LPS corals and nitrate levels?

[myjohnson]

Ok, a little back ground. I have a mix reef ada 60p with sump. Total water is about 25g.

I have shrooms, zoas, and LPS. I also have a number of dendro, suncorals and one gorg.

I spot feed my dendros/sun corals mysis and broadcast feed my gorg FM's product line. I do 2 x 25% WC weekly.

My nitrates are around 15-20 before I do a water change.

How much nitrates can LPS really take?

Should I cut back feeding on my NPS corals or up my water changes?

 

[florida reef]

Do you run a skimmer? That would help a lot. Also, I don't know what your sump looks like, but a refugium is another option. Cutting back on feeding could be an immediate solution.

 

[Reef lvr]

Do you run a skimmer? That would help a lot. Also, I don't know what your sump looks like, but a refugium is another option. Cutting back on feeding could be an immediate solution.

++1

 

[_Alex_]

if your not runnign a skimmer that is goign to be why your nitrats our goign up so high so fast. a skimmer would help keep them down lower between water changes and mabe even make it easier to where you only have to do 1 water change a week wit ha good skimmer

 

[myjohnson]

I have the eshopp sump on there.

I also, have a fuge area where I have cheato.

I am running my bubble maggus nac3+ on this tank.

I need to feed a lot to keep my NPS corals alive and growing fast. I could cut back on feeding but I prefer not to right now.

I just want to know if 15-20 ppm nitrate is ok for LPS.

 

[MoneyPit]

I think that level is ok short term. 20 is prob the max I would feel safe at. I have a lot of LPS and they did fine at that level for weeks on end. If you don't want to cut back on feeding, you have a good skimmer, and you are doing a 25 percent WC 2 times a week. I don't know what else you could do to lower it ??? Mabye larger WC's. GL

 

[m and m]

Is that skimmer any good? Sorry I dont know alot about it. Could the skimmer be just not the best or not tuned in properly so its not pulling well. I think thats alot of water changes i mean it dont hurt but i feed twice a day (fish) then i feed corals 3-5 times a week and my nitrates are under 5 over 3 constantly. Also Doesn't WWC run there N03 at like 15 or something like that because they think it's the best for color?

 

[Murfman]

Alk has more of an impact on LPS than nitrates will. Keep your alk level and you should be OK. YOu can tell when your Alk is too high, the LPS will not inflate like they should.

 

[_Alex_]

Ok in your original post you said nitrates are 15-20, then later said run at 3-5? Is this before and after water changes?

Also im not familiar with that skimmer, is the stuff its puling out dark colored and stink, or just light gen and watery?

Sounds Like skimmer isnt doing much.

 

[m and m]

Ok in your original post you said nitrates are 15-20, then later said run at 3-5? Is this before and after water changes?

Also im not familiar with that skimmer, is the stuff its puling out dark colored and stink, or just light gen and watery?

Sounds Like skimmer isnt doing much.

you miss read i said i keep them at 3-5 with my chalices he is at 15-20

 

[myjohnson]

I think that level is ok short term. 20 is prob the max I would feel safe at. I have a lot of LPS and they did fine at that level for weeks on end. If you don't want to cut back on feeding, you have a good skimmer, and you are doing a 25 percent WC 2 times a week. I don't know what else you could do to lower it ??? Mabye larger WC's. GL

Thanks for the comments. I was thinking I could up the percentage to 50 perect; 2 x a week if needed. There is also biolclean as additive, biopellets, and increase the size of my fuge.

Is that skimmer any good? Sorry I dont know alot about it. Could the skimmer be just not the best or not tuned in properly so its not pulling well. I think thats alot of water changes i mean it dont hurt but i feed twice a day (fish) then i feed corals 3-5 times a week and my nitrates are under 5 over 3 constantly. Also Doesn't WWC run there N03 at like 15 or something like that because they think it's the best for color?

My skimmer does have mix review but I'm running as wet as I can and its pulling decent skimmate. I don't feed my fish at all. I feed one PE mysis to each dendro heads, there is 20 of them. Plus my gorg. I'm guessing it's the gorg feed that is causing the high nitrates b/c I broadcast feed it. Thanks for the comments.

