Pondering dosing nitrates

[sandswhitson]

I am struggling to get a detectable level of nitrates in my tank. It is a 120 with a large basement sump that is loaded with live rock. Currently have 9 fish, working on getting more. I have been feeding quite a few pellets and two cubes of a variety of frozen food each day. Currently have phosphates at .02 but zero nitrates per red sea test kit. ALK consistently at 8.5 CA 430 MG 1250 and most corals struggle with very little growth. Tank is lit by 6 T5s with SB reefbars for shimmer effect. Flow is from 4 tunzes, 2 of them on seasweeps.
Option 1 feed even more but am concerned about phosphates getting out of hand.

Option 2 unplug my oversized skimmer for part of each day.

Option 3 keep feeding the same and dose nitrates.
What does everyone think is the best course of action?

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

I am struggling to get a detectable level of nitrates in my tank. It is a 120 with a large basement sump that is loaded with live rock. Currently have 9 fish, working on getting more. I have been feeding quite a few pellets and two cubes of a variety of frozen food each day. Currently have phosphates at .02 but zero nitrates per red sea test kit. ALK consistently at 8.5 CA 430 MG 1250 and most corals struggle with very little growth. Tank is lit by 6 T5s with SB reefbars for shimmer effect. Flow is from 4 tunzes, 2 of them on seasweeps.
Option 1 feed even more but am concerned about phosphates getting out of hand.

Option 2 unplug my oversized skimmer for part of each day.

Option 3 keep feeding the same and dose nitrates.
What does everyone think is the best course of action?

your corals probably are struggling because of the magnesium levels. get a better nitrate test kit first... such as salifert or api. how often do you do water changes?

 

[Idoc]

I recommend just dosing nitrates up to your desired level. I tried the over-feeding and cutting off my skimmer as well... didn't do enough and I ended up with dinos. Loudwolf Sodium Nitrate works great. I only had to dose for abit 3 weeks and then the tank stabilized with those levels and have remained since.

 

[sandswhitson]

Water changes are done every month. Reef Crystal's salt. Around 20%

 

[sandswhitson]

your corals probably are struggling because of the magnesium levels. get a better nitrate test kit first... such as salifert or api. how often do you do water changes?

I thought the red sea pro was considered one of the better nitrate kits. I also think it would show at least some nitrates if there are any but the sample is clear as can be.

 

[Act1n1c_L1fe]

I thought the red sea pro was considered one of the better nitrate kits. I also think it would show at least some nitrates if there are any but the sample is clear as can be.

could also be a bad test kit. you should have problems with high nitrates in that tank. what size skimmer do you use?

 

[sandswhitson]

Skimmer is a Deltec TC2560 rated at 530 gallons heavily stocked.

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

What is the age of the system? What corals are you struggling to grow? What is your dosing method?

 

[sandswhitson]

The rock has been with me for years. Switched tanks but reused rock. Dosing is with calcium reactor. Mainly struggle with SPS.

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

Is your tank PH low? Running a calcium reactor can lower PH in the system overall. I have my skimmer air line pulling in air from outside to help with my PH, it made a big difference.

 

[jeffchapok]

I thought the red sea pro was considered one of the better nitrate kits. I also think it would show at least some nitrates if there are any but the sample is clear as can be.

Agreed, the Red Sea test is superior to API. You might try Salifert -- that's what I use now after moving on from API.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I like to add nitrates, but I use a carbon source so it’s easy to balance out nitrate and phosphate. If you start slow it’s really easy. I end up adding a teaspoon of powder to my tank about weekly.

 

[sandswhitson]

@Pedoconfuego what do you dose to add nitrates and phosphates?

 

[sandswhitson]

Just checked my nitrates against a friends Salifert kit and got 0 nitrates with that kit also.

 

[Acroporaaddict]

I struggled with pale sps awhile back. I put a dosing pump on my system dosing .05ppm No3 and .01ppm po4 every other day. My acros took about a week to start coloring up and they are looking great now. My system is steady at 5ppm no3 and .05ppm po4

 

[Graffiti Spot]

@Pedoconfuego what do you dose to add nitrates and phosphates?

I use stump remover. I have never had to dose phosphates but I love not having to use gfo anymore. Every time I have to add nitrates the phosphate drops back down a little near the normal level I keep.

 

[sandswhitson]

@Acroporaaddict what additives for NO3 AND PO4 are you using?

 

[Acroporaaddict]

Seachem flourish line of no3 and po4. I diluted it with rodi to make the dose .01 and .05 per 1ml

 

[sandswhitson]

@Acroporaaddict so you use the seachem nitrogen and phosphorus?

 

[jeffchapok]

I use stump remover. I have never had to dose phosphates but I love not having to use gfo anymore. Every time I have to add nitrates the phosphate drops back down a little near the normal level I keep.

I've used stump remover too. It definitely works