Running a refugium AND dosing nitrates?

[Willbiker]

Hi all

My refugium is super efficient at removing nitrate...it will strip my tank bare in no time so at the moment I only run my light for 2 hours per night. This is keeping my nitrates at 3ppm. My phosphate however can climb quickly when my gfo is depleted...which doesn't take long! My system is 1000 litres approx and gfo is expensive at the rate I get through it. Also, my reactor needs upgrading as I cant run much flow though it without causing a storm inside.

Although nitrate is consumed by chaeto multiple times more than phosphate, I'm thinking of increasing my fuge light to 6 or 8 hours to increase phosphate consumption but dose nitrates.

Do you think this will help with phosphate removal and reduce gfo depletion time?

Does anyone dose nitrate AND run a fuge?

Thanks!

 

[blaxsun]

I'm not sure how much GFO you run on your tank, but I use 500ml of GFO, 500ml of carbon and 2000ml of Zeo on my 750L system.

 

[Rene2322]

I do...
I have a refugium growning Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha. Together with a DSB in both display and refugium, my nitrates are gone in no-time. I daily dose for 2ppm rise, but it's hardly detectable.

Only difficulty in my aquarium is harvesting. My refugium is too small (only 1/8 of my system). When I prune part of the algae, this has a direct effect on the stability of the system (the following days immediately some algae growth in the display and some cyanobacteria on the sand).

I also use a power filter (small return pump with filter fleece on an enlarged inlet.
I don't use GFO, and skimmer.

 

[Willbiker]

I do...
I have a refugium growning Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha. Together with a DSB in both display and refugium, my nitrates are gone in no-time. I daily dose for 2ppm rise, but it's hardly detectable.

Only difficulty in my aquarium is harvesting. My refugium is too small (only 1/8 of my system). When I prune part of the algae, this has a direct effect on the stability of the system (the following days immediately some algae growth in the display and some cyanobacteria on the sand).

I also use a power filter (small return pump with filter fleece on an enlarged inlet.
I don't use GFO, and skimmer.

Thanks Rene. So your fuge is your main source of phosphate export and it keeps it low enough?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

No fuge, no sand, no nitrates or phosphates, dose both...

 

[Rene2322]

Thanks Rene. So your fuge is your main source of phosphate export and it keeps it low enough?

Yes, it's my main source of export. Although the power filter also contributes (in combination with iron supplementation, which in a certain way also functions as a phosphate adsorber).

Low enough...? I believe my reef is a little dirtier then most people like (although not terrifying). It's a continuous fight and a pretty delicate balance. I do notice that as my corals get bigger, there is less surplus of phosphate.
So I hope one day I will be able to supplement both nitrate and phosphate.

 

[Subonidio]

Hi all

My refugium is super efficient at removing nitrate...it will strip my tank bare in no time so at the moment I only run my light for 2 hours per night. This is keeping my nitrates at 3ppm. My phosphate however can climb quickly when my gfo is depleted...which doesn't take long! My system is 1000 litres approx and gfo is expensive at the rate I get through it. Also, my reactor needs upgrading as I cant run much flow though it without causing a storm inside.

Although nitrate is consumed by chaeto multiple times more than phosphate, I'm thinking of increasing my fuge light to 6 or 8 hours to increase phosphate consumption but dose nitrates.

Do you think this will help with phosphate removal and reduce gfo depletion time?

Does anyone dose nitrate AND run a fuge?

Thanks!

I feed a lot my levels stay between 0.3 for nitrites....I like them higher around 10 I have to those Nitrates 2 times a week I dose ME Nitrates brand

 

[Willbiker]

I feed a lot my levels stay between 0.3 for nitrites....I like them higher around 10 I have to those Nitrates 2 times a week I dose ME Nitrates brand

Cooool. Do you have a fuge? How do you export phosphate?

 

[Screwgunner]

Algea turf scubber . I have the opposite no phosphates and I stay at 4.4 nitrates just started neophos . Potent stuff.

 

[Subonidio]

Cooool. Do you have a fuge? How do you export phosphate?

