Nitrate level 0.2 after carbon dosing

[taki123]

Hi All,

I have a 425L reef tank with 16 fish.
Few months ago I had 58 nitrates so started carbon dosing 3ml nopox daily to reduce these.

I noted some of my corals weren’t doing well, so tested my nitrates and phosphates and found that the nitrates were down to 0.2ppm and phosphates to 0.08ppm.

I understand my nitrates are too low and am unsure how to increase them. I don’t want to dump a lot of fish food as i don’t wish to spike phosphates which I use Rowaphos to control in a Reactor.

I am already dosing Cal, Alk, Mag, trace elements and amino acids in my setup.

I’ve gradually decreased my nitrates dosing over the last week from 3ml to 2ml but nitrates seem to not be increasing

What would you recommend as the best way to increase my nitrates again?

 

[blaxsun]

1. Stop dosing NOPOX, or change it to 3ml once a week. Test regularly and fine-tune as needed.
2. If you're using Rowaphos (or equivalent) that generally helps to keep phosphates in-check.

You can also drop a water-change or two or leave your filter socks (or floss) in for a bit longer. As mentioned, test regularly if you go this route.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

1. Stop dosing NOPOX, or change it to 3ml once a week. Test regularly and fine-tune as needed.
2. If you're using Rowaphos (or equivalent) that generally helps to keep phosphates in-check.

You can also drop a water-change or two or leave your filter socks (or floss) in for a bit longer. As mentioned, test regularly if you go this route.

And take your skimmer cup off...

 

[sixty_reefer]

Hi All,

I have a 425L reef tank with 16 fish.
Few months ago I had 58 nitrates so started carbon dosing 3ml nopox daily to reduce these.

I noted some of my corals weren’t doing well, so tested my nitrates and phosphates and found that the nitrates were down to 0.2ppm and phosphates to 0.08ppm.

I understand my nitrates are too low and am unsure how to increase them. I don’t want to dump a lot of fish food as i don’t wish to spike phosphates which I use Rowaphos to control in a Reactor.

I am already dosing Cal, Alk, Mag, trace elements and amino acids in my setup.

I’ve gradually decreased my nitrates dosing over the last week from 3ml to 2ml but nitrates seem to not be increasing

What would you recommend as the best way to increase my nitrates again?

in a 425l 2ml of nitrates don’t seem much, how much does those 2ml translate to ppm in your system. Also why reduce dosage of nitrates instead of increasing

 

[Miami Reef]

Also why reduce dosage of nitrates instead of increasing

I think he implies that he reduced his NOPOX dosage.

I believe the easiest way to raise nitrate is by dosing it. Sodium nitrate or Brightwell’s Neonitro both work.

 

[sixty_reefer]

I think he implies that he reduced his NOPOX dosage.

I believe the easiest way to raise nitrate is by dosing it. Sodium nitrate or Brightwell’s Neonitro both work.

That would made sense, I got confused as he first ask for the best way to increase nitrates and after mentioning that was already dosing nitrates

 

[taki123]

1. Stop dosing NOPOX, or change it to 3ml once a week. Test regularly and fine-tune as needed.
2. If you're using Rowaphos (or equivalent) that generally helps to keep phosphates in-check.

You can also drop a water-change or two or leave your filter socks (or floss) in for a bit longer. As mentioned, test regularly if you go this route.

I don’t do water changes the way I have my system set up. I’m slowly dropping my carbon dosing to see what happens

 

[taki123]

And take your skimmer cup off...

Does the skimmer reduce nitrates in a tank? So I just take the cup off and let water run back into the tank?

could that have any bad impact on my tank?

 

[taki123]

That would made sense, I got confused as he first ask for the best way to increase nitrates and after mentioning that was already dosing nitrates

Haha apologies I did write it badly. I’m dosing carbon and not nitrates.

@Miami Reef when it comes to dosing nitrates do I dose a certain amount daily? And does it become a permanent thing or does it eventually just level out and can stop dosing?

 

[Miami Reef]

@Miami Reef when it comes to dosing nitrates do I dose a certain amount daily? And does it become a permanent thing or does it eventually just level out and can stop dosing?

Bacteria, algae, and corals can consume nitrate.

Try lowering your NOPOX dose to see if you can maintain the nitrate level. Dosing nitrate is a “one-time” task, but if it depletes, you may decide to dose it back. I think NOPOX might be the largest consumer of your nitrate. It is easy to maintain nitrate via dosing. If you use sodium nitrate from Amazon, there is a calculator you can use.

Brightwell’s product has the calculation on the back of their bottle.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Does the skimmer reduce nitrates in a tank? So I just take the cup off and let water run back into the tank?

could that have any bad impact on my tank?

1. Yes and yes
2. The impact is that the organics (which break down into nitrates) won't be removed. In this case, NOT a bad impact.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

.

 

[taki123]

Bacteria, algae, and corals can consume nitrate.

Try lowering your NOPOX dose to see if you can maintain the nitrate level. Dosing nitrate is a “one-time” task, but if it depletes, you may decide to dose it back. I think NOPOX might be the largest consumer of your nitrate. It is easy to maintain nitrate via dosing. If you use sodium nitrate from Amazon, there is a calculator you can use.

Brightwell’s product has the calculation on the back of their bottle.

I believe I can’t just stop Nopox dosing all at once as it can have detrimental effects. So I plan to reduce by 0.5ml each week to slowly not dosing it at all.

but would it make sense for me to add nitrate dosing like brightwell in the meantime when I’m carbon dosing at the same time? Or would I just be wasting it lol

 

[blaxsun]

I believe I can’t just stop Nopox dosing all at once as it can have detrimental effects. So I plan to reduce by 0.5ml each week to slowly not dosing it at all.

but would it make sense for me to add nitrate dosing like brightwell in the meantime when I’m carbon dosing at the same time? Or would I just be wasting it lol

If you're dosing NOPOX and then dosing nitrates, they're largely going to be cancelling each other out. Just saying...

 

[taki123]

If you're dosing NOPOX and then dosing nitrates, they're largely going to be cancelling each other out. Just saying...

But then is it safe for me to cold turkey stop nopox?

 

[blaxsun]

But then is it safe for me to cold turkey stop nopox?

Yes. You probably won't even notice much of a difference the first few days.