beginner nitrate and phosphate dosing

[AKABigBlack]

i have a lowboy frag tank with a 40 breeder sump, no skimmer, and i'm currently testing 0/0 phos/nitrate. i have more than a couple zoa frags and a few lps (frogspawn, hammers, a duncan, and an acan). the frogspawn just shed and i've lost one hammer. the acan and the duncan appear fine for now.

my question is: did i lose my lps due to no phos/nitrate? how is it best to start dosing to maintain proper levels?

current parameters (all hanah and a refractometer)
salinity - 35
alk - 8.7
phos - 0
nitrate - 0
ph - 8.5

 

[shakacuz]

all corals benefit from some type of nutrients in the water. so i will say yes, no3/po4 being 0/0 is definitely a factor. what is your temp? cal? mag?

 

[AKABigBlack]

all corals benefit from some type of nutrients in the water. so i will say yes, no3/po4 being 0/0 is definitely a factor. what is your temp? cal? mag?

Temp is 78-79
Calcium 420

Picking up a mag test tomorrow.

 

[shakacuz]

you may have lost the LPs due to s swing of some sort, or lighting issues (too much or too little).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How did you measure those? Some kits do not test low enough to say its an issue.

 

[AKABigBlack]

magnesium is 1400.

test kits used:
salinity - refractometer
alk - hannah
phos - hannah
nitrate - hannah
ph - hannah
mag - nyos
calcium - red sea

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Which Hanna for phosphate and nitrate?

 

[AKABigBlack]

Which Hanna for phosphate and nitrate?

The phos checker is the 713, low range. The nitrate checker is the 782, high range.

 

[thedon986]

I use NeoNitro and NeoPhos. There is a calculator/equation on the instructions and also cautions about how far to raise each per day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The phos checker is the 713, low range. The nitrate checker is the 782, high range.

The 713 has a range of +/- 0.04 ppm phosphate, so is not able to tell you phosphate is too low.

Same with the Hanna 782 for nitrate; +/- 2 ppm.

So your nutrients may be too low, or may be fine.

Feeding more may be a good experiment.

 

[Brandon2741]

The 713 has a range of +/- 0.04 ppm phosphate, so is not able to tell you phosphate is too low.

Same with the Hanna 782 for nitrate; +/- 2 ppm.

So your nutrients may be too low, or may be fine.

Feeding more may be a good experiment.

Hi sorry to bomb in here but I had a few questions about your DIY lime water and using kalk for calcium supplement. Anyways I dont know where to go to start a new question directly to you but if you wouldnt mind helping me out either here or some other way just let me know please and thanks again, Happy New Year BTW!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi sorry to bomb in here but I had a few questions about your DIY lime water and using kalk for calcium supplement. Anyways I dont know where to go to start a new question directly to you but if you wouldnt mind helping me out either here or some other way just let me know please and thanks again, Happy New Year BTW!

Happy to.

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