Yes just cheto and nopox 10 ml a day normally SPS dominated Tank

All tanks are unique

 

[Screwgunner]

not ready for sticks yet. But soon!

 

[Subonidio]

Yes just cheto and nopox 10 ml a day normally SPS dominated Tank

All tanks are unique

Since I started doing nopox my corals got that beautiful coloration just as when you got them from a frag swap!!!!

Beautiful coloration and growth!!! I have to frag a lot specially my bird ness I can't even get rid of them at $10 a frag ... Every time someone stop by to buy frags from me I trow a bird nest for free..... lol

I attribute the growth to the cheto and nopox but that's is my own observation in my tank .

I tried in the pass GFO

With no results ,plus I hate the red residue gets every where!!!

 

[Subonidio]

not ready for sticks yet. But soon!

Birdnest

 

[Subonidio]

Birdnest

My first SPS now that thing is like a weed.....lol

 

[Willbiker]

My first SPS now that thing is like a weed.....lol

My first sps also! I have about 30 frags of it i cant get rid of to other hobbiests! Grows too fast to shift !

 

[Subonidio]

My first sps also! I have about 30 frags of it i cant get rid of to other hobbiests! Grows too fast to shift !

Beautiful coral .....I wish my acroporas will grow as my birdnest!!!. I took 20 frags to my local fish store ....$20 frags!!! I give me $20 !!! I didn't like the deal but I felt bad just throwing away the coral ...then went next week and price them at

$49.99. ...lol all gone now!! And I'm like I need to get better advertising...

 

[dmsc2fs]

I dose Nitrate and Phospate and Chaeto grow. No skimmer, I have 2 lights on my fuge that are putting out 300par and I grow 5 macro's. I pull out about 3 gallons of macro every 2 weeks. I also feed with a plank feeder or 1 minute every two hours from 8:00AM to 6:00PM.

 

[Willbiker]

I dose Nitrate and Phospate and Chaeto grow. No skimmer, I have 2 lights on my fuge that are putting out 300par and I grow 5 macro's. I pull out about 3 gallons of macro every 2 weeks. I also feed with a plank feeder or 1 minute every two hours from 8:00AM to 6:00PM.

Cool! But why dose both po4 and no3 ? Whats the benefit of putting both nutrients in to then take them back out again? Isn't it better to lower the light cycle so that you balance at least one of the elements and just dose the other to keep stable? I'm curious

 

[dmsc2fs]

Cool! But why dose both po4 and no3 ? Whats the benefit of putting both nutrients in to then take them back out again? Isn't it better to lower the light cycle so that you balance at least one of the elements and just dose the other to keep stable? I'm curious

I think yes, you are probably correct. I am still ramping up my DT light PAR as well as adding fish as they go through QT. I am running my fuge lights for 16 hours a day and dosing to keep the nutrients above 0. po4: .06ppm no3: 1.5ppm.

My long term goal is to adjust the fuge lights to alternate my DT lights as well as find as close to no dosing as I can through schedule adjustments. Until I get to full light schedule in my DT and full fish stock I want my Macro's growing full blown on growth hormones! to absorb any increases in either lights or livestock and keep any Dino/Dyno/Hair Algae from having a chance to take hold.

I feel with dosing I have the ability to scale up or down my dosing as needed.

 

[Willbiker]

I think yes, you are probably correct. I am still ramping up my DT light PAR as well as adding fish as they go through QT. I am running my fuge lights for 16 hours a day and dosing to keep the nutrients above 0. po4: .06ppm no3: 1.5ppm.

My long term goal is to adjust the fuge lights to alternate my DT lights as well as find as close to no dosing as I can through schedule adjustments. Until I get to full light schedule in my DT and full fish stock I want my Macro's growing full blown on growth hormones! to absorb any increases in either lights or livestock and keep any Dino/Dyno/Hair Algae from having a chance to take hold.

I feel with dosing I have the ability to scale up or down my dosing as needed.

Yes you certainly will have better control by dosing