it will stop, and levels will stabilize.
What test kits are you using? Check the expiration dates.

 

[rennjidk]

The rock and sand could be absorbing all the P04. Eventually it will stop, and levels will stabilize.
What test kits are you using? Check the expiration dates.

Just for more clarification, tester vials a cleaned before each test, and correct order of operation is followed. These are hanna HR and ULR egg checkers, both with new reagents. On 4/28 I dosed 5.5ml of neophos and 27ml of neonitro.

The rock has been running in an active reef for over 2 years and the sand is ocean direct, which makes me hesitant to believe it's an absorption issue, like with new marco rock and dry sand. Could be wrong though, wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Stephen Glover]

I’ve had issues with Hanna and bad reagents. I would double check with a different test kit to make sure.

 

[rennjidk]

I’ve had issues with Hanna and bad reagents. I would double check with a different test kit to make sure.

I've already ordered 2 new checkers and reagents. I'm just scratching my head over how 2 different checkers could fail at the same time(not impossible, but unlikely). I'm hoping someone can chime in with another explanation, because I can't for the life of me figure it out.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Back again with a new issue. No matter how simple I keep it, I keep running into problems.

So my tank has been up and running for 4 months. It started with live rock which was cycled at my lfs for over 2 years, and ocean direct sand. I do not skim, I dose nothing but neonitro and neophos as needed. I feed heavily with both frozen and pellet food on alternating days. My only nutrient export is a 10% WC every 30-60 day.

I started testing low nutrients and dosed a decent amount of no3 and po4. I've waited 24 hours in between dosing to test, and they're just gone. My last dose brought me to 0.10 po4 and ~15 no3. 24 hours later and I'm sitting at 0.00 & 5ppm.

My tank is a 25g cube with a 21g volume. Currently stocked are 17 zoa frags (1-10 heads each), (2) 2" rbta, and a 4" chalice. As you can see from the pics, I do have a couple small patches of gha, and a patch of cyano the size of a half dollar.

Are my testers broken? If not, where could my nutrients have gone so quickly?

The rock and substrate are binding the phosphate.

Just keep adding until it reaches the desired level.

 

[rennjidk]

The rock and substrate are binding the phosphate.

Just keep adding until it reaches the desired level.

And the nitrate? I hit 0.7 PO4 at the beginning of the reef until I removed it. The live rock seemed pretty saturated imo.

 

[gbroadbridge]

And the nitrate? I hit 0.7 PO4 at the beginning of the reef until I removed it. The live rock seemed pretty saturated imo.

The rock is probably processing the Nitrate using carbon inputs from the food.

Your main concern IMO is phosphate, as any measurable Nitrate is simply left over Nitrate after the coral have consumed what they need. The coral will also be consuming Ammonia in preference to Nitrate.

The rock maintains an equilibrium with the water, if the previous tank had very low phosphate the rock will have released sequestered phosphate until it reached equilibrium.

If you want a measurable level I would add until its reaches the level you desire.
It can take a lot of phosphate to get there.

You may want to create a DIY dosing solution in preference to expensive shop bought bottles.
I use food grade monosodium phosphate which you can obtain from amazon.

 

[tmccaff]

I am a big fan of Phosphate RX more than GFO.

 

[rennjidk]

The rock is probably processing the Nitrate using carbon inputs from the food.

Your main concern IMO is phosphate, as any measurable Nitrate is simply left over Nitrate after the coral have consumed what they need. The coral will also be consuming Ammonia in preference to Nitrate.

The rock maintains an equilibrium with the water, if the previous tank had very low phosphate the rock will have released sequestered phosphate until it reached equilibrium.

If you want a measurable level I would add until its reaches the level you desire.
It can take a lot of phosphate to get there.

You may want to create a DIY dosing solution in preference to expensive shop bought bottles.
I use food grade monosodium phosphate which you can obtain from amazon.

How many ppb are we talking?

 

[rennjidk]

I am a big fan of Phosphate RX more than GFO.

Well the gfo set it to triple zero in 24hrs, but that's not my issue atm, lol.

 

[tmccaff]

GFO can strip it too fast etc. Just saying. Phosphate RX you can control it thats all I am saying.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am a big fan of Phosphate RX more than GFO.

Why?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

GFO can strip it too fast etc. Just saying. Phosphate RX you can control it thats all I am saying.

Can't you just use less GFO?

Any binder, including lamthanum, can obviously strip it super fast if you use too much of it.

 

[rennjidk]

I received my new egg checkers and reagents. Test were pretty consistent with my initial results, so I guess the phosphate is being absorbed. I still don't understand what's happening to the nitrate, as its not continually dropping, it just doesn't rise by much even after adding large amounts of Neonitro.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I received my new egg checkers and reagents. Test were pretty consistent with my initial results, so I guess the phosphate is being absorbed. I still don't understand what's happening to the nitrate, as its not continually dropping, it just doesn't rise by much even after adding large amounts of Neonitro.

Neonitro is a pretty dilute product.

i suggest food or reagent grade sodium or calcium nitrate from Amazon.