HELP! MY SPS ARE PALING AND I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO

[watchguy123]

I am confounded (that does happen frequently ) by some of the numbers being shared. Nitrate test kits seem to be challenging to read accurately and I am unaware of any that use colorimeters which would likely be more consistent. Additionally they seem to have a fairly large margin of error (reproducibility). So I don't understand how hard numbers like 2 or 5 ppm of nitrate can be so confidently stated. I am not trying to be a naysayer, I just don't understand.

And although a Hanna checker for phosphates or phosphorous do use colorimetry, there remains a relatively large margin of error with each.

Lastly, I am surprised about zero nitrates. Doesn't anybody have any fish or is everybody also carbon dosing. Nutrient export via refugium, algae scrubber or typical water changes, I don't believe would strip nitrates or alter the redfield ratio. So unless Carbon dosing, how are you ending up with zero nitrates

 

[twilliard]

Dosed 10ml of flourish nitrogen today... in my 80g system (65g dt + 15g sump).. hope my nitrates rises tomorrow... unless my caulerpa and chaeto takes it...lol

Your on the right track!
But.. don't wait till tomorrow to test as your macros will suck it up quick.
Your nitrates will raise instantly. I am getting close (about the same volume as you) but I test in the morning and at night.
Dose when you see a drop in nitrates. Eventually it will stay somewhat constant but like I said your macros will love it.
Keep the macros trimmed back
If you dosed 10Ml what is your nitrate at now ?

 

[Arnie]

Your on the right track!
But.. don't wait till tomorrow to test as your macros will suck it up quick.
Your nitrates will raise instantly. I am getting close (about the same volume as you) but I test in the morning and at night.
Dose when you see a drop in nitrates. Eventually it will stay somewhat constant but like I said your macros will love it.
Keep the macros trimmed back
If you dosed 10Ml what is your nitrate at now ?

I think nothibg changed see pics...

 

[Arnie]

I am confounded (that does happen frequently ) by some of the numbers being shared. Nitrate test kits seem to be challenging to read accurately and I am unaware of any that use colorimeters which would likely be more consistent. Additionally they seem to have a fairly large margin of error (reproducibility). So I don't understand how hard numbers like 2 or 5 ppm of nitrate can be so confidently stated. I am not trying to be a naysayer, I just don't understand.

And although a Hanna checker for phosphates or phosphorous do use colorimetry, there remains a relatively large margin of error with each.

Lastly, I am surprised about zero nitrates. Doesn't anybody have any fish or is everybody also carbon dosing. Nutrient export via refugium, algae scrubber or typical water changes, I don't believe would strip nitrates or alter the redfield ratio. So unless Carbon dosing, how are you ending up with zero nitrates

I am not doing any carbon dosing.

All I have in the sump are caulerpa and chaeto macro, miracle mud, a bag of chemipure elite, protein skimmer, a bag of carbon and a DIY algae scrubber (just 1 week old).

 

[twilliard]

Dose more do another 10Ml.
You WILL start to see it rise.
Now remember when starting this the first few doses gets sucked up by the tank.
Also your macros and scrubber will take a LOT out of the water.

 

[p0st]

Thanks alot for this brief but clear overview. I alway thought that a 9-12 KH was perfectly fine, but I'll try to experiment by slowly lowering it to 7-8 to see the effect on my tank!

 

[Russ265]

I am confounded (that does happen frequently ) by some of the numbers being shared. Nitrate test kits seem to be challenging to read accurately and I am unaware of any that use colorimeters which would likely be more consistent. Additionally they seem to have a fairly large margin of error (reproducibility). So I don't understand how hard numbers like 2 or 5 ppm of nitrate can be so confidently stated. I am not trying to be a naysayer, I just don't understand.

And although a Hanna checker for phosphates or phosphorous do use colorimetry, there remains a relatively large margin of error with each.

Lastly, I am surprised about zero nitrates. Doesn't anybody have any fish or is everybody also carbon dosing. Nutrient export via refugium, algae scrubber or typical water changes, I don't believe would strip nitrates or alter the redfield ratio. So unless Carbon dosing, how are you ending up with zero nitrates

to your point. i have not noticed detriment to sps up to 20ppm and 1ppm po4 in my 11 dkh 220 gallon system.

i am talking to those of us who are truly ulns. i have no carbon. no macro. no skimmer. i have a nitrate deficit. now i understand it is hard to swallow or believe this sort of thing but i had a method to my madness which i will not share here.

i was banned for sharing my experience and my setup but i videod it and it's proof. you can have a no3 po4 deficit with tangs, mandarins and wrasses.

but others have also employed and tried these methods and have had great success.

dont get stuck on my numbers. just realize we need SOME nutrinets or zoox die. if you are carbon dosing then you have a nutrient surplus and it may not apply to you.

 

[Russ265]

Dose more do another 10Ml.
You WILL start to see it rise.
Now remember when starting this the first few doses gets sucked up by the tank.
Also your macros and scrubber will take a LOT out of the water.

this^^^^^

my first dose ended up being 100ml in 24 hours to retain 3ppm no3. (granted. my volume is 300 gallons) your mileage may vary.

