Would you rather have high nitrates or phosphates?

[Miami Reef]

You must pick one. What’s easier for you to get back down to a lower level?

Share your weapon of choice for lowering it.

 

[LAX Noob Reef]

idk, 1 that does not give me Dino.

 

[Backreefing]

I would rather have high nitrates. Over phosphate. Phosphate is way more trouble and lowering it to fast is bad to . Phosphate is problematic in so many ways. And not haveing any is bad to .

 

[Miami Reef]

I would rather have high nitrates. Over phosphate. Phosphate is way more trouble and lowering it to fast is bad to . Phosphate is problematic in so many ways. And not haveing any is bad to .

What’s your method of removing nitrates?

 

[ScottR]

High nitrates don’t seem to affect corals as much as high phosphates. But what’s considered high for each is different. Phosphates however, are easier to lower short term as long as you don’t bottom out. Many different products to use for that. Nitrates are much trickier to lower short term without lots of effort and/or equipment. So my answer is high phosphates.

Weapon of choice: phosguard. If I want to really go at it, lanthanum chloride but I try to resist using it as tangs are sensitive to it and phosphates can bottom out if you’re too quick and not careful.

 

[ZoWhat]

Nitrates have a purpose on a corals metabolism

Phosphates do not

 

[GHOSTLY]

Nitrate. Some Coral Enjoy higher nitrate but Phosphate will make it go brown

 

[jmichaelh7]

Nitrates for me! Corals slightly like high nitrates. When phosphates are high it causes issues

 

[Miami Reef]

Nitrates have a purpose on a corals metabolism

Phosphates do not

Phosphates is a basic building block for all animals. ATP uses 3 phosphates.

 

[rusgum]

Phosphate is much more important than nitrate. Nitrate is a nitrogen dump. Nitrate is much easier to lower with large water changes.

 

[homer1475]

My vote goes to high phosphates.

Much easier to lower with various prioducts that actually work(lanthanum chloride, GFO).

Where as nitrates are a little harder to lower(yes WC's work, but is not as easy as just dumping some GFO in a reactor).

Both are basic building blocks of life, so having 0 of either, or lowering to fast can cause problems.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I would take high nitrates over phosphates any day. Where as phosphates can be deposited on calcium carbonate surfaces and create a reservoir that buffers the water column, and resists them being lowered, nitrates are only in the water column, so they are much easier to lower and control.

To control them many options are available. Water changes will directly affect them. Other long term control methods are, sulfur denitrification, anaerobic denitrification, carbon dosing (also impacts phosphate), macro fuge (also impacts phosphate).

It is been my experience, that phosphates do not 'brown' out corals, but nitrates do.

Dennis

 

[sp1187]

both.
and not lowering them.

 

[Backreefing]

What’s your method of removing nitrates?

Natural biological processes in the deep sand bed , live rock. When a aquarium matures control of nitrates is easy as autopilot. The aquarium can take care of itself. However suddenly feeding heavy or adding new frozen foods can ( not always ) Spike up phosphate. Like example I noticed if I start useing reef roids or similar products. A week or two later red cyano.

 

[Gup]

High nitrates don’t seem to affect corals as much as high phosphates. But what’s considered high for each is different. Phosphates however, are easier to lower short term as long as you don’t bottom out. Many different products to use for that. Nitrates are much trickier to lower short term without lots of effort and/or equipment. So my answer is high phosphates.

Weapon of choice: phosguard. If I want to really go at it, lanthanum chloride but I try to resist using it as tangs are sensitive to it and phosphates can bottom out if you’re too quick and not careful.

Agreed. When I finally got to the end of my tank cycle, I substantially lowered somewhat high phosphates with Accrual phosphate pads . And they worked well.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

High nitrates. I just want phosphate to stay put, but the Margin of error seems smaller with phosphate

 

[Appoloreefer]

You must pick one. What’s easier for you to get back down to a lower level?

Share your weapon of choice for lowering it.

I think I would rather have high Nitrates over high Phosphates. Especially with having soft corals, maybe I am wrong

 

[Appoloreefer]

What’s your method of removing nitrates?

Water changes and dosing with Vodka