Why can’t I raise my nutrients???

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2021

MONTANTK said:
Just as a little update, last night I changed up my rock scape as I figured it was a good time to do so. Finally got a nitrate reading that was off the chart of the low range >4ppm. Didnt bother re testing the high range simply because I was just happy to see nitrate. Also tested phosphate and once again it came up at 0ppm. Tempted to buy a different phosphate kit just to see if my Hanna is working properly

I'd personally feed more or dose phosphate even before getting a new kit.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2021

1guydude said:
People you are blowing my mind chasing phosphates and nitrates these days. You might as well be testing ph. Lol
D

Maybe just test pH.

I actually monitored pH constantly and didn't measure nitrate or phosphate for a decade or more. These two always ended up at reasonable values when I did, but pH warned me of other issues, like my limewater top off sucking lime mud or running dry.

MONTANTK · Feb 18, 2021

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
I'd personally feed more or dose phosphate even before getting a new kit.

Do you have any idea what could be consuming phosphate at such a rapid rate? I don’t run gfo and I don’t have a skimmer. I have about 6-7 small zoas frags but that’s it

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2021

MONTANTK said:
Do you have any idea what could be consuming phosphate at such a rapid rate? I don’t run gfo and I don’t have a skimmer. I have about 6-7 small zoas frags but that’s it

Binding to rock and sand can be a massive sink in a new tank, or a tank that was driven to low levels.

MONTANTK · Feb 18, 2021

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Binding to rock and sand can be a massive sink in a new tank, or a tank that was driven to low levels.

That seems like a strong possibility. I don’t have a ton of rock but do have a lot of sand relative to tank size.

One slightly off topic question. If I use tap water from my refrigerator to mix with the frozen cubes I feed, can that cause a Dino bloom since my tank is so small?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 18, 2021

MONTANTK said:
That seems like a strong possibility. I don’t have a ton of rock but do have a lot of sand relative to tank size.

One slightly off topic question. If I use tap water from my refrigerator to mix with the frozen cubes I feed, can that cause a Dino bloom since my tank is so small?

More likely diatoms than dinos, IMO, since tap water is often loaded with silicate.

Dan_P · Feb 18, 2021

MONTANTK said:
I know I’ve beaten this discussion to death but I honestly feel like I am at a breaking point. It’s been about a month since my tank started crashing and all my acros are officially gone. In that time I had about 16ppm of nitrate but no phosphate. Started dosing phosphate and nitrates dropped to 0ppm. For almost 2 weeks I have been dosing 1.5ml of NeoPhos and 10ml of NeoNitro. I still have yet to see any reading of nitrate or phosphate and my dinos are getting really bad. I haven’t done any water changes. I’ve been feeding every day and don’t run a skimmer. Tank is 7.4g with about 5lbs of live rock.

I think this is the most defeated I have felt in all my years of reefing. Do I just continue to dose nitrate and phosphate or should I take a different approach?

Do you see an increase in NO3 and PO4 shortly after dosing?