Struggling to keep Nitrates higher than zero

[brandon429]

Nearly any single nitrate test ran doesn’t agree with another brands reading, how has that been factored here / reading verified

We have one particular link showing a fifty ppm spread between two testers, one sample

 

[Hallowhead]

Nearly any single nitrate test ran doesn’t agree with another brands reading, how has that been factored here / reading verified

We have one particular link showing a fifty ppm spread between two testers, one sample

I guess I only have one test kid (API) however, my corals are not fully extended so I presume my nitrates are pegged zero in line with my api

 

[JoeD_]

Do you think it would be smart to maybe try and do water changes every week and a half as opposed to once a week?

No, I think weekly WC are good for corals. WC are a hot topic for sure because so many reefers try to cut that part of the hobby out and have success with it. To me, I like the peace of mind adding in trace elements... I have mostly SPS in my tank with higher end acros. If I had an LPS/Zoa tank I wouldn't hav a problem doing eow water changes.

 

[Hallowhead]

No, I think weekly WC are good for corals. WC are a hot topic for sure because so many reefers try to cut that part of the hobby out and have success with it. To me, I like the peace of mind adding in trace elements... I have mostly SPS in my tank with higher end acros. If I had an LPS/Zoa tank I wouldn't hav a problem doing eow water changes.

I have LPS / Zoa tank - I have no problem with the water changes, I just know that WC are known to help reduce nitrates, and my goal currently is to increase Nitrates so I figure less frequent ones could help a little.

 

[SPR1968]

The easiest way to increase nutrients naturally is to add more fish, it’s that simple . Unless you don’t want fish.

Want you don’t really want is sterile water as the corals probably won’t like that either so maybe back off on water changes a little because that will just keep reducing everything

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

That's something you'll have to flirt with yourself. Go 5 days without running your skimmer and see where it takes your nitrates. You are doing ample water changes, that is probably enough for nutrient exports in a 30g without ever having to skim. Remember, the paradigm about nutrients has really shifted over the past few years .. Undetectable = bad. A small amount = awesome for growth and colors. Like I said, you can flirt with it yourself and see where the sweet spot is in terms of how many nutrients will build up over 5 days of not running anything. You can also kind of take some anecdotal looks at your corals when you are getting X readings.

I'll try turning back the skimming. Since my skimmer holds water while off in going to close off the airflow so it makes no bubbles but still circulates water

 

[JoeD_]

I have LPS / Zoa tank - I have no problem with the water changes, I just know that WC are known to help reduce nitrates, and my goal currently is to increase Nitrates so I figure less frequent ones could help a little.

In that case YEAH, I would scale back the WC a lot... Im almost certain you are missing out on growth + color . I wouldnt run the skimmer -- AT ALL

 

[Hallowhead]

In that case YEAH, I would scale back the WC a lot... Im almost certain you are missing out on growth + color . I wouldnt run the skimmer -- AT ALL

I'll slowly scale back my skimmer and I will do my water change this Thursday being almost a week and a half.

 

[JoeD_]

I'll slowly scale back my skimmer and I will do my water change this Thursday being almost a week and a half.

Im not sure why you want to scale it back, just turn it off... Your tank prefers water much dirtier relative to what you are running now. You are starving your coral.

 

[Hallowhead]

Im not sure why you want to scale it back, just turn it off... Your tank prefers water much dirtier relative to what you are running now. You are starving your coral.

I don't want my water to grow gross algae - someone mentioned dynos grew. I think maybe I'll scale back to twice a week for 8 hours.

 

[bigdrew]

I think it’s always better to take small steps, evaluate and then adjust again. A big change, like shutting off skimmer for extended period, could lead to other big changes. I shut mine off for three days. Definitely got a little algae outbreak. No dynos, but definitely an algae outbreak....

 

[JoeD_]

Agree there, smaller changes are better than large ones. I just dont think you're going to see even a smaller change until you stop exporting all of your nutrients.

 

[BeejReef]

I think you're doing great. It seems like a dance the first year or so. A moving target anyways.

