Phos going down nitrare won't budge

robert serafino · Apr 1, 2022

Started nopox 2 months ago tank is a 180 reef with 22 anthias in it. The phos was 0.141 ppm after two months now it is 0.052 ppm so it is working but my nitrate is 10-15 and will not go down any further. What else can I do to get the nitrate down a little. Alk 8.0 cal 462 mag 1362 sal 1.026 feed twice a day.

Dan_P · Apr 1, 2022

robert serafino said:
Started nopox 2 months ago tank is a 180 reef with 22 anthias in it. The phos was 0.141 ppm after two months now it is 0.052 ppm so it is working but my nitrate is 10-15 and will not go down any further. What else can I do to get the nitrate down a little. Alk 8.0 cal 462 mag 1362 sal 1.026 feed twice a day.

Have you hit the maximum dose of NOPOX yet?

MERKEY · Apr 1, 2022

That's not a terrible ratio considering you want your n03 10-20 times your p04...at least that's what the majority seen to aim for.

robert serafino · Apr 1, 2022

7ml in the morning and 7ml at night total 14ml

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 1, 2022

robert serafino said:
Started nopox 2 months ago tank is a 180 reef with 22 anthias in it. The phos was 0.141 ppm after two months now it is 0.052 ppm so it is working but my nitrate is 10-15 and will not go down any further. What else can I do to get the nitrate down a little. Alk 8.0 cal 462 mag 1362 sal 1.026 feed twice a day.

Nitrate at 10-15 ppm and phosphate at 0.05 ppm seems quite good to me and I would not work very hard to change it. If you want nitrate lower, I’d increase the NOPOX dose a little.

robert serafino · Apr 2, 2022

Randy how much more nopox do you suggest to bring the nitrate down a little more total water vol in my tank is probably 180-190 with the sump I am running 14ml a day right now.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 2, 2022

At 10-15 ppm I’d only raise it a little and keep watching.

maybe try 8 mL morning and 7 at night, or 15 in the morning. Organic carbon dosing lowers pH and O2, so dosing during the daylight hours us preferred, IMO.