How to raise 0 readings

[marktea]

Hey guys. I have had my nano set up for 2 months. I can not seem to get anything other then 0 for my nitrates ever, and towards the begging I had up to .25 phos but nothing for weeks now. So far I have tried dry skimming versus wet, reducing skimming times, feeding my fish more for their waste (nothing more then they can consume), I even feed my corals everyday with a diet varying from live foods to reefchili to kents micro vert food ( it's basically a cycle of 4 foods I have, one food everyday), and still, nothing. It is my understanding that nitrates in the 5 ppm range is beneficial for corals like sps when it comes to coloration, and being that my corals are definitely not the most colorful, I'd like to change that.
Here's my params
Ph 8.1
Temp 78-79
Am 0
Ni 0
Na 0
Phos 0
Cal 460
Dkh ~12-13 (haven't dosed once, waiting for a drop)


And here's a tank shot:

 

[XNavyDiver]

I've had my 100 gallon up for over 6 months now and I can't keep 1 frag of acro or any sps for that matter alive for more than a week. Now even some bullet proof chalice' s are committing hari kiri.
2 MONTHS AND YOUR ACRO IS THRIVING??! HOW DO YOU DO IT???
Amazing. Well done.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

First, are the corals looking good?
Then you are fine.
Second, get a second opinion on the test results.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I've had my 100 gallon up for over 6 months now and I can't keep 1 frag of acro or any sps for that matter alive for more than a week. Now even some bullet proof chalice' s are committing hari kiri.
2 MONTHS AND YOUR ACRO IS THRIVING??! HOW DO YOU DO IT???
Amazing. Well done.

Right!?!

 

[XNavyDiver]

Right!?!

My next stop will be to a voodoo witch doctor to take the obvious curse someone put on me!

 

[smokin'reefer]

I would first second what SFF said. It's taken me a while, but I'm starting to think not chasing a problem that isn't there makes sense.

I noticed you don't have a magnesium reading. For a long time I never understood why my Alkalinity was never being consumed but my mg always stayed at around 1200. Even trying to bump up mag using trivial amounts, it would never rise. Finally I said the heck with it and spent about 4 or 5 days determined to get my mag at 1400. Used all the mag I had and cleaned the shelf of the little my lfs had. Finally got it up to 1400.

After doing this finally my Alkalinity started to be consumed. My across were surviving before, but suddenly they started thriving.

Just something to consider.

 

[marktea]

I've had my 100 gallon up for over 6 months now and I can't keep 1 frag of acro or any sps for that matter alive for more than a week. Now even some bullet proof chalice' s are committing hari kiri.
2 MONTHS AND YOUR ACRO IS THRIVING??! HOW DO YOU DO IT???
Amazing. Well done.

I started with a few frags and learned from them, either by making mistakes or having observations that made me need to know why that happens.

First, are the corals looking good?
Then you are fine.
Second, get a second opinion on the test results.

Most of the sps is pretty new, but I'm getting what imo looks like nice polyp extension in almost all of them. There are better colors then when I got them, but not nearly as brilliant as they should be which brought me to making this post about getting nutrients up. I have been trying to get to the store to get a second opinion, I should make it tomorrow so I'll let you know if there was any difference

I would first second what SFF said. It's taken me a while, but I'm starting to think not chasing a problem that isn't there makes sense.

I noticed you don't have a magnesium reading. For a long time I never understood why my Alkalinity was never being consumed but my mg always stayed at around 1200. Even trying to bump up mag using trivial amounts, it would never rise. Finally I said the heck with it and spent about 4 or 5 days determined to get my mag at 1400. Used all the mag I had and cleaned the shelf of the little my lfs had. Finally got it up to 1400.

After doing this finally my Alkalinity started to be consumed. My across were surviving before, but suddenly they started thriving.

Just something to consider.

The salifert kit I got online for mag was actually expired, I am still waiting for that darn new one. I have been clueless about my mag for a while now. I couldn't get my calc past 340-360 for a while regardless of heavy dosing. I then upped my mag dosing by like 4 times normal and finally was able to achieve 460. Stopped dosing mag as much since then but I might dose it about half that once or twice in attempt to get the alk down, thanks a lot for the advice as it does bother me and I'm sure your correct.

