High nitrates, zero phosphates

[maksim serebro]

Hi! My tank is about 8 months old. I don’t dose anything except BRS alkalinity. Weekly water changes. 120 gal with mostly LPS and a couple of acros. For the last two months my nitrates are at 80 ish via API test kit and zero phos via Hanna cracker. The only export I have is weekly water changes and algae scrubber which I installed 3 weeks ago. How do I reduce nitrates? Do I need to dose phosphates? They only food I feed is chopped up store bought fish mix. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Other parameters:
Alk 9
Cal 430
Salt- instant ocean
Phos 0
Nitrates 80 ish
Salinity - 35

 

[road_runner]

What kits you use?
What's your filtration equipments?
Di you use any po4 remover?
It's very hard to get such a high no3 but zero po4..

 

[maksim serebro]

No phos remover. Reef octopus skimmer and algae scrubber for removal. Hanna checker for phos and API test kits for nitrates

 

[road_runner]

No phos remover. Reef octopus skimmer and algae scrubber for removal. Hanna checker for phos and API test kits for nitrates

Are you skimming wet?
Any activated carbon?
Is hannah ULR kit?

 

[maksim serebro]

A little carbon here and there. Not always. Here are pics of skimmate and Hanna

 

[maksim serebro]

 

[road_runner]

What does carbon here and there mean?
It's not clear if the kit is ulr or not.
In any event my earlier comments stand..my opnion.

 

[maksim serebro]

What does carbon here and there mean?
It's not clear if the kit is ulr or not.
In any event my earlier comments stand..my opnion.

Sorry, the kit is UL phosphate. Carbon is used 1 week on 3 weeks off. Not sure how activated carbon can influence the ratio between phosphate and nitrate. If you can please elaborate on that.

 

[road_runner]

Sorry, the kit is UL phosphate. Carbon is used 1 week on 3 weeks off. Not sure how activated carbon can influence the ratio between phosphate and nitrate. If you can please elaborate on that.

Most to make sure we talking about the same thing here.
When you say carbon you mean activated carbon not carbon dosing correct.

 

[maksim serebro]

Most to make sure we talking about the same thing here.
When you say carbon you mean activated carbon not carbon dosing correct.

Yes. Activated carbon. I have never carbon dosed or used any removal media like nopox or phosguard

 

[road_runner]

Your paramaters and setup looks ok. Do not dose anything. Po4 will come up eventually for sure. Especially with your feeding(do not over feed) always treat your system as if you have po4 and no3 already.
Keep using acivrated carbon, you can for now use it passively in a bag in the sump, then when you want to be more aggressive have it in a reactor. Also avoid the rox activated carbon it's too strong.
Test po4 no3 weekly to keep an eye on it.

Reducing no3 is easier than po4.
Water change,
activated carbon,
mindful feeding
Clean filter socks as often as you can
and regular husbandry will bring down the no3 eventually

 

[road_runner]

Oh and I would change the no3 kit to salifert I do not trust api.

 

[maksim serebro]

Oh and I would change the no3 kit to salifert I do not trust api.

Just ordered the Nyos nitrate kit. Thanks for your advise. I also shut off the skimmer today. I want phosphate to creep up

 

[road_runner]

Just ordered the Nyos nitrate kit. Thanks for your advise. I also shut off the skimmer today. I want phosphate to creep up

Do not do that.
Operate everything as if normal. Agutting down skimmer, overfeeding or any of these trends going around for stuff like that will creat bigger problems.
Just get ur new test kits, keep up with husbandry and things will adjust.

 

[maksim serebro]

Do not do that.
Operate everything as if normal. Agutting down skimmer, overfeeding or any of these trends going around for stuff like that will creat bigger problems.
Just get ur new test kits, keep up with husbandry and things will adjust.

Ok. Turning it back on. Lol.

 

[road_runner]

Ok. Turning it back on. Lol.

Unless you have a problem do not do fixes.
If you see a problem or inhabitants are not happy call me back to this thread. Otherwise just act as if everything is normal and run a good system.

 

[SPR1968]

You basically need to boost/add systems for nitrate removal including as options carbon dosing, such as Nopox and adding additional biological filtration such as Seachem Matrix, Marine Pure etc

All of these once in place will bring nitrate under control, and then it’s just a matter of balancing everything out. Or you could increase water changes as a simple option.

Although it’s a basic make sure your using 0 TDS RODI water for water changes and it might also be worth looking at the food your using, as nutrients are being introduced and not effectively removed.

On the phosphate just remember the Hanna test kits do have an error margin so it may not be actually zero. I am happy if mine reads zero because of this, as with my bioload it’s very unlikely, it just means it’s very low.

 

[maksim serebro]

You basically need to boost/add systems for nitrate removal including as options carbon dosing, such as Nopox and adding additional biological filtration such as Seachem Matrix, Marine Pure etc

All of these once in place will bring nitrate under control, and then it’s just a matter of balancing everything out. Or you could increase water changes as a simple option.

Although it’s a basic make sure your using 0 TDS RODI water for water changes and it might also be worth looking at the food your using, as nutrients are being introduced and not effectively removed.

On the phosphate just remember the Hanna test kits do have an error margin so it may not be actually zero. I am happy if mine reads zero because of this, as with my bioload it’s very unlikely, it just means it’s very low.

Thanks for reply. Do people still use biopellets or is that a thing of the past? Was thinking of getting a reactor to lower nitrates

 

[SPR1968]

Thanks for reply. Do people still use biopellets or is that a thing of the past? Was thinking of getting a reactor to lower nitrates

Some people do yes in a Nitrate reactor. There are many different ways of doing things in the hobby

 

[Blizzahjh]

That tank looks pretty nice for having such high nitrates (not hating). Kind of makes me think the test kit is off, Some nitrates boost colors, but alot of nitrates brown corals and your coral have a nice pop to them.