Question about Nitrates in Reef Tank

[helljack6]

So I have a question. I was speaking with another local reefer today while exchanging some items, and as I always do, I asked what the tank parameters are of the tank that the fish/coral are coming out of. The other person replied back with the normal stuff except for Nitrates. When I asked about it, he replied back that he stopped testing for Nitrates a long time ago and paid more attention to phosphate levels.

Has anyone else done this and is it at all reliable to do?

 

[mta_morrow]

There are quite a few very experienced reefers out there.

Once a tank matures, maybe a year or 2 old, many folks quit testing for nitrates and phosphates as they know their system is keeping things in line.

You can see how all your corals, livestock, etc are behaving and even know if algae is growing on your glass faster or slower.

I guess I would ask how this persons tank looks?

If it not over run with algae and corals look good and happy, then maybe they really know their tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So I have a question. I was speaking with another local reefer today while exchanging some items, and as I always do, I asked what the tank parameters are of the tank that the fish/coral are coming out of. The other person replied back with the normal stuff except for Nitrates. When I asked about it, he replied back that he stopped testing for Nitrates a long time ago and paid more attention to phosphate levels.

Has anyone else done this and is it at all reliable to do?

I didn't measure nitrate for the last 10 years of running my reef tank. I didn't measure phosphate either. Just observed the tank.

 

[NS Mike D]

I'm in the camp that there is a relationship among NO3, PO4 and Alk. Seems tanks with high alk do well with high NO3 & Po4 and ULN tanks do well with low alk.

Certain nuisance algae/bacteria can use other forms of N in the presence of PO4 (and little to no NO3) where corals cannot and thus result in outbreaks and poor coral health.

I haven't tested for either since February. From experience, when I see cyano show up it's time to change the GFO. fwiw I have about 50% in sump volume (to DT) with lots of cheato that will use up NO3 & PO4 as needed pretty effectively and I feed my corals to make sure the cheato isn't staving them. In full disclosure I will add that while my corals look healthy, so does the red turf and green hairy algae.

I would suppose a well established tank has achieved a good deal of equilibrium based on a consistent routine where testing for NO3 and PO4 isn't that critical than say for Alk or Temp.

 

[helljack6]

Thanks everyone. I know that there are far more experienced reef water keepers out there than me, just hadn't heard that one before. Due to my own inexperience, I only recently started using BRS GFO and finally today have my phosphates down to .o31ppm. I'm still trying to find that balance (16:1 ratio) between my nitrate level and phosphates to keep the algae and cyano outbreaks at bay. I'm fine for a few weeks then one or the other would appear and I would treat it and everything would be fine again for a few weeks. Nothing has changed other than my nutrient export system which is now an ATS waterfall system. But not testing for Nitrates, definitely a new one for me. Thanks again for the feedback.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks everyone. I know that there are far more experienced reef water keepers out there than me, just hadn't heard that one before. Due to my own inexperience, I only recently started using BRS GFO and finally today have my phosphates down to .o31ppm. I'm still trying to find that balance (16:1 ratio) between my nitrate level and phosphates to keep the algae and cyano outbreaks at bay. .

FWIW, I don't think there's any reason to think a particular ratio limits algae problems. I don't even think such a ratio is a desirable goal.

For example, if one is excessively low, should the other also be? Same for excessively high? Just doesn't make sense, IMO, to target a ratio.. Target them each to desirable levels independently (IMO).