Question about Nitrates

[Patrick Cox]

I started my 150 back in March. Current fish load is...

5 Dispar Anthias (added May)
Diamond goby (added May)
Mystery Wrasse (added June)
Scott's Wrasse (added June)
Firefish (added June)

I feed some frozen Mysis and Brine Shrimp twice per day and then I have an auto feeder that dispenses freeze dried Mysis, Calanus and Plankton 5 times per day. My fish are all fat and healthy and that is how I would like to keep it.

I have a roller mat and I am just getting ready to start my protein skimmer.

My Nitrates have tested around 14 for the past 3 weeks.

My plan is to add two tangs and then a clownfish pair with an anemone. I will then start adding corals. Likely a mix of stony corals (Torches, Goniopora and SPS)

My question is... Should I try to do anything now to keep nitrates lower? I plan to continue heavy feeding so I was wondering if I need anything further like an algae scrubber.

Thanks!

 

[BanZI29]

It's gonna come down to how your corals react to your levels really. My nitrates hover between 15-20, and I have mostly LPS. They are all big and happy. Yes your nitrates can get to high (like 40+) but, as long as your fish and coral are happy, keep your levels stable and they should be fine. What are your other levels at?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

14 ppm nitrate is not a substantial concern. I'd go with the flow for now. If it rises more, look for more export, such as growing macroalgae or organic carbon dosing.

 

[Patrick Cox]

It's gonna come down to how your corals react to your levels really. My nitrates hover between 15-20, and I have mostly LPS. They are all big and happy. Yes your nitrates can get to high (like 40+) but, as long as your fish and coral are happy, keep your levels stable and they should be fine. What are your other levels at?

I am glad you asked that.

Phosphate 0.17. That seems high.

PH is around 8. I need to connect my PH probe.

Thanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am glad you asked that.

Phosphate 0.17. That seems high.

PH is around 8. I need to connect my PH probe.

Thanks.

That too is OK. While I generally recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate and 0.02 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, a bit higher for either or both is OK and is much better than below the range.

 

[Patrick Cox]

That too is OK. While I generally recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate and 0.02 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, a bit higher for either or both is OK and is much better than below the range.

Thanks for your replies. Much appreciated!

 

[Patrick Cox]

That too is OK. While I generally recommend 2-10 ppm nitrate and 0.02 to 0.1 ppm phosphate, a bit higher for either or both is OK and is much better than below the range.

Hello,
Well, I thought I would reply back here for an update.

Here are my values over the past few months...

I am feeding 5 times per day plus a small sheet of nori daily. Food is a mix of freeze dried mysis, spirulina brine shrimp, Calanus, plankton with some flake spirulina for the tangs. (I don't have any algae growing yet as I started with dry rock and have only added fish. No corals yet. Fish all seem healthy.

I am planning to start adding corals soon and I am wondering if I need to do anything with the phosphates or is this level still ok?

Thanks.

 

[jda]

If you have a mostly undisturbed sandbed, this is about the time that anoxic zones start to establish to handle some/all nitrate.

Keep feeding those fish. Your corals are likely getting their nitrogen from the fish waste and not from nitrate anyway.

 

[Patrick Cox]

If you have a mostly undisturbed sandbed, this is about the time that anoxic zones start to establish to handle some/all nitrate.

Keep feeding those fish. Your corals are likely getting their nitrogen from the fish waste and not from nitrate anyway.

Thanks. At this point I am mostly wondering at what point I would need to take any action on phosphates. I am planning to start adding corals soon.

 

[jda]

Unless you have a Hannah Ultra Low I would not do anything with phosphates. THis is really the only capable tool to give more than a swag.

There are plenty of corals that don't mind higher nitrates and phosphates. There are plenty that do mind if they get too high. There is some zen in just choosing how much that you want to work and spend and then also choosing corals to fit into that zen.