Alk has more of an impact on LPS than nitrates will. Keep your alk level and you should be OK. YOu can tell when your Alk is too high, the LPS will not inflate like they should.

Thanks Murkman, I keep track of my alk closely. I test it about once every week. So far so good b/c I change so much water I don't think the LPS are taking it up as fast as I'm replacing it.

Ok in your original post you said nitrates are 15-20, then later said run at 3-5? Is this before and after water changes?

Also im not familiar with that skimmer, is the stuff its puling out dark colored and stink, or just light gen and watery?

Sounds Like skimmer isnt doing much.

Reread and don't drink bong water, lol.

all, thanks for the help. My goal is targeted at keeping my NPS corals alive. If my LPS can live in 15-20 ppm nitrate I'm leave things as is.

 

[_Alex_]

Thanks for the comments. I was thinking I could up the percentage to 50 perect; 2 x a week if needed. There is also biolclean as additive, biopellets, and increase the size of my fuge.



My skimmer does have mix review but I'm running as wet as I can and its pulling decent skimmate. I don't feed my fish at all. I feed one PE mysis to each dendro heads, there is 20 of them. Plus my gorg. I'm guessing it's the gorg feed that is causing the high nitrates b/c I broadcast feed it. Thanks for the comments.



Thanks Murkman, I keep track of my alk closely. I test it about once every week. So far so good b/c I change so much water I don't think the LPS are taking it up as fast as I'm replacing it.



Reread and don't drink bong water, lol.

all, thanks for the help. My goal is targeted at keeping my NPS corals alive. If my LPS can live in 15-20 ppm nitrate I'm leave things as is.

hey i am sorry i misread.. ill admit that but dont drink bong water?? man, i couldnt even tell you the last time i seen one of those let alone seen someone drink from one. but owell good luck to you.

 

[myjohnson]

lol, it's all good man.

It was a joke. Didn't mean anything else from it.

Thanks for the advice and comments!

 

[pmgaudio]

HEY I got the solution! My nitrates were in the very High 20s. Tried Chemipure. kinda worked. got them to between 15 and 20. DIDNT have a skimmer, and I think I may feed a litte too much.
29 Gallon, 4 T5s, Emporer 400, half filter media half fuge! two koralia 420GPH poerheads and RECENTLY added remora Nano HOB skimmer over 30 Lbs LR and sand. Have LPS, Zoos, Palys, SPS. ALL KINDS of frags, a few fish and good CUC. Brown sand when I get home everyday. DAM DIATOMS!! (run lights about 8 hours and 3 extra with Blue atinic after I get home)
Yeah the tanks only 6 months old but still, HATE DIATOMS.
ANYWAY MY POINT!!!
Red Sea No Pox. BEST STUFF EVER!!!!! Read the instructions, dose accordingly, and in ONE WEEK AND A HALF >5 on NITRATE!! NEED a skimmer!!! And it will work HARDER and make a LOT of skimate. NOPOX BEST STUFF EVER!!!
It works better than Chemipure better than ANY REACTOR! MY LFS kid has been helping me for weeks, helps frag very nice corals and gives great advise. Told me "When you get your skimmer hooked up, buy this stuff!!" I did, I did and it works. HANDS DOWN best Nitrate reducer EVER! AND PHIS TOO!! ZERO!!! (but it kinda always was once I got my RO/DI unit running!) Now the Bloom is getting smaller every day too./ I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!

 

[haikufriday]

I didn't see anything about how old your tank is and obviously don't know everything about your tank... and this may a bit off topic... sorry... BUT...

Do you have any detritus in your tank? clean up crew? dirty filter socks?

As mentioned above by others, it kinda sounds like overfeeding may be the cause. Have you thought about a probiotic system like carbon dosing or using a biopellet reactor? A lot of my buddies (and myself) are running biopellet reactors with good results as we love to feed our fish and coral. Nitrates and Phosphates are zero, and my tank looks great. Since I've been running the reactor, my skimmer's skimmate has doubled and comes out super nasty.