Maintaining some Phosphate and Nitrate

[adamsfour]

Hello fellow reefers,
I am running a 115 Gallon Mix reef tank. Typically my phosphate and Nitrates run very low (Nitrate around 1 and phosphate around .02 or lower). I am aware of the modern day thinking that there is a need for some level of both in the tank. My problem is how to safely raise it without over compensating or busting the bank. I know the conventional thinking is to increase feeding and reducing filtering. But when I last experimented with this I over compensated and had an algae break out. I recently tried Brightwell NeoNitro and it does successfully raised the nitrate but killed the phosphate. Plus it requires about 15-20 ML per day (I realized one level is reached I can back down from that). My coral look awesome except my Goni which never live very longs (I am told this is why). I am starting to think that I basically don't worry about it and don't rock the boat. How are others treating this problem.

I am presenting running for filtering an Algae scrubber, Phosban and Pellet reactor, along with protein skimmer.

Thanks for the help

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Dosing is cheap and easy using food grade sodium or calcium nitrate, or ammonium chloride or bicarbonate for N, and food grade sodium phosphate for P.

Why are you using phosban?

 

[adamsfour]

Thanks. Been using Phosban for years. At this point it just habit. I guess I could try and eliminate it and see impact.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It seems counterproductive to want to raise phosphate and also be using GFO. At the very least use less of it.

 

[adamsfour]

Certainly cant argue with your logic