0 Nitrates and 0 phosphate

[Alfredomeinhardt]

My new 60 Gal tank finished the nitrogen cycle and it’s going now through the ugly phase. The nitrate and phosphate are reading zero in my Hanna checker. Should I start dosing nitrate and phosphate to bring the levels up??

 

[bubbgee]

do you have any livestock? Usually we feed the corals and fishes more food until we get a reading. Dosing Neonitro and Neophos is effective as well.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I have two clown fish and I feed the 3 times a day

 

[bluemon]

I have two clown fish and I feed the 3 times a day

I would wait until you have a more stocked tank until you start dosing nutrients.

More CUC and more fish/ coral.

Then see where the nutrients end up at.

Do you have a refugium?

 

[Marco_99]

With no corals on the hook I’d let it ride out, no dosing

 

[mcarroll]

Keep the lights off until you decide to do something about it.

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

I would wait until you have a more stocked tank until you start dosing nutrients.

More CUC and more fish/ coral.

Then see where the nutrients end up at.

Do you have a refugium?

No refugium

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

What I’m afraid is to starve the beneficial bacteria since it doesn’t have any nutriens

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

With no corals on the hook I’d let it ride out, no dosing

I have a Duncan and 2 zoas

 

[bluemon]

What I’m afraid is to starve the beneficial bacteria since it doesn’t have any nutriens

The beneficial bacteria would eat up ammonia as their N source so dosing nitrates or phosphates won’t do much.

If you’re super worried, you can add more livestock and feed more

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

What about Dinos. Should I be worry that the no pO4 and NO3 will bring dinos into the tank??

 

[Monad]

What about Dinos. Should I be worry that the no pO4 and NO3 will bring dinos into the tank??

If you're running lights, yes. You probably will develop a dino problem.

Do you have a CUC for your sandbed? I'd recommend a strawberry conch. It'll help keep the sandbed clean of algae and will eat pellets you drop in the tank. I have two in my 90g and I love them.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Can we see a picture of the algae? How long has the tank been running? I suspect it is diatoms, diatoms pass on their own after a week or two, no need to do anything. I would not dose nitrate/phosphate into a brand new tank, if you have only 2 fish in a 60 gallon, get more fish instead.

 

[painter1982]

In my 60g I have 60 TBS live rock, 30 pounds live sand, 13 green chromis, 2 clowns, 2 unidentified blennies, temporary baby yellow tang, several shrimp and crabs, lots of snails, sps corals and have to dose neophos and neonitro daily to keep from bottoming out nutrients.

 

[CHSUB]

What I’m afraid is to starve the beneficial bacteria since it doesn’t have any nutriens

Bacteria is more capable than you would imagine…the idea you can starve them out only exists in “glass box” mythology.


https://news.mit.edu/2013/how-quickly-can-a-bacterium-grow-0827

https://hms.harvard.edu/news/how-dormant-bacteria-return-life