Need nitrate, Need less phosphate

[JohnnyButt(Handsome)]

Hello my Nitrates have been a little low and slowly lowering 4.9 to 2.8 over about a month and my phosphates are a bit elevated at .28 and have stayed pretty consistent, ive started using chemi blue nano phosphate removal bags and it has brought phosphates down, I also dose 5ml AFR daily and 5ml Phyto planton(which ive recenly figured out can elevate phosphate so ive dropped it from 15 to 5ml daily) i just read a forum about dosing DIY Ammonium Bicarbonate to raise nitrate, just want to know if theres better solutions for both of my problems because I cant just feed more ofr nitrate because I will spike my phosphates which I have in the past!
Also this is in a Innovative marine 25 Lagoon if that helps at all.

 

[EnterName]

Ammonia dosing is a cheap, easy, and safe way to give your corals what they actually need (nitrogen). You can theoretically dose nitrate, but corals have to reduce it back to ammonia which requires trace elements and energy, so they prefer to take up other nitrogen sources (like amino acids and ammonia).

You can find the DIY ammonia recipe here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

Phytoplankton very likely won't raise your nutrient levels measurably:

• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/persistent-phosphate-problems-low-nitrate-lps-losses-—-120g-display-and-separate-frag-farm-looking-for-experienced-advice.1174352/post-14586903
• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/po4-spike-after-phyto-dosing.1174087/post-14580611

For reducing phosphate I would stick to granular ferric oxide (GFO). It's arguably the most efficient way even though it takes a long time to get rid of phosphate because you not only have to deplete the phosphate that is currently dissolved in the water, but also phosphate that is dissolving from rockscape and substrate until the equilibrium between dissolved and precipitated phosphate in your tank is reached again.

 

[JohnnyButt(Handsome)]

Ammonia dosing is a cheap, easy, and safe way to give your corals what they actually need (nitrogen). You can theoretically dose nitrate, but corals have to reduce it back to ammonia which requires trace elements and energy, so they prefer to take up other nitrogen sources (like amino acids and ammonia).

You can find the DIY ammonia recipe here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

Phytoplankton very likely won't raise your nutrient levels measurably:

• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/persistent-phosphate-problems-low-nitrate-lps-losses-—-120g-display-and-separate-frag-farm-looking-for-experienced-advice.1174352/post-14586903
• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/po4-spike-after-phyto-dosing.1174087/post-14580611

For reducing phosphate I would stick to granular ferric oxide (GFO). It's arguably the most efficient way even though it takes a long time to get rid of phosphate because you not only have to deplete the phosphate that is currently dissolved in the water, but also phosphate that is dissolving from rockscape and substrate until the equilibrium between dissolved and precipitated phosphate in your tank is reached again.

dang you’re the goat, thank you very much for the advice!

 

[JohnnyButt(Handsome)]

Ammonia dosing is a cheap, easy, and safe way to give your corals what they actually need (nitrogen). You can theoretically dose nitrate, but corals have to reduce it back to ammonia which requires trace elements and energy, so they prefer to take up other nitrogen sources (like amino acids and ammonia).

You can find the DIY ammonia recipe here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

Phytoplankton very likely won't raise your nutrient levels measurably:

• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/persistent-phosphate-problems-low-nitrate-lps-losses-—-120g-display-and-separate-frag-farm-looking-for-experienced-advice.1174352/post-14586903
• https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/po4-spike-after-phyto-dosing.1174087/post-14580611

For reducing phosphate I would stick to granular ferric oxide (GFO). It's arguably the most efficient way even though it takes a long time to get rid of phosphate because you not only have to deplete the phosphate that is currently dissolved in the water, but also phosphate that is dissolving from rockscape and substrate until the equilibrium between dissolved and precipitated phosphate in your tank is reached again.

What gfo would you recommend

 

[EnterName]

What gfo would you recommend

I never really had issues with high phosphates so my experience with GFO is rather limited. I hope someone else can chime in to help you with an appropriate product choice.
Whatever you do, read the instructions because overdosing it can have some unwanted side effects. Dragging phosphate down slowly can be frustrating but it's the safest option.

 

[Fish Fan]

What gfo would you recommend

The GFO from Bulk Reef Supply is well liked:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-...mpptgzOmEZKzaAVhBVFcPNLe6zhJjB3ImNYU_Bhw_5srp

 

[toygrr]

Ive been battling a phosphate issue as well after long neglected water changes and overfeeding over a period of time. I've tried many things, another +1 for GFO and a small reactor. I'm using the BRS mini reactor (looks like mini RO/DI canister) and half the dose of GFO for my water volume. The GFO I'm using is Perfect Corals GFO.

To get my rocks to leech out PO4 slowly I've been running the reactor for 1-2 hours a day at the same time, let the tank equalize and then do it again the next day. I have a 33g tank similar in size to yours and using 5 tbsp of GFO.

edit: my numbers were very similar to yours, around .4ppm in the beginning and now below .2ppm after a few weeks. NO3 is around 12ppm.