Using All for reef and nitrates steadily rising - what to do ?

[Idech]

I don’t have much experience in dosing an all in one solution (or any other for that matter) so I’m not sure what to do here.

My nitrates are at 27,3 ppm today. They were 21,1 ppm when I started dosing 2 weeks ago. I’ve done 2 x 10% water changes since and I’m feeding a little less but it’s not helping long term. Phosphate went from 0,13 ppm to 0,18 ppm.

This is a new tank (3 months old). I started dosing All for reef because my calcium and magnesium were too low. Now they are fine (445 et 1320 a few days ago). I like that All for reef is keeping it stable, but at that rate, nitrates are going to be out of control soon.

So my question is : do I stop using All for reef ? What do I use instead that won’t raise nitrates and phosphate ?

(I don’t have a sump, so choices are limited).

Thank you !

 

[HomebroodExotics]

I don’t think all for reef is your problem. If anything it should help to lower your nutrients. Look elsewhere for the problem but it’ll probably work itself out in time.

 

[Lavey29]

Strange you have low cal and mag if you are doing weekly water changes with quality salt mix?

What are you using to test?

 

[CK00020]

I don’t think the nutrients are raising from the AFR, do you have a skimmer?

 

[Tamberav]

I don’t have much experience in dosing an all in one solution (or any other for that matter) so I’m not sure what to do here.

My nitrates are at 27,3 ppm today. They were 21,1 ppm when I started dosing 2 weeks ago. I’ve done 2 x 10% water changes since and I’m feeding a little less but it’s not helping long term. Phosphate went from 0,13 ppm to 0,18 ppm.

This is a new tank (3 months old). I started dosing All for reef because my calcium and magnesium were too low. Now they are fine (445 et 1320 a few days ago). I like that All for reef is keeping it stable, but at that rate, nitrates are going to be out of control soon.

So my question is : do I stop using All for reef ? What do I use instead that won’t raise nitrates and phosphate ?

(I don’t have a sump, so choices are limited).

Thank you !

All for reef actually should lower nutrients as it has a bit of carbon dosing.

It is not related to your nutrients increasing. You need to increase export... more filtration or bigger water changes.

 

[Idech]

Strange you have low cal and mag if you are doing weekly water changes with quality salt mix?

What are you using to test?

I’m using Red Sea blue bucket salt mix.

I’m testing nitrates and phosphates with Hanna checkers, and I’m testing calcium, magnesium and alkalinity with Red Sea foundation pro test kit.

I don’t think the nutrients are raising from the AFR, do you have a skimmer?

Yes, I have a good size skimmer running 24/7 (Tunze 9012 DC)

All for reef actually should lower nutrients as it has a bit of carbon dosing.

It is not related to your nutrients increasing. You need to increase export... more filtration or bigger water changes.

Both are kind of hard to do. I have a Tunze filter with filter floss (and Seachem Matrix and bio media) that I change 2-3 times a week. I don’t know what else I can do about that.

Water changes are done weekly. Maybe I can do 10 gallons instead of 5, but I’m carrying buckets up the stairs and it’s really difficult for me. I could manage it for a while but not long term.

I thought I had caused the nitrates to rise when I dosed phytoplankton daily for 2 weeks, to help with dinos. But that was stopped many weeks ago and the raise kept happening with All for reef dosing.

 

[AlgaeBarn]

I don’t have much experience in dosing an all in one solution (or any other for that matter) so I’m not sure what to do here.

My nitrates are at 27,3 ppm today. They were 21,1 ppm when I started dosing 2 weeks ago. I’ve done 2 x 10% water changes since and I’m feeding a little less but it’s not helping long term. Phosphate went from 0,13 ppm to 0,18 ppm.

This is a new tank (3 months old). I started dosing All for reef because my calcium and magnesium were too low. Now they are fine (445 et 1320 a few days ago). I like that All for reef is keeping it stable, but at that rate, nitrates are going to be out of control soon.

So my question is : do I stop using All for reef ? What do I use instead that won’t raise nitrates and phosphate ?

(I don’t have a sump, so choices are limited).

Thank you !

What type of food are you feeding your fish and how often?

 

[Idech]

What type of food are you feeding your fish and how often?

I have six fish and most are small/medium; the kole tang is the biggest one by far.

I feed a mix of frozen (mysis, brine shrimps, spirulina) twice a day, and flakes once a day (spirulina or regular). I defrost 4 squares in a small container with saltwater and it lasts 4-5 days so I guess I’m feeding about 1 square per day.

About twice a week I drop a dozen small pellets, for the cleaner shrimp and conch snail.

