At what point should I dose Nitrate?

RedFrog211

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Some of my Zoas have been slowly declining. I dosed 3 consecutive uses of KanaPlex (6 days), believing it was a bacterial issue, as well as CoralRX dip and an iodine dip. Despite this, polyps are still shrinking and melting, showing no improvement. I’ve been trying to slowly bring my nitrates up over the past two weeks, but still no luck, mostly by feeding the fish more. I feed frozen mysis and zooplankton with VitaChem 2x a day, AB+ broadcast 1x a day and target Reefroids 1x a week. Should I continue trying to feed, or should I start dosing an artificial nitrate additive? Any recommended brands?

details:
All tested with Hanna Instruments
Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.2
Nitrate: 0
(No phosphate test yet)
Temp: 78F

Tank has been up for about 8 months, 10g with AI prime. Mostly zoas with 2 clowns and 1 six-line.

2B5431A6-6E05-4364-B201-FF6FEB05D924.jpeg 29A77ADE-8D98-4EA2-9FF9-93240E2B2485.jpeg BF20EE05-3C66-4B1B-A237-3FF28E8D5B4D.jpeg
 
Some of my Zoas have been slowly declining. I dosed 3 consecutive uses of KanaPlex (6 days), believing it was a bacterial issue, as well as CoralRX dip and an iodine dip. Despite this, polyps are still shrinking and melting, showing no improvement. I’ve been trying to slowly bring my nitrates up over the past two weeks, but still no luck, mostly by feeding the fish more. I feed frozen mysis and zooplankton with VitaChem 2x a day, AB+ broadcast 1x a day and target Reefroids 1x a week. Should I continue trying to feed, or should I start dosing an artificial nitrate additive? Any recommended brands?

details:
All tested with Hanna Instruments
Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.2
Nitrate: 0
(No phosphate test yet)
Temp: 78F

Tank has been up for about 8 months, 10g with AI prime. Mostly zoas with 2 clowns and 1 six-line.

2B5431A6-6E05-4364-B201-FF6FEB05D924.jpeg 29A77ADE-8D98-4EA2-9FF9-93240E2B2485.jpeg BF20EE05-3C66-4B1B-A237-3FF28E8D5B4D.jpeg
looks like a lot of those zoas are doing well. if i was in your shoes i would feed more. But also only 1 or 2 polyps closing looks like something could be messing with it.
 
Some of my Zoas have been slowly declining. I dosed 3 consecutive uses of KanaPlex (6 days), believing it was a bacterial issue, as well as CoralRX dip and an iodine dip. Despite this, polyps are still shrinking and melting, showing no improvement. I’ve been trying to slowly bring my nitrates up over the past two weeks, but still no luck, mostly by feeding the fish more. I feed frozen mysis and zooplankton with VitaChem 2x a day, AB+ broadcast 1x a day and target Reefroids 1x a week. Should I continue trying to feed, or should I start dosing an artificial nitrate additive? Any recommended brands?

details:
All tested with Hanna Instruments
Salinity: 1.026
pH: 8.2
Nitrate: 0
(No phosphate test yet)
Temp: 78F

Tank has been up for about 8 months, 10g with AI prime. Mostly zoas with 2 clowns and 1 six-line.

2B5431A6-6E05-4364-B201-FF6FEB05D924.jpeg 29A77ADE-8D98-4EA2-9FF9-93240E2B2485.jpeg BF20EE05-3C66-4B1B-A237-3FF28E8D5B4D.jpeg
I find that brightwell neonitrate is easy to dose - and it’s pretty accurate in its dosing instructions. (X amount will result in y increase of nitrate )

It is not the cheapest option though

I’ve had 0 nitrate from day one and have recently started dosing to keep my nitrate at 10ish. Watch your phosphate when you start dosing nitrate though - they will drop !
 
Could be Asterina starfish
It very well could be, though I have been looking at night and have not been able to find any pests. I personally have never seen Asterinas in my system; though that doesn’t discredit it as a possibility!
 

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