Low Nitrates causing me to pull my hair (algae) out.

[adio1002]

For the last few months I have a 0.0ppm reading on Nitrates in my 20g tank. Coral has seemed to be fine, nice colors, growth, etc. this last week one of my acros turned white. I ordered some NeoNitro and started dosing in little quantities. After testing again I’m still at 0.0ppm nitrates. Now though my phosphates have started to dip as well. I do have hair algae and bubble algae in the system, I upped the CUC and it seems to be getting better. Here’s my tests from yesterday (all done on Hanna checkers.

Alk: 8.1
Calcium: 498 ppm
Magnesium: 1230ppm
Nitrate: 0.0 ppm
Phosphates 0.01ppm

 

[Boehmtown]

I hated neo nitro. 2 things. Set up a small trickle filter. They were abandoned as filtration because they produce tons of nitrates. Or I had success dosing benereef seemed to raise up my nitrates enough without blasting phosphates too high.

 

[Boehmtown]

For the last few months I have a 0.0ppm reading on Nitrates in my 20g tank. Coral has seemed to be fine, nice colors, growth, etc. this last week one of my acros turned white. I ordered some NeoNitro and started dosing in little quantities. After testing again I’m still at 0.0ppm nitrates. Now though my phosphates have started to dip as well. I do have hair algae and bubble algae in the system, I upped the CUC and it seems to be getting better. Here’s my tests from yesterday (all done on Hanna checkers.

Alk: 8.1
Calcium: 498 ppm
Magnesium: 1230ppm
Nitrate: 0.0 ppm
Phosphates 0.01ppm

Also get your mag up

 

[Reeferbadness]

I have 2 tanks with low nitrate - likely due to the macro algae growth in the refugiums - so i dose neonitrate (about 8ml a day for a 200g tank). I feed heavily so Phos is around .08 but food alone isn't enough to get nitrate off of 0.00 without some help. There are other methods - @Randy Holmes-Farley has posted about this (using ammonia i believe) but this works for me.

 

[Miami Reef]

The neonitro dose should be increased. You also add phosphate (neophos is available if that’s quicker to source)

Don’t be afraid to ramp up the doses.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Can we see a tank pic? At some point, the algae will out-compete the corals for nutrients.

You have 2 different problems (algae and low nitrate) and trying to treat them together. I would suggest to solve the algae problem, you shouldn't add nitrate when algae is taking over and out-competing the corals. Once the algae problem is solved, then tackle the nitrate issue, if there is even an issue once the algae is gone.

 

[adio1002]

Tank pic for reference.

A little more info about the tank.

It’s 2years old. Started with dry rock.

Live stock:
2 clownfish
Peppermint shrimp (who is about to be moved, he’s eating coral)
Tuxedo Urchin (added a week ago, for the hair algae)
Various snails
2x pitho crab (been going to town on the bubble algae)

 

[VintageReefer]

Tank pic for reference.

A little more info about the tank.

It’s 2years old. Started with dry rock.

Live stock:
2 clownfish
Peppermint shrimp (who is about to be moved, he’s eating coral)
Tuxedo Urchin (added a week ago, for the hair algae)
Various snails
2x pitho crab (been going to town on the bubble algae)

My first guess is the algae is soaking up all the nitrates and phosphates. I would eliminate as much as you can

 

[Miami Reef]

Yikes. That’s not so great.

I’m not sure I’d add nutrients just yet if it were my tank.

I’ve had the best luck eliminating hair algae with tangs or foxface fish. Unfortunately, neither will work in your tank.

Urchins aren’t that effective. I’d try a large assortment of snails and possibly even a sea hare.

 

[VintageReefer]

I would remove whatever rock is removable and spray it with hydrogen peroxide. Let sit out of the tank for 5-7 min. Then put it back. In 2 days the algae will be 80% dead. Then do it again.