Every second day, I give about 1/5 th of a sheet of nori for the tang (about 2 inches long x 1 inch wide).

Eta : I also feed the corals a little frozen about once a week.

Am I feeding too much ? If so, what should I stop giving?

Thank you !

 

[Spare time]

Try using some waste away in the tank. That or microbacter clean, fritz monster (I think its the same), vibrant (though this has some extra stuff in it), or other bacterias that can lower nitrate and phosphate.

The other easiest thing to do is to rinse the filter sponge (I assume you have the stock evo setup from the pic) at least once a week.


There are many ways to lower nitrate and phosphate without water changes.

 

[Lavey29]

Since your tank is so new you may not have the biodiversity and export capabilities yet to keep up with your bio load. Do you have any corals? I still find it strange that you are low in cal and mag. Typically alk and cal will need to be dosed once you have enough corals in the tank using up those nutrients but mag rarely goes down much between water changes. I just think the tank newness and lack of biodiversity is keeping those areas elevated.

 

[Idech]

Try using some waste away in the tank. That or microbacter clean, fritz monster (I think its the same), vibrant (though this has some extra stuff in it), or other bacterias that can lower nitrate and phosphate.

I’m very hesitant with using chemicals. It has never served me well in all my years (or decades, should I say) in freswater.

The other easiest thing to do is to rinse the filter sponge (I assume you have the stock evo setup from the pic) at least once a week.

Oh, no, this is not about my Evo. I should have mentioned it; this is my 75 gallons sumpless display tank.

 

[Idech]

Since your tank is so new you may not have the biodiversity and export capabilities yet to keep up with your bio load. Do you have any corals? I still find it strange that you are low in cal and mag. Typically alk and cal will need to be dosed once you have enough corals in the tank using up those nutrients but mag rarely goes down much between water changes. I just think the tank newness and lack of biodiversity is keeping those areas elevated.

Those are my corals :

2 x GSP
1 x unique GSP
2 x duncan (4-5 heads each)
1 x frogspawn (euphyllia divisa)
3 x pulsing xenia
2 x green rodactis (1 is tiny)
2 x red Actinodiscus mushroom (1 is tiny)
1 x Discosoma
1 x purple blastomussa
2 x assorted acan lord
1 x kryptonite candy cane (2 heads)
1 x bi-color candy cane (2 heads)
2 x red acan Bowerbanki

 

[AlgaeBarn]

I have six fish and most are small/medium; the kole tang is the biggest one by far.

I feed a mix of frozen (mysis, brine shrimps, spirulina) twice a day, and flakes once a day (spirulina or regular). I defrost 4 squares in a small container with saltwater and it lasts 4-5 days so I guess I’m feeding about 1 square per day.

About twice a week I drop a dozen small pellets, for the cleaner shrimp and conch snail.

Every second day, I give about 1/5 th of a sheet of nori for the tang (about 2 inches long x 1 inch wide).

Eta : I also feed the corals a little frozen about once a week.

Am I feeding too much ? If so, what should I stop giving?

Thank you !

I would say to start I would maybe consider cutting back on your frozen food and only thaw and use the same day instead of letting it sit for days.

 

[Idech]

Since your tank is so new you may not have the biodiversity and export capabilities yet to keep up with your bio load.

Bio load is :

6 fish
20 snails
1 hermit crab
1 conch snail
1 skunk cleaner shrimp

And the corals mentioned above.

 

[Idech]

I would say to start I would maybe consider cutting back on your frozen food and only thaw and use the same day instead of letting it sit for days.

So feed it once a day instead of two ?

I was told it was okay to keep it in the fridge for a week. It sure is easier to manage that way. Does it go bad ?

 

[Spare time]

I’m very hesitant with using chemicals. It has never served me well in all my years (or decades, should I say) in freswater.


Oh, no, this is not about my Evo. I should have mentioned it; this is my 75 gallons sumpless display tank.

Chemicals are fine. Literally everything is chemical. There is nothing in your tank not made of them.

But regardless, these are bacteria products.

 

[Idech]

Chemicals are fine. Literally everything is chemical. There is nothing in your tank not made of them.

But regardless, these are bacteria products.

Microbacter or Fritz, I wouldn’t mind trying.

 

[Spare time]

Microbacter or Fritz, I wouldn’t mind trying.

I am a fan of microbial solutions

 

[Spare time]

I am a fan of microbial solutions

I also forgot to mention pns probio as another option

 

[Idech]

I also forgot to mention pns probio as another option

Ohhhh, I like that, it sounds promising !