 

[twilliard]

to your point. i have not noticed detriment to sps up to 20ppm and 1ppm po4 in my 11 dkh 220 gallon system.

i am talking to those of us who are truly ulns. i have no carbon. no macro. no skimmer. i have a nitrate deficit. now i understand it is hard to swallow or believe this sort of thing but i had a method to my madness which i will not share here.

i was banned for sharing my experience and my setup but i videod it and it's proof. you can have a no3 po4 deficit with tangs, mandarins and wrasses.

but others have also employed and tried these methods and have had great success.

dont get stuck on my numbers. just realize we need SOME nutrinets or zoox die. if you are carbon dosing then you have a nutrient surplus and it does not apply to you.

No way Russ has ever been banned..
If you ever have been then I call it ignorance from others

 

[twilliard]

Russ you have such a sense of humor!!

 

[Russ265]

No way Russ has ever been banned..
If you ever have been then I call it ignorance from others

dose nitrates on video at atlanta reef club. you get some really fun "advice"

i wont say anymore on that though. but it truly is hilarious.

 

[Arnie]

Dose more do another 10Ml.
You WILL start to see it rise.
Now remember when starting this the first few doses gets sucked up by the tank.
Also your macros and scrubber will take a LOT out of the water.

Thanks... Just added another 10ml

 

[blackgate]

I use a red sea pro nitrate test and a hanna low range phosphate checker for my testing. I always test at 0 nitrates even with a large bioload, but for the first time I tested zeros across the board for phosphates as well. The triton method encourages these nitrate numbers as I understand but I am starting to lose some coral to stn at the base or the flesh is completely stripped off and only the polyps are left. I love the triton method, however I am going to start nitrate dosing to see if that helps as well.

 

[Russ265]

I use a red sea pro nitrate test and a hanna low range phosphate checker for my testing. I always test at 0 nitrates even with a large bioload, but for the first time I tested zeros across the board for phosphates as well. The triton method encourages these nitrate numbers as I understand but I am starting to lose some coral to stn at the base or the flesh is completely stripped off and only the polyps are left. I love the triton method, however I am going to start nitrate dosing to see if that helps as well.

this is exactly what happened to my valdia acro.
it went plum purple in 3 days. then started paling at the base and worked it's way up while i was diagnosing and trying different things. polyps would slowly deteriorate on up afterward.

my tyree pink lemonades and 500 efflo started doing the same.

after a week of keeping nitrate above 2ppm, flourescent greens would appear under actinics.


before i caught the problem. most would say lack of light or high po4. notice the zoox all but gone closest to the light at the top. paled first, then browned after purple.




after dosing nitrogen (against the advice of others)




flourescing greens returning


as a reference... here is what my nitrates looked like



faulty kit?




after first dose....




the following weekend

 

[blackgate]

Yup I have been dealing with that exact issue. Here are my options:

1. Dose nitrate solution
2. Add more small fish
3. Remove some live rock from sump (I have quite a bit in there)
4. Trim a lot of my macro back

What would you do?

 

[Russ265]

Yup I have been dealing with that exact issue. Here are my options:

1. Dose nitrate solution
2. Add more small fish
3. Remove some live rock from sump (I have quite a bit in there)
4. Trim a lot of my macro back

What would you do?

i cut gfo off first.
dosed nitrate.

i am slowly adding fish when i see i want one. i am incredibly picky with fish and their temperment.
as i see the need for dosing nitrate slow to a crawl, i figure ill have equilibrium.

that is my current plan of action

 

[Mattrg02]

I'm in this same predicament, I think. I dosed some potassium nitrate a week ago and they are staying at 5-10ppm (API)

Phosphates via Hanna are 0.00

API phosphate test shows 0.25ppm

Which should I believe? I feed mysis once a day and run a skimmer. Could phosphates really be 0.00?

 

[Russ265]

I'm in this same predicament, I think. I dosed some potassium nitrate a week ago and they are staying at 5-10ppm (API)

Phosphates via Hanna are 0.00

API phosphate test shows 0.25ppm

Which should I believe? I feed mysis once a day and run a skimmer. Could phosphates really be 0.00?

yup. api is wrong and is notorious for false .25. just use it on your RO water and itll be green.

you could attempt dosing seachem flourish phosphorus, but be easy on that stuff. like... super easy.

also i would NOT dose phosphate if your no3 readings are dropping.

 

[Mattrg02]

yup. api is wrong and is notorious for false .25. just use it on your RO water and itll be green.

you could attempt dosing seachem flourish phosphorus, but be easy on that stuff. like... super easy.

also i would NOT dose phosphate if your no3 readings are dropping.

I have some brown hairy Algea that popped up before I threw some GFO into a HOB filter. It's still there but didn't grow much after the GFO. So, there should be some phosphates bound up by it.

Would increasing feedings or using some pellets as well help raise phosphates slowly? Or I could cut off the skimmer for a few days.

 

[Russ265]

I have some brown hairy Algea that popped up before I threw some GFO into a HOB filter. It's still there but didn't grow much after the GFO. So, there should be some phosphates bound up by it.

Would increasing feedings or using some pellets as well help raise phosphates slowly? Or I could cut off the skimmer for a few days.

gfo may not be helping you.
fix algae nutrient absorption first