Nitrate and phosphate slowly going down should I intervene?

Daenion

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Friends,

Looking for some protips. As the title suggests my Nitrates and phosphates have been in steady decline.

A little background. Tank is 4+ months old. Total volume is 164 gallons. Only 8 small fish as inhabitants. I was preparing to add some lps next week.

Following are the parameters:

Salinity: 1.025
Nitrates: 2.8
Phosphates: 0.08
Calcium: 470
Mg: 1420
Dkh: 9.5

I know these don’t look too bad but nitrates were about 4.8 and phosphates were at 0.18 before the water change. After the water change (Tuesday) I had the Nitrates at 3.8 and today they are 2.8.

Now the question is: Should I wait one more day and see where it ends up or start to dose nitrates and phosphates a bit?

Also I was about to hook up gfo and carbon reactor, should I wait for that?
 

KrisReef

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Carbon maybe but GFO-Nope.

I would like to know what is “eating” the nutrients, and how fast before dosing but seeing them move towards zero it seems like something is removing them now and you might want to figure out how much dosing you need instead of letting them go to zero.
Once you add lps you will need to add the nutrients they are eating to stay positive in those parameters.
 
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Daenion

Daenion

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Carbon maybe but GFO-Nope.

I would like to know what is “eating” the nutrients, and how fast before dosing but seeing them move towards zero it seems like something is removing them now and you might want to figure out how much dosing you need instead of letting them go to zero.
Once you add lps you will need to add the nutrients they are eating to stay positive in those parameters.
Kris,

I waited roughly 3 months to turn the lights on and now going through the ugly phase. Some green algae but nothing too crazy ie dancing hair. All glass is clear so is the sand-bed.

It is obviously the green algae eating up the nutrients however as I mentioned before through removing and dosing peroxide I was able to keep them to a minimum. That is why it is a bit weird for me that the less they are the more I am losing. Nitrates were steady around 6-7 for couple weeks but the last two weeks both nutrients have been declining.
 

damsels are not mean

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Nutrients just don't crash systems. It's really not complicated. Feed more if you're concerned and eventually it'll rise. I guarantee you will not kill anything by feeding more in the time period between now and your next test.
 

ptrusk

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Yeah man there are lots of posts about dosing this and that. You get a feel for it. That wasn't meant to be disrespectful at all but everyone looks for the magic bullet. Follow your instincts.
 

damsels are not mean

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One more thing, when you up feeding, use a baster or power head and blow the crud out of your rocks. That will help preventing hair algae.
It'll also feed filter feeders (probably). At the very least the bacteria and other microorganisms will be forced into the current and some will end up food for somebody.
 

ptrusk

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true that. You want coraline or bacteria on everything . Once that hair algae gets a foot hold its a biotch. Seems like so many people don't want to get their hands wet when that is really all you need.
 

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