High NO3 & PO4. and

[Nick Barbier]

My 125g mixed reef tank has really high nitrates & phosphates. I removed the portion of the 1.5 inch, nine year old sand bed that's in front of the aquascape (approximately 50 lbs) in hopes of lowering the nitrates and phosphates. They were lowered some but not nearly enough. Then I performed two 36g water changes a day apart, 57% total tank volume. I dose Ocean Blends 2 part solution and recently started dosing Red Sea's NO3-PO4-X again. There was an outbreak of cyanobacteria in the tank, so I stopped dosing NOPOX for a while until I had the cyano under control. I also added 30 Max Spec Bio Spheres to the sump and started dosing 7.8 ml of Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-E daily five days ago. The PO4 was lowered from 2 ppm to 1 ppm and there is 2 doses left to go according to the dosing instructions.

Here is my current water parameters:

Temp: 77*F
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 9.3 DKH
Ca: 380 ppm
Mg: 1380
NO3: 75 ppm *
PO4: 1ppm *

 

[Sophie"s mom]

My 125g mixed reef tank has really high nitrates & phosphates. I removed the portion of the 1.5 inch, nine year old sand bed that's in front of the aquascape (approximately 50 lbs) in hopes of lowering the nitrates and phosphates. They were lowered some but not nearly enough. Then I performed two 36g water changes a day apart, 57% total tank volume. I dose Ocean Blends 2 part solution and recently started dosing Red Sea's NO3-PO4-X again. There was an outbreak of cyanobacteria in the tank, so I stopped dosing NOPOX for a while until I had the cyano under control. I also added 30 Max Spec Bio Spheres to the sump and started dosing 7.8 ml of Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-E daily five days ago. The PO4 was lowered from 2 ppm to 1 ppm and there is 2 doses left to go according to the dosing instructions.

Here is my current water parameters:

Temp: 77*F
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 9.3 DKH
Ca: 380 ppm
Mg: 1380
NO3: 75 ppm *
PO4: 1ppm *

Have you ever used/tried Tropic Marina Elimi NP? Mine No3 was over 50, I used it as instructed for about a week, and it brought things down to about 20. It will lower both, but lowers the NO3 quite a bit faster than phosphate. I also used in conjunction with Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter 7.

 

[Jekyl]

Are you growing macro in your sump?

 

[Nick Barbier]

Have you ever used/tried Tropic Marina Elimi NP? Mine No3 was over 50, I used it as instructed for about a week, and it brought things down to about 20. It will lower both, but lowers the NO3 quite a bit faster than phosphate. I also used in conjunction with Brightwell Aquatics Microbacter 7.

No, I have always used Oceans Blend 2 part & NOPOX. But I'm willing to give them a try. Is Tropic Marin a 2 part solution or 3?

 

[benmed]

Was your tank a problem with the high nitrate and phosphate? Plenty of people here ride REALLY high with beautiful looking tanks. Your tank was 9 years old?

 

[Nick Barbier]

Amazon carries the Tropic Marin All for Reef powder 800g. Is that it?

 

[Nick Barbier]

Was your tank a problem with the high nitrate and phosphate? Plenty of people here ride REALLY high with beautiful looking tanks. Your tank was 9 years old?

I've never been able to get my nitrates below 20 ppm. And now they are at 75 ppm. Yes, the tank has been setup for 9 years.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

No, I have always used Oceans Blend 2 part & NOPOX. But I'm willing to give them a try. Is Tropic Marin a 2 part solution or 3?

No it is one part, and very small dose. Follow the instructions. It comes with its own syringe. I believe it is a form of carbon dosing. Tropic Marin is a very well established/known company.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I've never been able to get my nitrates below 20 ppm. And now they are at 75 ppm. Yes, the tank has been setup for 9 years.

