High Nitrate, NO Phosphate

[BanZI29]

Hello again to all!

So I have been fighting a losing battle for about 4 months now. I have a 40 gal AOI tank, mixed softie and LPS corals and 4 fish. I have 35 - 40 nitrates (using a Hanna HR tester) and 0 Phosphate (using a Hanna ULR tester)
I do run a skimmer, and filter floss in both intake chambers, and a bag of Chemipure in 1 chamber, I also dose all for reef, and Brightwell restor. (5 ml every 3 days.)
I have done 2, 50% water changes in the last 3 month, and within a couple weeks, I have the same result, high nitrate and 0 phosphate. i have tried feeding Reef Roids once a week, for the last month and no real change either.
Anyone have any guidance? I am really stuck here and my corals are showing the affects of this.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Ph: 8.00 day - 7.78 night
ammonia: 0
Alk: 13 (steady)
Calcium: 480 ( a bit high)
nitrate: 40.2 ( as of last night)
Phos: 0

Thankyou for any help you all can provide

"J"

 

[PharmrJohn]

If memory serves, Chemipure removes phosphates.......

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If memory serves, Chemipure removes phosphates.......

Only Chemipure elite with GFO in it.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hello again to all!

So I have been fighting a losing battle for about 4 months now. I have a 40 gal AOI tank, mixed softie and LPS corals and 4 fish. I have 35 - 40 nitrates (using a Hanna HR tester) and 0 Phosphate (using a Hanna ULR tester)
I do run a skimmer, and filter floss in both intake chambers, and a bag of Chemipure in 1 chamber, I also dose all for reef, and Brightwell restor. (5 ml every 3 days.)
I have done 2, 50% water changes in the last 3 month, and within a couple weeks, I have the same result, high nitrate and 0 phosphate. i have tried feeding Reef Roids once a week, for the last month and no real change either.
Anyone have any guidance? I am really stuck here and my corals are showing the affects of this.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Ph: 8.00 day - 7.78 night
ammonia: 0
Alk: 13 (steady)
Calcium: 480 ( a bit high)
nitrate: 40.2 ( as of last night)
Phos: 0

Thankyou for any help you all can provide

"J"

Dosing phosphate using food grade sodium phosphate is cheap and easy to do.

 

[armyvetheather]

Hello again to all!

So I have been fighting a losing battle for about 4 months now. I have a 40 gal AOI tank, mixed softie and LPS corals and 4 fish. I have 35 - 40 nitrates (using a Hanna HR tester) and 0 Phosphate (using a Hanna ULR tester)
I do run a skimmer, and filter floss in both intake chambers, and a bag of Chemipure in 1 chamber, I also dose all for reef, and Brightwell restor. (5 ml every 3 days.)
I have done 2, 50% water changes in the last 3 month, and within a couple weeks, I have the same result, high nitrate and 0 phosphate. i have tried feeding Reef Roids once a week, for the last month and no real change either.
Anyone have any guidance? I am really stuck here and my corals are showing the affects of this.

Parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Ph: 8.00 day - 7.78 night
ammonia: 0
Alk: 13 (steady)
Calcium: 480 ( a bit high)
nitrate: 40.2 ( as of last night)
Phos: 0

Thankyou for any help you all can provide

"J"

Just curious but why the high volume water changes? Normally would just do a 10-20% water change once a week for maintenance. Have you double-checked your testing method or verified the results with another type of test?

 

[PharmrJohn]

Only Chemipure elite with GFO in it.

Got it. Cool. Thanks man. Appreciate it.

 

[BanZI29]

Just curious but why the high volume water changes? Normally would just do a 10-20% water change once a week for maintenance. Have you double-checked your testing method or verified the results with another type of test?

I was trying to get the Nitrate level down. It was over 45 when I caught the problem.

 

[BanZI29]

Just checked it this morning and it's still at 38.5. I am seeing some possible bleaching now.

 

[BanZI29]

Did a 2nd test, and ir now shows 49!!!! Tried my red sea kit and its about the same. This is not good. I jusr changed the filters on monday too.

 

[Lavey29]

Did a 2nd test, and ir now shows 49!!!! Tried my red sea kit and its about the same. This is not good. I jusr changed the filters on monday too.

If you do normal weekly water changes and wet skim you would not have elevated nitrates. Your nitrate number is not hurting your corals but your 0 phosphate is.

 

[loyalsockreefer]

A few suggestions I would make. The high nitrate is likely not a concern for your tank because is seems primarily lps which generally do well in higher nutrients. I would make sure your skimmer is functioning well and adjusted to skim properly. I would attempt to bring bring your alk down to 8-9 dkh. 13 dkh with no po4 is asking for trouble. This is likely the lead your your bleaching. It makes a very unstable environment in low nutrients. Po4 general takes some time to build up. Reef roads and dry foods will help to add po4 naturally. If your feeding heavy with thawed food they add lots of no3 and less po4,so you can try cutting back and feeding more dry foods. Ensure to have not added and media that removes po4 in your filters. Try for a high stable ph if will naturally bring for n03 down if it concerns you. Ensure your testing correctly for p04. Good luck

 

[ccole]

My tank is LPS heavy and I have the same low phosphate, high nitrate problem. I’ve been dosing 50 mL Neophos a day into mine (230ish gallons) to keep it readable for around 3 months now.

I’d work on getting your phosphates up before worrying about nitrates. That probably won’t bother anything.

 

[ReefSauce]

Remove the chemipure, increase feeding, dont change any water and test within a week. Alk is a bit high at 13. Do you see a benefit to having it that high? Ideal for me is 9.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Remove the chemipure, increase feeding, dont change any water and test within a week. Alk is a bit high at 13. Do you see a benefit to having it that high? Ideal for me is 9.

Normal chemipure does little for phosphate. Only the elite version with GFO in it does much for phosphate.

 

[BanZI29]

Remove the chemipure, increase feeding, dont change any water and test within a week. Alk is a bit high at 13. Do you see a benefit to having it that high? Ideal for me is 9.

My alk has always been 12-14. No ill effwcts so I just keep it stable there.

 

[tylerjohnsoncc]

Remove the chemipure, increase feeding, dont change any water and test within a week. Alk is a bit high at 13. Do you see a benefit to having it that high? Ideal for me is 9.

Hey! I'm a new reefer and curious. Why remove the Chemipure? Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Hey! I'm a new reefer and curious. Why remove the Chemipure? Thanks!

I personally would not make that recommendation in this case.

 

[tylerjohnsoncc]

I personally would not make that recommendation in this case.

Thanks for the advice! I'm battling low Nitrates and Phosphates in my system that is about 4 months old. I never took it down from the guy I purchased it from, so it's about 3 years old in total. I certainly didn't think I'd be battling LOW nitrates! Hoping to figure things out soon as my tank is a bit unhappy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the advice! I'm battling low Nitrates and Phosphates in my system that is about 4 months old. I never took it down from the guy I purchased it from, so it's about 3 years old in total. I certainly didn't think I'd be battling LOW nitrates! Hoping to figure things out soon as my tank is a bit unhappy.

Feeding more is often the easiest and fastest. Dosing N and P also works well.

 

[Reef.]

Brightwell Razor could be the issue, it’s a chemical algaecide I believe.