How to raise nitrates and lower phosphates?

[stE25wy14]

10gal, 2 clowns. 2.5ml of afr a day
about 15 pellets of hikari(yes, all get eaten)

nitrates r undetectable by salifert, phosphate is 0.25ppm
how to raise nitrates and Lower phos?

 

[MeganV]

All For Reef has a carbon dosing sort of effect and can affect nutrients. You can probably shift the ratio away from phosphate and towards nitrogen by modifying the mix of what you feed. Hikari doesn't have a great reputation in the reef community. I do some Hikari stuff in a pinch for our fancy goldfish, but not for the reef. Most folks would steer you towards more fresh foods to improve the N:P ratio.

I personally struggle with low nitrates (less than 5ppm) and I dose Neo-nitro or ammonium bicarbonate as needed.

One other thing, silicates can interfere with some phosphate tests (Hanna checker for instance.) You may want to confirm your phosphate is actually high and you don't have a DI resin issue.

 

[Indiana Reefin]

I would lower phosphate by running GFO in a reactor and doing smaller water changes.

 

[stE25wy14]

I would lower phosphate by running GFO in a reactor and doing smaller water changes.

I cant afford a reactor, especially for a tank this small too

 

[stE25wy14]

All For Reef has a carbon dosing sort of effect and can affect nutrients. You can probably shift the ratio away from phosphate and towards nitrogen by modifying the mix of what you feed. Hikari doesn't have a great reputation in the reef community. I do some Hikari stuff in a pinch for our fancy goldfish, but not for the reef. Most folks would steer you towards more fresh foods to improve the N:P ratio.

I personally struggle with low nitrates (less than 5ppm) and I dose Neo-nitro or ammonium bicarbonate as needed.

One other thing, silicates can interfere with some phosphate tests (Hanna checker for instance.) You may want to confirm your phosphate is actually high and you don't have a DI resin issue.

ill stop using hikari for some time :D

 

[Indiana Reefin]

I cant afford a reactor, especially for a tank this small too

Try just a 200 micron mesh bag with GFO in it.

 

[stE25wy14]

Try just a 200 micron mesh bag with GFO in it.

k
ill put that into the tank today

 

[bluemon]

Throw a bag of GFO like Chemipure in a high flow area of the tank.

For nitrates, I would feed more.

Maybe feed some frozen.

Clownfish would appreciate some variety

 

[Indiana Reefin]

How does your tank look? If it looks good I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s hard to keep nutrients in check with such a small tank. I have a 9 gallon and my phosphates are anywhere from .15-.25. I had a small green Cyano outbreak due to a nutrient imbalance so I raised nitrates and am trying to lower phosphates.

 

[stE25wy14]

Throw a bag of GFO like Chemipure in a high flow area of the tank.

For nitrates, I would feed more.

Maybe feed some frozen.

Clownfish would appreciate some variety

what do you mean high flow? I cant just put it in the actual tank? I usually put it in the back wall

 

[Indiana Reefin]

k
ill put that into the tank today

Make sure you rinse it really well before use in RODI water

 

[stE25wy14]

How does your tank look? If it looks good I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s hard to keep nutrients in check with such a small tank. I have a 9 gallon and my phosphates are anywhere from .15-.25. I had a small green Cyano outbreak due to a nutrient imbalance so I raised nitrates and am trying to lower phosphates.

hair algae coming, then immediately it dies
a lot of aiptasia, it hasn't killed anything
2 newest sps are losing color, not aiptasia tho

 

[bluemon]

what do you mean high flow? I cant just put it in the actual tank? I usually put it in the back wall

I say high flow area so the water can actually pass through the filter media and phosphates can be removed.

If you just chuck it in the back of the tank, it will do very little.

What kind of filtration do you have?

Do you at least have a HOB filter?

 

[stE25wy14]

no, its a back wall
its aio

 

[Indiana Reefin]

hair algae coming, then immediately it dies
a lot of aiptasia, it hasn't killed anything
2 newest sps are losing color, not aiptasia tho

Ok I would raise nitrates a little bit by feeding more. Make sure to use frozen foods. Pelleted or flake foods are higher in phosphates. Try to bring your phosphates down slowly.

 

[bluemon]

no, its a back wall
its aio

The back wall has chambers right?

Put it in one of the chambers. All the water goes through there so it will be effective

 

[stE25wy14]

The back wall has chambers right?

Put it in one of the chambers. All the water goes through there so it will be effective

yeah
thats what I said

 

[bluemon]

The back wall has chambers right?

Put it in one of the chambers. All the water goes through there so it will be effective

yeah
thats what I said

Not to pick a fight but you said back wall which was quite ambiguous.

You only just mentioned it’s an AIO and back wall is still very ambiguous.

I think it’ll help next time if you mention that it’s an AIO and you can say filter chambers

 

[stE25wy14]

so my frozen is also hikari

 

[bluemon]

so my frozen is also hikari

Nothing wrong with that. Just feed more