Once you get down to reasonable number,

Amazon carries the Tropic Marin All for Reef powder 800g. Is that it?

no that is totally different. I got it at Bulk Reef supply

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Other than the test results, is there anything wrong with the corals or other inhabitants? What problems are the elevated nutrients causing?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I've never been able to get my nitrates below 20 ppm. And now they are at 75 ppm. Yes, the tank has been setup for 9 years.

Once you get down to a reasonable number, do'nt just chase numbers. Let your tank tell you what is going on. My phosphates stay between 1 and 2, and my nitrates stay between 10 and 20. You will know by studying your tank inhabitants when something is going on.

 

[Nick Barbier]

No it is one part, and very small dose. Follow the instructions. It comes with its own syringe. I believe it is a form of carbon dosing. Tropic Marin is a very well established/known company.

I'm thinking about switching to both Tropic Marin and Microbactor 7.

 

[Nick Barbier]

Once you get down to a reasonable number, do'nt just chase numbers. Let your tank tell you what is going on. My phosphates stay between 1 and 2, and my nitrates stay between 10 and 20. You will know by studying your tank inhabitants when something is going on.

I've noticed that my corals are looking better since the PO4 dropped from 2 to 1. I would like to just get the nitrates down to 20.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I'm thinking about switching to both Tropic Marin and Microbactor 7.

THey worked great for me. Once you get it where you want it, just keep up with water changes. What kind of schedule do you have for your lighting? Tropic Marin also makes a product for keeping that balance, once achieved. It is calle Bacto Balance NP.

I've noticed that my corals are looking better since the PO4 dropped from 2 to 1. I would like to just get the nitrates down to 20.

The Microbacter 7 is just bottled bacteria. The purpose in it is to help with nitrates by turning the nitrates into nitrogen. There are several different companies that make bottled bacteria, I just have had good results using Microbacter 7.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd be wary of jumping around between different organic dosing products looking for a pot of gold in nitrate lowering. They will work, for N, not P, and they work slowly. There no convincing evidence that any are better than any others, IMO.

 

[Nick Barbier]

Are you growing macro in your sump?

No, just equipment. A skimmer in the 1st section, Max Spec BIO balls in the second section, and the return pump in the 3rd section.

 

[Nick Barbier]

I'd be wary of jumping around between different organic dosing products looking for a pot of gold in nitrate lowering. They will work, for N, not P, and they work slowly. There no convincing evidence that any are better than any others, IMO.

Thanks Randy, I have only ever used Oceans Blend 2 part solution for Alk, Ca, Mg, and trace elements, and NOPOX for many years until 5 days ago when I started dosing the Brightwell Aquatics Phosphat-E. I will not dose anymore of that and just go back to the 2 part & NOPOX.

 

[Nick Barbier]

Other than the test results, is there anything wrong with the corals or other inhabitants? What problems are the elevated nutrients causing?

My Euphyllias were starting to lose heads. The Ricordeas, mushrooms and zoas seem to love the higher nitrate levels, they've tripled in size.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

My Euphyllias were starting to lose heads. The Ricordeas, mushrooms and zoas seem to love the higher nitrate levels, they've tripled in size.

lol, yeah softer corals, especially zoa's love dirty water. That is why I keep mine at about 15 to 20ppm.

 

[Nick Barbier]

THey worked great for me. Once you get it where you want it, just keep up with water changes. What kind of schedule do you have for your lighting? Tropic Marin also makes a product for keeping that balance, once achieved. It is calle Bacto Balance NP.

The Microbacter 7 is just bottled bacteria. The purpose in it is to help with nitrates by turning the nitrates into nitrogen. There are several different companies that make bottled bacteria, I just have had good results using Microbacter 7.

I have 4 Hydra 26s and I'm only running the Blue, Deep Blue, Ultra Violet and Infrared. No white, green or red spectrum. The photoperiod is from 1pm to 11pm. The lights ramp up from 1pm and max out at 4pm, and start ramping down at 8pm until they turn off at 11pm.