Thank you guys for the appraise! It really does mean a lot for me being my first salt water tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The salifert kit I got online for mag was actually expired, I am still waiting for that darn new one. I have been clueless about my mag for a while now. I couldn't get my calc past 340-360 for a while regardless of heavy dosing. I then upped my mag dosing by like 4 times normal and finally was able to achieve 460. Stopped dosing mag as much since then but I might dose it about half that once or twice in attempt to get the alk down, thanks a lot for the advice as it does bother me and I'm sure your correct.

What exactly are you dosing?
Dosing magnesium won't make alkalinity decline.

 

[GoVols]

What exactly are you dosing?
Dosing magnesium won't make alkalinity decline.

Tagging

 

[marktea]

For alk mag and calc I use fluvals line

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How are you determining doses of these three products? By recommendation (not a good idea), or by measurement?

For example:
"Add 5 mL per 75 L (20 US Gal.) once a week. Weekly dosage provides 5 mg/L of magnesium. Note that magnesium is essential in the maintenance of balance between calcium and alkalinity levels, it should be tested regularly and supplemented as required."

 

[marktea]

Hey Randy, I love you work. I actually had read your article to get my balance correct. While I'm in the blind with magnesium, I had just been doing manufactures recommendation. After reading your article about the 4 zones and the fixes, I decided to take a risk and started dosing up to 3x more mag then calc over a few days and presto, my calc finally caught up. I use api test kits as of now to test everything else and I dose either off the readings I get or by using a little theory when I have to guess. I'm not happy with api and think I'm going to go more in the direction of salifert or Hannah

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey Randy, I love you work. I actually had read your article to get my balance correct. While I'm in the blind with magnesium, I had just been doing manufactures recommendation. After reading your article about the 4 zones and the fixes, I decided to take a risk and started dosing up to 3x more mag then calc over a few days and presto, my calc finally caught up. I use api test kits as of now to test everything else and I dose either off the readings I get or by using a little theory when I have to guess. I'm not happy with api and think I'm going to go more in the direction of salifert or Hannah

Thanks.

Salifert kits and Hanna (except calcium) are fine choices.

I doubt the magnesium you dosed either helped or hurt, since the recommended doses have a relatively small effect on the levels. Magnesium is not likely to be off in a new tank unless the salinity is too low.

 

[marktea]

No Randy, thank you. Well I was being a little modest it was more like a crap load of mag. I'm not sure, I dosed nearly a whole bottle of calc over the two months with little more then a 10-20 ppm increase regardless of dose. Also, when I would put in a good deal of calc before dealing with my mag, I was see it building up on power heads and walls. Test kit will be here in 2 days so I won't have to be in the dark anymore

What are your thoughts about my nutrients Randy?

Btw this is the face I think of when I see your name

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That's exactly what I look like.

Actual zero nitrate and phosphate isn't optimal, but it can be hard to know how low the valuss actually are with some kits.

When you say the corals aren't the most colorful, what type of corals and would you say they look brownish (not usually low nutrients) or pale (could be low nutrients).

 

[marktea]

lol
I know I'm curious if maybe you have a method other then what I mentioned to get nitrates in my tank safely?
And it's more pale then they should be, not browning. Their color is getting slightly better each day, but as you said 0 readings aren't good

 

[marktea]

Update
I retested my water since the last test two days ago, here's the results
Am.0
Ni.0
Na. 10
Calc 470
Alk 11.5
Phos. 0

So of course the day after I made this post is the first day I have read nitrates since my cycle lol positively jinxed myself.
So I'm closer to my goal not quite there yet. I'm going to preform a small water change to lower it as it is a bit high for my liking. I'd like to get it to stay at 5 so figuring out that balance is the next trick, wish me luck everybody.
Thanks to everyone who replied, I appreciate your time

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is easy and inexpensive to dose sodium or potassium nitrate. Same for phosphate.