What would you do ?

[Twoddler]

I,ve posted recently, regarding my Nitrate problem, not too much response or responses I did nt understand.
You have a 220gal mixed reef tank, 27 fish, inverts and cuc your Nitates measure 75 - 100 ppm and your phospates measure 0.06 ppm

Sump consists of skimmer, bio blocks and balls, refugium large growth of cheato, sponge filter and return compartment.

What would you do to lower your nitrates ??

 

[Jekyl]

A couple 100g water changes lol

 

[Reef.]

I,ve posted recently, regarding my Nitrate problem, not too much response or responses I did nt understand.
You have a 220gal mixed reef tank, 27 fish, inverts and cuc your Nitates measure 75 - 100 ppm and your phospates measure 0.06 ppm

Sump consists of skimmer, bio blocks and balls, refugium large growth of cheato, sponge filter and return compartment.

What would you do to lower your nitrates ??

water change then work out why your nitrates are so high.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would not worry too much about the nitrate (some great reefs are 100+ ppm nitrate) but I would dose organic carbon. I'd do that in any reef unless nutrients were too low, as I think it valuable to feed filter feeders.

 

[Twoddler]

I would not worry too much about the nitrate (some great reefs are 100+ ppm nitrate) but I would dose organic carbon. I'd do that in any reef unless nutrients were too low, as I think it valuable to feed filter feeders.

Thanks for your reply, I'm not in a in a state of panic or number chasing but I would like to introduce some sps. I'm currently changing 20 gal every 3 , if I had the means to do more than 20 gal I would, but I'm quite happy to carry on.

I'm just a bit concerned about carbon
dosing because phosphate is so low (Hanna checker) or am I overthinking ?

 

[Twoddler]

water change then work out why your nitrates are so high.

Yeah thanks for reply, Nitrate are high because I was using a contaminated test kit for weeks before realising. I was over feeding the tank thinking my Nitrate was 5ppm ( Nyos test kit )

 

[Reef.]

Thanks for your reply, I'm not in a in a state of panic or number chasing but I would like to introduce some sps. I'm currently changing 20 gal every 3 , if I had the means to do more than 20 gal I would, but I'm quite happy to carry on.

I'm just a bit concerned about carbon
dosing because phosphate is so low (Hanna checker) or am I overthinking ?

You need to work out why the nitrates are high, if it’s going to be an ongoing thing or a one off, then you can decide the best action to take.

 

[Jekyl]

SPS will need NO3 range of 5-10

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

This SPS tank has very 'high" nitrate and phosphate:

Skeptical Reefkeeping 9: Test Kits, Chasing Numbers and Phosphate

By Rich Ross and Chris Jury There are many standard parameters in the reefkeeping world that aquarists strive to match in their home reefs – water quality,

reefs.com

 

[Jekyl]

This SPS tank has very 'high" nitrate and phosphate:

Skeptical Reefkeeping 9: Test Kits, Chasing Numbers and Phosphate

By Rich Ross and Chris Jury There are many standard parameters in the reefkeeping world that aquarists strive to match in their home reefs – water quality,

reefs.com

That's it Randy! I'm becoming a reef chemist too!

 

[Twoddler]

That's it Randy! I'm becoming a reef chemist too!

That's the problem, I don't have a phosphate problem, I,m not chasing number, my tank is not happy, I can tell by just looking at it, excessive algae and bacteria growth, an outbreak of pineapple sponges.

I know the cause, overfeeding. I'm changing 10ish % water every 3 ( I would love to do 50% but it's just not possible ) Then there's carbon dosing, but I,be read that won't work because of the ratio between Nitrate and phosphate ( redfield ratio )

Or have I got it totally wrong? If I have, I could easily go out and buy a bottle of nopox and wait for the magic to happen.

 

[Reef.]

That's the problem, I don't have a phosphate problem, I,m not chasing number, my tank is not happy, I can tell by just looking at it, excessive algae and bacteria growth, an outbreak of pineapple sponges.

I know the cause, overfeeding. I'm changing 10ish % water every 3 ( I would love to do 50% but it's just not possible ) Then there's carbon dosing, but I,be read that won't work because of the ratio between Nitrate and phosphate ( redfield ratio )

Or have I got it totally wrong? If I have, I could easily go out and buy a bottle of nopox and wait for the magic to happen.

what do you feed? I would have thought PO4 would also have been a lot higher if overfeeding?

 

[Twoddler]

what do you feed? I would have thought PO4 would also have been a lot higher if overfeeding?

I feed a mix of frozen, pellet and flake, just checked P04 Hannah checker 0.06 ppm