Should i try higher nutrients for lps tank?

[SmugglersReef]

my nitrate comes up as zero on api. Phosphate is a tough read and i need a better kit it’s between 0 and .25

Long time Reefer here. Your LPS are starving. Your nitrates should be 15x your phosphates. Phosphates at .03 to .06 are good and nitrates that are detectable in a color test kit. For phosphate testing Hanna makes a good checker. I have had mine for 4 years now and it still runs strong. Once a week you should feed your LPS small bits of raw table shrimp or even get a few clams from the store. Just don’t go overboard and make sure you are adequately exporting nutrients with skimming and water changes.

The other option would be to keep a good stock of fish and feed them well. Corals love fish poop but I still find my acans and hammers look great after I feed them, the nem too.

 

[KDG730]

Long time Reefer here. Your LPS are starving. Your nitrates should be 15x your phosphates. Phosphates at .03 to .06 are good and nitrates that are detectable in a color test kit. For phosphate testing Hanna makes a good checker. I have had mine for 4 years now and it still runs strong. Once a week you should feed your LPS small bits of raw table shrimp or even get a few clams from the store. Just don’t go overboard and make sure you are adequately exporting nutrients with skimming and water changes.

The other option would be to keep a good stock of fish and feed them well. Corals love fish poop but I still find my acans and hammers look great after I feed them, the nem too.

yea so it seems i may have been doing the tests wrong even tho api i tested last and they were both high levels

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

I think you are pretty lightly stocked for the amount of filtration you have. API tests don't have a real good reputation, but I think they are ok when extreme accuracy is not required. In the case of phosphates and nitrates you do need more accuracy so better kits are in order. I use the Hanna for phosphate and Red Sea for nitrate but I would encourage you to do your own research. I think you have room for more livestock, which is nice.

 

[KDG730]

I think you are pretty lightly stocked for the amount of filtration you have. API tests don't have a real good reputation, but I think they are ok when extreme accuracy is not required. In the case of phosphates and nitrates you do need more accuracy so better kits are in order. I use the Hanna for phosphate and Red Sea for nitrate but I would encourage you to do your own research. I think you have room for more livestock, which is nice.

I picked up red sea Tests for nitrate and phosphate today. Im a bit confused for the high range nitrate test do you dilute both vials?

should it be

15ml RO/1ml tank water for both?
Or 16 ml tank water for 1st vial and 15/1 for 2nd vial?

 

[KDG730]

I picked up red sea Tests for nitrate and phosphate today. Im a bit confused for the high range nitrate test do you dilute both vials?

should it be

15ml RO/1ml tank water for both?
Or 16 ml tank water for 1st vial and 15/1 for 2nd vial?

Tested high range for both phosphate and nitrate (after both low range came back with highest readings)

Nitrate 8ppm-12ppm
Phosphate .34 (.02x17 as per instructions)

Seems i have a high phosphate issue which makes sense since i still have some algae issues. High phosphate would effect lps polyp extension and growth right? Partically looking for improvement in my acans and torch

What should i do to try to bring this down?

 

[SmugglersReef]

Tested high range for both phosphate and nitrate (after both low range came back with highest readings)

Nitrate 8ppm-12ppm
Phosphate .34 (.02x17 as per instructions)

Seems i have a high phosphate issue which makes sense since i still have some algae issues. High phosphate would effect lps polyp extension and growth right? Partically looking for improvement in my acans and torch

What should i do to try to bring this down?

I try to keep my phosphates around .03 to .06 and my nitrates a slight pink color with my test kit which usually is very low below 5 ppm. I think a a couple of 25 to 30% water changes would work. LPS like the water a little dirty though. I have half LPS and half SPS in a 100 gallon tank.

 

[GregDaKeg]

Running Into same problem. I think I used the BRS method too well. I took my fuge out and started feeding more. waited about a month. 0 Nitrates. Then kept feeding more and started ading daily amino acids. Not a have detectable po4. Still no Nitrates. Month 3 now. Took out skimmer and only running mechanical. Its starting to look better. The first 6 months I had battled Cyano on and off. Now there is no sign of it. Just have to clean glass more often. I might have to start dosing Nitrate at some point. Take it slow.

 

[zuri]

pretty much what these guys are saying anywhere 10-15 is a good area to be in for lps

 

[KDG730]

pretty much what these guys are saying anywhere 10-15 is a good area to be in for lps

Yeah after using a better test kit seems my nitrates are good but phosphate is way too high

 

[Reesj]

I highly doubt with Soo much filteration and gfo, that you got that high phosphates. On top of that you just got 4 fish. I have 50 gallon with 8 fish including a tang. Also only run a small diy scrubber and a very small user sized skimmer. My pospates after very heavy feeding 2x day is below 0.1.
I'm more inclined to believe you initial phospate values than what you got now.

 

[KDG730]

I highly doubt with Soo much filteration and gfo, that you got that high phosphates. On top of that you just got 4 fish. I have 50 gallon with 8 fish including a tang. Also only run a small diy scrubber and a very small user sized skimmer. My pospates after very heavy feeding 2x day is below 0.1.
I'm more inclined to believe you initial phospate values than what you got now.

I mean both tests say so not sure what else to think. I only recently transitioned to a sump and added a fuge so maybe they are still high from before. And i do have an issue with hair algae on rocks frequently

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

I picked up red sea Tests for nitrate and phosphate today. Im a bit confused for the high range nitrate test do you dilute both vials?

should it be

15ml RO/1ml tank water for both?
Or 16 ml tank water for 1st vial and 15/1 for 2nd vial?

You only dilute the sample you are reading.

 

[KDG730]

Ok i think i might have miscalculated first time i tested the phosphates w red sea

Did low range test twice today and came up with .02 both times. Makes much more sense with all my excess filtration

Leaves me with 8-10 nitrates and .02 phos.

Going to start by turnIng off GFO And feeding reef roids to try to bring nutrients up a bit and see the effects it has on my corals. Stay tuned!

 

[SmugglersReef]

Ok i think i might have miscalculated first time i tested the phosphates w red sea

Did low range test twice today and came up with .02 both times. Makes much more sense with all my excess filtration

Leaves me with 8-10 nitrates and .02 phos.

Going to start by turnIng off GFO And feeding reef roids to try to bring nutrients up a bit and see the effects it has on my corals. Stay tuned!

This sounds good. Also LPS don’t like real bright light. So keep that in mind. I find the less I fiddle around with my tanks the better they look-if that makes sense.