41ppm nitrates.

joekidwell · Oct 11, 2020

Hey everyone. I have a JBJ 28 gallon Nanocube mixed reef. My display macro wasn't growing anymore. I knew I had a ULN tank so the past two weeks I've been feeding the corals and fish heavy to intentionally raise my phosphates and nitrates as a result my display macro popped right back up.

I've been keeping an eye of the phosphates that got up to .07 from .02 ULR Hannah Checker but until the new Nitrate checker by Hannah came I was unable to know where they were, I've never had to check nitrates before.

After about a week and a half my zoas closed up and the checker came in the mail. Undiluted pegged the checker out at 5ppm, using the diluted method my nitrates were 41.3. Is that high enough to make zoas close up and is the harm already done or is there a chance they could come back? There dosen't appear to be any die off they are just closed and have been closed for three days.

I just did a 5 gallon water change now the nitrates are reading 27.7, I'll do another five gallons tomorrow evening as well. I dose polylab one so the carbon will help get things back in order.

Tank paramaters
Ph 8.15
Alkalinity 9.9
Phosphates. 04
Nitrates 27.7
Calcium 430
Magnesium 1200

Thank You

jccaclimber · Oct 12, 2020

I don’t know what your issue is, but I highly doubt nitrates are the cause. I’ve seen many happy reefs with values well above that.

So long as there is still tissue there is still a chance for recovery. Being closed for a couple days is a sign something is off, but not a death knell by any means.

joekidwell · Oct 12, 2020

jccaclimber said:
I don’t know what your issue is, but I highly doubt nitrates are the cause. I’ve seen many happy reefs with values well above that.

So long as there is still tissue there is still a chance for recovery. Being closed for a couple days is a sign something is off, but not a death knell by any means.

I see amphipods crawling all over them

jccaclimber said:
I don’t know what your issue is, but I highly doubt nitrates are the cause. I’ve seen many happy reefs with values well above that.

So long as there is still tissue there is still a chance for recovery. Being closed for a couple days is a sign something is off, but not a death knell by any means.

The only other thing off is the massive amount of amphipods that are a result of excess food. I'm guessing a thousand or more, they cover the back glass at night.