Low Phosphates and High Nitrates HELP

[jcarlosac28]

Hi I need some advice will appreciate any suggestions.

I have a Red Sea Reefer 350 about 3 years old, my water parameter are the following ALK- 9.10, CAL- 440, MAG- 1350 and SALT- 33 (all of this is control by APEX and I dose ALK, MAG and CAL. I will attach a Photo of the apex readings) i do a 10% water change every week and general maintenance. My problem is with nitrates and phosphate, my phosphate reading its 0.01or 0 hard to tell by colors (with Red Sea Test) i just bought a Hanna checker to confirm this and my nitrates are 16ppm (Red Sea TEST, also bough a Hanna checker). I have no luck having SPS all of them in time they die they star bleaching, i was reading and the reason for this as I was reading is low phosphates. So, i got to this conclusion that I need to dose little phosphate to my tank i was thinking about dosing NeoPhos but I don’t know for how long do i need to dose it or if it will be permanent for my tank. Also, how can i lower Nitrates if i have low phosphate because if i dose NOPOX will lower both nitrates and phosphates.

Can anyone tell me if i am on the right way and give me some advice


Thanks in advance

 

[lapin]

I would first bring up P04. See how your corals react.
If its a go then worry about nitrates
Fixing one issue at a time is better to judge results

 

[zoasaholic]

I don’t think 16ppm of N03 stop you from keeping sps
SPS needed higher lights
Do you know how much par where sps under

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Yes you should dose phosphates before dosing nopox. Nopox will work at reducing both nitrate and phosphates together. Without any phosphates, nitrates can continue to climb

 

[arking_mark]

Your tank may be PO4 limited. I'd go with heavier feedings and some light carbon dosing like TM Reef Actif. This heavier feeding will slightly increase both PO4 and to a much lesser extent NO3. However, the carbon dosing will greatly increase bacteria that take up PO4 which inturn will be consumed along with NO3. The net result will be more stable PO4 and an NO3 reduction.

 

[ReefRusty]

U too have the same issue however since turning my skimmer off every night for 12 hours and have it running for 12 hours has raised my phosphate levels from 0.009 - 0.019 over 5 days. Haven't changed anything else. My Nitrates are around 10 as per salifert test kit.

Had Cyano obviously from the imbalanced levels. ALK MAG and CALC obviously from the imbalanced levels from NO3 - PO4

 

[burningmime]

Before dosing phosphates, I would try the tried and true...
- feeding more
- turning off skimmer/fuge for some time
- dosing amino acids