UV with carbon dosing?

[Mrdbzking]

I've got a red sea 200xl (53gal), and its going on about 6 months old.

I'm starting to get really frustrated. I have tried endlessly to get the nitrates down to an acceptable level such as 1-5ppm. I have been doing weekly 50 gallon water changes, and that didn't work. So about 6 weeks ago I started doing carbon dosing, and to no avail I haven't had any success with stabilizing nitrates. Ill usually get them down to 10-15ppm and by the next week I'm at 25ppm again. I clean the sand, clean all the filter pads, filter socks, feed twice a week (Friday and Wednesday). What exactly could I be doing wrong. Ive got two clowns, an algae blenny, flame angel, splendid dottyback, and 3 chromis. So I doubt its an overstocking issue, or feeding issue. Should I turn the UV off while carbon dosing, or leave it on? Could that be causing my bacteria to die off before it can populate with the carbon dosing I'm doing? The tank is ultra clear, no floaties in the water column whatsoever, and the sand bed is bone white. I'm at a loss... Most of the coral are doing well, but the goniopora and alviopora are definitely ticked off. I really hate being stressed out over this...

 

[blaxsun]

10-15ppm is an acceptable level. The era of ULNS is long over.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I've got a red sea 200xl (53gal), and its going on about 6 months old.

I'm starting to get really frustrated. I have tried endlessly to get the nitrates down to an acceptable level such as 1-5ppm. I have been doing weekly 50 gallon water changes, and that didn't work. So about 6 weeks ago I started doing carbon dosing, and to no avail I haven't had any success with stabilizing nitrates. Ill usually get them down to 10-15ppm and by the next week I'm at 25ppm again. I clean the sand, clean all the filter pads, filter socks, feed twice a week (Friday and Wednesday). What exactly could I be doing wrong. Ive got two clowns, an algae blenny, flame angel, splendid dottyback, and 3 chromis. So I doubt its an overstocking issue, or feeding issue. Should I turn the UV off while carbon dosing, or leave it on? Could that be causing my bacteria to die off before it can populate with the carbon dosing I'm doing? The tank is ultra clear, no floaties in the water column whatsoever, and the sand bed is bone white. I'm at a loss... Most of the coral are doing well, but the goniopora and alviopora are definitely ticked off. I really hate being stressed out over this...

Your Nitrate is fine. You don't really want it any lower.

To answer your question, UV does not affect Carbon dosing

 

[Mrdbzking]

10-15ppm is an acceptable level. The era of ULNS is long over.

well the problem is being able to maintain 10-15. Its the fact its growing so rapidly within a week thats the problem. Which requires me to do a 50% water change every friday

 

[gbroadbridge]

well the problem is being able to maintain 10-15. Its the fact its growing so rapidly within a week thats the problem. Which requires me to do a 50% water change every friday

Okay.

What are you using to test Nitrate, and what form of carbon are you dosing?

 

[Mrdbzking]

Okay.

What are you using to test Nitrate, and what form of carbon are you dosing?

Salifert tests. I'm dosing white distilled vinegar

 

[gbroadbridge]

Salifert tests. I'm dosing white distilled vinegar

Salifert is a good test.
Just confirm that you're reading from above with the vial sitting on the white part of the card and the closest match is the 50ppm purple shade. You should do this test under daylight lighting.

For carbon dosing to work you need Phosphate which should be around 0.1ppm

If at 50 ppm, you should be dosing approximately 20-40 ml 5% vinegar a day. Are you close to that?

 

[Mrdbzking]

Salifert is a good test.
Just confirm that you're reading from above with the vial sitting on the white part of the card and the closest match is the 50ppm purple shade. You should do this test under daylight lighting.

For carbon dosing to work you need Phosphate which should be around 0.1ppm

If at 50 ppm, you should be dosing approximately 20-40 ml 5% vinegar a day. Are you close to that?

I've actually been following this chart which I've seen is the recommended dosing for most people. Or at least what I've seen others follow. I'm on week 8 which is 27.2 I believe