Fastest and easiest way to tackle a problem that size

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Thats a lot of algae. I see only a small hob filter on the tank, which doesn't export nutrients out of the system. I would suggest to consider another powerhead, consider a protein skimmer, consider a refugium, and definitely should be increasing the number of water changes. Be careful not to overfeed. You need to increase the nutrient export somehow

 

[Dan_P]

Tank pic for reference.

A little more info about the tank.

It’s 2years old. Started with dry rock.

Live stock:
2 clownfish
Peppermint shrimp (who is about to be moved, he’s eating coral)
Tuxedo Urchin (added a week ago, for the hair algae)
Various snails
2x pitho crab (been going to town on the bubble algae)

Are you dosing trace elements?
How is the water flow in the aquarium?

Both questions relate to your rock surface look after 2 years. Too “dry” looking.

 

[TankYouVeryMuch]

I’m asking this as a question, not as a recommendation: in situations like this where algae is outcompeting everything, is it possible to treat with fluconazole, let the algae die back, and then do a couple big water changes to get it out of the system, while adding some macroalgae to outcompete the other algae moving forward? I gather it is generally harmless on other tank inhabitants.

 

[adio1002]

Tank pic for reference.

A little more info about the tank.

It’s 2years old. Started with dry rock.

Live stock:
2 clownfish
Peppermint shrimp (who is about to be moved, he’s eating coral)
Tuxedo Urchin (added a week ago, for the hair algae)
Various snails
2x pitho crab (been going to town on the bubble algae)

Are you dosing trace elements?
How is the water flow in the aquarium?

Both questions relate to your rock surface look after 2 years. Too “dry” looking.

If this is in regards to the rock in the front.

I glued a bunch of zoa frags to it back in April. It was curing in a tub and was from a bigger system.

The main rocks are the ones that have been in there since the beginning.

 

[adio1002]

Tank pic for reference.

A little more info about the tank.

It’s 2years old. Started with dry rock.

Live stock:
2 clownfish
Peppermint shrimp (who is about to be moved, he’s eating coral)
Tuxedo Urchin (added a week ago, for the hair algae)
Various snails
2x pitho crab (been going to town on the bubble algae)

Are you dosing trace elements?
How is the water flow in the aquarium?

Both questions relate to your rock surface look after 2 years. Too “dry” looking.

If this is in regards to the rock in the front.

I glued a bunch of zoa frags to it back in April. It was curing in a tub and was from a bigger system.

The main rocks are the ones that have been in there since the beginning.

Also I haven’t dosed any trace elements. I was thinking about doing an ICP test in the next few weeks though.

 

[Dan_P]

If this is in regards to the rock in the front.

I glued a bunch of zoa frags to it back in April. It was curing in a tub and was from a bigger system.

The main rocks are the ones that have been in there since the beginning.

Also I haven’t dosed any trace elements. I was thinking about doing an ICP test in the next few weeks though.

While the big story in the reef aquarium hobby is the effect of trace elements on coral growth, I feel the untold story is the positive effect of trace elements on the growth microorganisms and filter feeders like sponges and tiny fan worms. The expanded diversity could be desirable - I don’t of any research though supporting this view.

 

[Uncle99]

Tank pic for reference.

A little more info about the tank.

It’s 2years old. Started with dry rock.

Live stock:
2 clownfish
Peppermint shrimp (who is about to be moved, he’s eating coral)
Tuxedo Urchin (added a week ago, for the hair algae)
Various snails
2x pitho crab (been going to town on the bubble algae)

With just those guys, not a ton of ammonia to covert so zeroes is possible especially in a 2 year mature system with corals.

Zeros can trigger pest stuff like Dino’s and GHA.

Remove as much by hand.

Continue to dose up nitrate to day 10ppm and phosphate to .1ppm if your confident in your testing.

A weekly splash of phyto and some bacteria will help increase the populations of the good stuff.

These guys, while mostly not seen, are the t kinda stuff which keeps rocks and sand clean, without your help.