What's everyone's Nitrate to phosphate ratio?

[JayinToronto]

What's everyone's nitrate to phosphate ratio? Mine has always been around 100:1 (10 nitrate .1 phosphate as measured by the Hanna checkers). Recently though after a bit of LARS action my nutrients spiked up to 40 nitrates and .4 nitrates. With consistent water changes I'm down to about 15 nitrate but my phosphate has been a bit stubborn and is sitting at .3 despite the water changes. Was just curious if everyone else's ratios.

 

[Fish Styx]

What's everyone's nitrate to phosphate ratio? Mine has always been around 100:1 (10 nitrate .1 phosphate as measured by the Hanna checkers). Recently though after a bit of LARS action my nutrients spiked up to 40 nitrates and .4 nitrates. With consistent water changes I'm down to about 15 nitrate but my phosphate has been a bit stubborn and is sitting at .3 despite the water changes. Was just curious if everyone else's ratios.

I run 10 - 15 NO3 and .3 PO4 pretty consistently.

 

[Garf]

What's everyone's nitrate to phosphate ratio? Mine has always been around 100:1 (10 nitrate .1 phosphate as measured by the Hanna checkers). Recently though after a bit of LARS action my nutrients spiked up to 40 nitrates and .4 nitrates. With consistent water changes I'm down to about 15 nitrate but my phosphate has been a bit stubborn and is sitting at .3 despite the water changes. Was just curious if everyone else's ratios.

Plenty : Plenty

 

[dwest]

About 100:1 (40 ish nitrates, 0.4 ish phosphates)

 

[Dan_P]

What's everyone's nitrate to phosphate ratio? Mine has always been around 100:1 (10 nitrate .1 phosphate as measured by the Hanna checkers). Recently though after a bit of LARS action my nutrients spiked up to 40 nitrates and .4 nitrates. With consistent water changes I'm down to about 15 nitrate but my phosphate has been a bit stubborn and is sitting at .3 despite the water changes. Was just curious if everyone else's ratios.

I assume you were not looking for the lecture that ratios are bunk

My system’s nitrate is generally 4 ppm. If it approaches 10 ppm, which is infrequent and seemingly random, I turn on the third of three LED spotlights mounted over the macro algae pond behind the aquarium. This is enough to drive the nitrate level to zero. Phosphate is steady at around 0.4 ppm. If it goes above 0.5 ppm I will attach a small GFO reactor until it drops to 0.1 or less. Then I remove the reactor and let the PO4 increase again.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Oh, now I gotta go test. Thanks a lot! J/k!

 

[Garf]

I assume you were not looking for the lecture that ratios are bunk

My system’s nitrate is generally 4 ppm. If it approaches 10 ppm, which is infrequent and seemingly random, I turn on the third of three LED spotlights mounted over the macro algae pond behind the aquarium. This is enough to drive the nitrate level to zero. Phosphate is steady at around 0.4 ppm. If it goes above 0.5 ppm I will attach a small GFO reactor until it drops to 0.1 or less. Then I remove the reactor and let the PO4 increase again.

Do you have a skimmer? Algae produce a lot of stuff to fuel bacterial growth.

 

[JayinToronto]

About 100:1 (40 ish nitrates, 0.4 ish phosphates)

My SPS starting to take a beating when I hit that. Honestly the LPS weren't loving it either.

 

[JayinToronto]

I assume you were not looking for the lecture that ratios are bunk

My system’s nitrate is generally 4 ppm. If it approaches 10 ppm, which is infrequent and seemingly random, I turn on the third of three LED spotlights mounted over the macro algae pond behind the aquarium. This is enough to drive the nitrate level to zero. Phosphate is steady at around 0.4 ppm. If it goes above 0.5 ppm I will attach a small GFO reactor until it drops to 0.1 or less. Then I remove the reactor and let the PO4 increase again.

Sounds like a solid setup you have going there. I feel like my refugium is undersized for my system. This is a new build for me (had my old system for about 15 years) and unfortunately due to space restraints in my utility room I wasn't able to make mine as large as I thought it should be.

 

[JayinToronto]

Do you have a skimmer? Algae produce a lot of stuff to fuel bacterial growth.

Yup, skimmer running full out. My refugium is full of rock and caulerpa (actually more red slime than anything right now).

 

[DDenny]

Mine have been constant 10 NO3 and .1-.144 PO4. Fighting Dino’s so trying to keep that up haven’t done a water change in 4 weeks but all I have in the tank right now are two fish and some Zoa’s.

 

[Garf]

actually more red slime than anything right now

I've only ever had 3 cases of red cyano in 20ish years. Two were obviously due to low flow and food being trapped. The other was a low light area on a high powered algae scrubber (high organics).

 

[dwest]

My SPS starting to take a beating when I hit that. Honestly the LPS weren't loving it either.

I hear ya. And I don’t really like running either as high as they are. But if you discount some cyano, all is well

 

[Dan_P]

Do you have a skimmer? Algae produce a lot of stuff to fuel bacterial growth.

Yes, there is a skimmer that I adjust to remove 1-2 liters per day from the ~380 liter system.

 

[Garf]

Yes, there is a skimmer that I adjust to remove 1-2 liters per day from the ~380 liter system.

I've long thought that algal exudates promote removable bacterial growth, even though they are associated with vibrio, eek

 

[TheGrimReeferTx]

Phos .03-.1 and nitrates 5-10 for me.

 

[Garf]

Yes, there is a skimmer that I adjust to remove 1-2 liters per day from the ~380 liter system.

So that's upto 0.5% waterchange a day just through skimming, excellent. Never seen your tank, (that's a hint).

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Ok, I tested! One of the five tanks anyway, the sps tank.

 

[Garf]

Ok, I tested! One of the five tanks anyway, the sps tank.

Not possible clearly, that's 825:1 (N)
Edit, I love the smiley face when doing P, lol.

 

[Garf]

Ok, I tested! One of the five tanks anyway, the sps tank.

Stick a photo up of your out of control ratio tank. I bet it's rubbish