Need some advice for chronic nitrates and carbon dosing.

[aeras1131]

@Rakie I concur. When I created my low nutrient system, my persistent NO3 and PO4 for my neglected tank was in the range of NO3 80PPM and PO4 4PPM. The problem is once you start the anaerobic bacteria engine. You have to continue feeding the cycle to maintain a healthy reef. The nature of the problem is very similar to nutrients and planted aquarium consider your nitrifying bacteria an engine, you must continually have a reservoir of fuel in the tank to perpetuate the reactor. If you become limited by either NO3 or PO4 the nitrifying bacterial population begins to atrophy. Anecdotally, I have not had trace elements be the limiting factor of the denitrifying process. I literally perpetuate my denitrifying cycle with the product Aquavitro FUEL... Oh the Irony. It is deafening.

 

[Hans-Werner]

@aeras1131 : Did you have problems with your coralline algae after dosing aminos? Aminos are an unbalanced source of nitrogen and organic carbon. They do not contain phosphate. If the phosphate concentrations in your tank is already low with the addition of aminos the phosphate concentration may get too low for good coralline algae and SPS coral growth.

 

[aeras1131]

I feel that the notion that a LPS needs to be dirty to grow like gang busters is antiquated. I would argue the notion should be "LPS should be kept in a nutrient enriched environment." This environment could be a low NO3/PO4 + constant supply bio available supply of aminos. I would argue this would be more comparable to NSW parameters on the whole. If LPS did better in only high NO3/PO4 environments, What about LPS in the ocean?

 

[aeras1131]

@Hans-Werner I did not notice problems. I had normal growth rates for my coralline similar to when my tank was neglected high nitrate phosphate. Anecdotally, other reef aquarists have noted in their reviews of Fuel that their phosphate levels would go up in there tanks after dosing the product. Prior to dosing the product, my coralline was visibly receding, I had white spots on all over my rocks. Honestly, I have not yet become phosphate limited in my reef. My Nitrate is ~1ppm and Phosphate is ~2ppm according to a salifert test kit and the Hanna Phosphate Checker. Are my nitrates elevated because of the fuel on the whole? Possibly. It is kinda like the concept of the OWL in the tootsie roll commercial. "The world will never know." ~Silly Owl. "A-One, A-Two, A-Three, CRUNCH"

 

[Scott.h]

@Hans-Werner I did not notice problems. I had normal growth rates for my coralline similar to when my tank was neglected high nitrate phosphate. Anecdotally, other reef aquarists have noted in their reviews of Fuel that their phosphate levels would go up in there tanks after dosing the product. Prior to dosing the product, my coralline was visibly receding, I had white spots on all over my rocks. Honestly, I have not yet become phosphate limited in my reef. My Nitrate is ~1ppm and Phosphate is ~2ppm according to a salifert test kit and the Hanna Phosphate Checker. Are my nitrates elevated because of the fuel on the whole? Possibly. It is kinda like the concept of the OWL in the tootsie roll commercial. "The world will never know." ~Silly Owl. "A-One, A-Two, A-Three, CRUNCH"

How is the green algae growth on your glass/sand? In my sps tank I'm daily dosing N and P. My N stays close to 1 but when my P gets over .015 the pest algae gets pretty bad. On the flip side my mixed reef tank that I don't test or screw with, with large algae fuge with carbon dosing has always been a bit high and unbalanced. 30-60/.08 yet coralline is high and nuisance algae is almost nonexistent. I agree there is a missing link.