Hi Reefers. First ever post. Been on the side lines reading and learning. Anyhow I’m fairly new to Reefing, approximately two years. I love fish but love my sticks too. The problem is my nitrates have been on the rise the last 2 1/2 months due to no water changes. They were originally with water changes 20ppm. now 56ppm. Water changes are out for now, I understand the importance. I’m doing the moonshiners program so I stopped water changes and started carbon dosing vodka to help keep the nitrates under control. I have started carbon dosing seven weeks ago and am now dosing 9ml. to my heavily stocked 100 gallon tank. I’m not seeing any changes other than skimmer skimming better. One of my concerns is I’ve seen phosphates lowering. Phosphate is regularly between .02-.05
I tested yesterday and noticed the phosphate was .02 and thought maybe I needed to add more phosphates so that nitrates would decrease. I understand there out of wack compared to red field ratio. Anyway is this a problem? Also should I have seen anything yet after dosing 9ml’s of vodka? The dosing schedule that everyone follows changes/increases every week or seven days. Can I increase faster? And at what rate? Appreciate your help!
I tested yesterday and noticed the phosphate was .02 and thought maybe I needed to add more phosphates so that nitrates would decrease. I understand there out of wack compared to red field ratio. Anyway is this a problem? Also should I have seen anything yet after dosing 9ml’s of vodka? The dosing schedule that everyone follows changes/increases every week or seven days. Can I increase faster? And at what rate? Appreciate your help!