You need fish and bio-load to tune and tailor your filtration, but best practice says it'll take 6-12 months to build up to fully stocked. At 6-12 mo's, maybe you can add some SPS. Ofc, this changes the parameters that are acceptable.. lol. All the while, the tiny organisms that make up your biological filter are evolving and filling niches.

Maybe dial your filtration back gradually so you can get a feel for where your tank is trying to go. Then you have all of those offline remedies already plumbed in and ready to be deployed.

 

[Hallowhead]

I think you're doing great. It seems like a dance the first year or so. A moving target anyways.

You need fish and bio-load to tune and tailor your filtration, but best practice says it'll take 6-12 months to build up to fully stocked. At 6-12 mo's, maybe you can add some SPS. Ofc, this changes the parameters that are acceptable.. lol. All the while, the tiny organisms that make up your biological filter are evolving and filling niches.

Maybe dial your filtration back gradually so you can get a feel for where your tank is trying to go. Then you have all of those offline remedies already plumbed in and ready to be deployed.

I don't necessarily want SPS. Just need to get a larger stock of fish

 

[brandon429]

Hey can you post a full tank shot

We can learn a lot from the other areas of the tank vs the target corals of concern

 

[TexasTodd]

Don't you think it's probably this? purigen and chemi pure blue. I also have small marine pure blocks in my return chamber.

 

[jd-woodlands]

I have the same tank, I'll share my setup if that helps... i've dropped to 0 nitrates before and it was due to lack of feeding enough. i keep alk at 8.5, phos at .25, nitrates at 5, salinity 35, temp 78. Everything became easier to manage once i got rid of GFO / purigen and just went to GAC / Skimming only. Weekly water change of 7 - 10 gallons.

GAC in a media reactor
Filter floss
IM 11w UV
IM Ghost Skimmer - 24 hours
t5 / mh lights
icecap gyre 1k

dose BRS alk / cal / mag - all day
dose acropower - daily
dose KZ flatworm stop - daily

feed LRS frozen 1 - 2 times a day
feed reef roids / reef chili mix 3 - 4 times a week

2 Lightning maroon clowns
1 large melanurus wrasse
1 flameback angel
1 spotted hawkfish
1 midas blenny

Tons of SPS and zoas / palys

 

[Hallowhead]

I have the same tank, I'll share my setup if that helps... i've dropped to 0 nitrates before and it was due to lack of feeding enough. i keep alk at 8.5, phos at .25, nitrates at 5, salinity 35, temp 78. Everything became easier to manage once i got rid of GFO / purigen and just went to GAC / Skimming only. Weekly water change of 7 - 10 gallons.

GAC in a media reactor
Filter floss
IM 11w UV
IM Ghost Skimmer - 24 hours
t5 / mh lights
icecap gyre 1k

dose BRS alk / cal / mag - all day
dose acropower - daily
dose KZ flatworm stop - daily

feed LRS frozen 1 - 2 times a day
feed reef roids / reef chili mix 3 - 4 times a week

2 Lightning maroon clowns
1 large melanurus wrasse
1 flameback angel
1 spotted hawkfish
1 midas blenny

Tons of SPS and zoas / palys

I will be removing my purigen muahahah

Beauty of a tank

 

[jd-woodlands]

I will be removing my purigen muahahah

Beauty of a tank

Thanks! I had montipora caps bleach / rtn on several occasions immediately after using purigen. Fresh out of the bad as well as recharged and I was able to replicate the problem in 2 different tanks. Wasn’t worth the hassle and cost. I fend off algae now with really high mag levels and lots of corals to compete for nutrients and space.

 

[Hallowhead]

Thanks! I had montipora caps bleach / rtn on several occasions immediately after using purigen. Fresh out of the bad as well as recharged and I was able to replicate the problem in 2 different tanks. Wasn’t worth the hassle and cost. I fend off algae now with really high mag levels and lots of corals to compete for nutrients and space.

I removed my purigen tonight... Nervous about nitrates going too high with addition of 2 fish but hey.. If i have to add it back not the end of the world.

If I let it dry out it will be okay to re-use correct?