Low nitates, please someone explain to me nitrates and carbon

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I dosed 1ppm Wednesday night, and 1 ppm last night. And tested today and it still tested 0 nitrate. Is it possible my tank is using that much nitrates in a day?

sure.

 

[Miller535]

@Randy Holmes-Farley , hoping you can advice me. I am using neonitro which says to dose using the following formula,

Tank capacity x ppm x .1261

My tank volume is 125 gallons. Last night I dosed 65ml. Which should have given me slightly over 4ppm nitrate. Tested with Red sea nitrate test kit and got somewhere between 1-2ppm. So let's say 1.5ppm. Should I assume my tank uses up 2.5 ppm nitrates a day? I think I would like to try and keep my tank around 3ppm nitrates, at least at a starting point. Should I dose another 65ml today and retest again tomorrow, and then after I reach 3ppm consider 2.5ppm my managing dose?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd vary the dose over time to get to a value you want. It will drop between one dose and the next, so it matters when you test. Exact nitrate values are not critical. 1 or 3 or 5 ppm are all likely OK.

 

[Miller535]

I'd vary the dose over time to get to a value you want. It will drop between one dose and the next, so it matters when you test. Exact nitrate values are not critical. 1 or 3 or 5 ppm are all likely OK.

Ok. As I said, I have some form of dinos, and am just trying to maintain some nitrate as s first step in correcting them. Or at least the situation that caused them.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok. As I said, I have some form of dinos, and am just trying to maintain some nitrate as s first step in correcting them. Or at least the situation that caused them.

IMO, maintaining a few ppm nitrate and detectable phosphate is desirable, perhaps because it allows other organisms to outcompete the dinos for something critical, such as a trace element.

 

[Miller535]

IMO, maintaining a few ppm nitrate and detectable phosphate is desirable, perhaps because it allows other organisms to outcompete the dinos for something critical, such as a trace element.

Yeah. I have discontinued GFO as my Triton test came back yesterday PO4 @ .012. Which I think is too low

 

[Aqua Man]

NeoPhos has similar instructions. Add Carbon if no change in numbers 24hrs after dose.
@Miller535 did you get your Nitrates to come up?

Anyone know why Brightwell recommends adding Carbon?
Boost bacteria to uptake N and P?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

NeoPhos has similar instructions. Add Carbon if no change in numbers 24hrs after dose.
@Miller535 did you get your Nitrates to come up?

Anyone know why Brightwell recommends adding Carbon?
Boost bacteria to uptake N and P?

That instruction seems to only apply if you are trying to lower nitrate, not if you are just trying to maintain phosphate and nitrate by dosing:

Brightwell Aquatics - NeoPhos

www.brightwellaquatics.com

"If at any time, dosing with NEOPHOS results in a prolonged increase of phosphate concentration without gradual decrease as nitrate is taken up, system is likely carbon-limited (remedied by the application of REEF BIOFUEL or KATALYST to the system). "

 

[TriggerFinger]

I’m so confused...where are your nitrates going if you don’t have coral in the tank? Are the dinos consuming it?

 

[Miller535]

NeoPhos has similar instructions. Add Carbon if no change in numbers 24hrs after dose.
@Miller535 did you get your Nitrates to come up?

Anyone know why Brightwell recommends adding Carbon?
Boost bacteria to uptake N and P?

I did. It took dosing a few times the first week to even get above zero. Then it took dosing a few times a week for a few weeksto keep them around 4ppm. I then started feeding heavier and I now range between 4 ppm and 8 ppm.

I was also dosing Neo Phos at the same time. I no longer need to dose Nitrates, but I do still have to dose Phosphates a few times a week. And have been doing so for I think a few months now.

 

[Aqua Man]

That’s good Miller, you must have a superb bio filter to have 0 nitrates! What fish do you have to keep such low numbers?

 

[Miller535]

That’s good Miller, you must have a superb bio filter to have 0 nitrates! What fish do you have to keep such low numbers?

Well I think I bottomed out my Nitrates from the bio pellet reactor that I was running. I have a hippo tang, a yellow tang, 3 clowns, and coral beauty. I have a lawnmower blenny also but he is a new purchase that is still in quarantine.