So let me start by saying that my tank came to me from someone else that established it almost 10 years ago. It is a 65 gallon tank with quite a bit of live rock and the original sand. I have mixed corals, a handful of fish and a pretty decent cuc. I am doing weekly water changes, cleaning the sand bed, blowing rocks etc. but being that I am new to the hobby, I am scared I am missing something else that I should be doing.
My problem is my nitrates no matter what I do still seem to be high. Much higher than I like. I don't think I am over feeding. I feed once in the morning. A pinch of flakes, some mysis or brine shrimp for my carnivore friends and then a few small pieces of shrimp for my anemones here and there. I have read a few different things that if your ph is non existent that nitrates won't really lower. Or atleast that was my take on what I read but not sure how true that is.
So I guess my question is, I am considering vodka dosing. I have been reading this article http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php to follow. Would this even work if my ph is so low? Is there something else you guys would suggest instead? Being so new to the whole idea of reefing the last thing I want to do is crash my tank and I feel like since I am still learning it might be best to just ask for suggestions before I just do it.
My salinty is 1.024
Temp 78.4
Nitrates 40
Ph 0
Ammonia somewhere beteween 0 and .25
I do have a sump with a protein skimmer that is running 24 hours a day
My problem is my nitrates no matter what I do still seem to be high. Much higher than I like. I don't think I am over feeding. I feed once in the morning. A pinch of flakes, some mysis or brine shrimp for my carnivore friends and then a few small pieces of shrimp for my anemones here and there. I have read a few different things that if your ph is non existent that nitrates won't really lower. Or atleast that was my take on what I read but not sure how true that is.
So I guess my question is, I am considering vodka dosing. I have been reading this article http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-08/nftt/index.php to follow. Would this even work if my ph is so low? Is there something else you guys would suggest instead? Being so new to the whole idea of reefing the last thing I want to do is crash my tank and I feel like since I am still learning it might be best to just ask for suggestions before I just do it.
My salinty is 1.024
Temp 78.4
Nitrates 40
Ph 0
Ammonia somewhere beteween 0 and .25
I do have a sump with a protein skimmer that is running 24 hours a day