Nitrate checker

[Hilltopreef90]

Chaetogro is good. I would just follow the recommendations on the bottle.
You may need to dose phosphate or maybe feed reef roids as I hear that is high in phosphates if they are very low. What test kit are you using for phosphate?

I am not aware of any issues with fish and nitrates.

My phosphates are at 0.04 alkalinity 7.4 Valium 487 nitrates still over 75.0
I’ve not had a chance to run a diluted test yet

 

[Sean Clark]

Valium 487

:rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[Shirak]

My phosphates are at 0.04 alkalinity 7.4 Valium 487 nitrates still over 75.0
I’ve not had a chance to run a diluted test yet

What test kit on PO4? Some have a margin of error of .02 or more so .04 could in reality be pretty close to 0. Sounds like you need to up PO4 as it is way out of balance with nitrates at 75ppm +

Don't recall how big your tank is but 50% water change could help on the nitrates. Make sure cleaning filter socks or other mechanical filtration several times a week to get food out before it breaks down. Vacuum sand regularly etc.

I could use valium 487 right now :)

 

[Hilltopreef90]

I do weekly water changes of 20% and change socks every 3 days I’m using a Hanna checker for the phosphates
Could my chaeto be using up the phosphates and not the nitrates ‍

 

[Shirak]

I do weekly water changes of 20% and change socks every 3 days I’m using a Hanna checker for the phosphates
Could my chaeto be using up the phosphates and not the nitrates ‍

Yes the Chaeto will use up both, it can't use one without the other. For whatever reason your nitrates have gone way up and the chaeto is unable to keep up with nitrate production with phosphates near 0. Could be food and amount of food or maybe some phosphate is getting bound into the rock if the tank is fairly new, or heavy fish load or insufficient skimming, or excess food breaking down in the tank before removal etc etc etc...With phosphates near 0 the chaeto will not be growing very quickly and using up much nitrate. I would recommend some Neophos or other phosphate additive and dose phosphate when the refugium light turns on.

 

[Hilltopreef90]

Yes the Chaeto will use up both, it can't use one without the other. For whatever reason your nitrates have gone way up and the chaeto is unable to keep up with nitrate production with phosphates near 0. Could be food and amount of food or maybe some phosphate is getting bound into the rock if the tank is fairly new, or heavy fish load or insufficient skimming, or excess food breaking down in the tank before removal etc etc etc...With phosphates near 0 the chaeto will not be growing very quickly and using up much nitrate. I would recommend some Neophos or other phosphate additive and dose phosphate when the refugium light turns on.

Lol, my phosphates used to be through the roof
The idea of intentionally adding them is hard to swallow
I’m pretty sure I’m over feeding, I lost all my fish at one point and I’m slowly adding them back but only have 2 fish currently and it’s hard to know if I’m feeding enough so I probably over feed
Protein skimmer seems to be working properly
Thanks I’ll look into those additives