Nitrate/Phos Levels

[austin_socal]

What do you guys think the nitrate levels and phosphate levels should be in a 25gal lagoon? TIA

 

[Snowxcross]

What do you guys think the nitrate levels and phosphate levels should be in a 25gal lagoon? TIA

I don't think size matters, you want to be around natural sea water. Somewhere hobbiests tend to be are PO4 0.03-0.1, NO3 5-20. Just watch your corals and see how they do.

 

[austin_socal]

I don't think size matters, you want to be around natural sea water. Somewhere hobbiests tend to be are PO4 0.03-0.1, NO3 5-20. Just watch your corals and see how they do.

Ok thank you- just wondering bc my nitrates are at about 0 and my phos is at about 0.25

 

[Snowxcross]

Ok thank you- just wondering bc my nitrates are at about 0 and my phos is at about 0.25

Do you have algae? Nitrates could be 0 because they're being consumed by that. I mean phos is on the higher end, something causing a slight imbalance.

 

[austin_socal]

Do you have algae? Nitrates could be 0 because they're being consumed by that. I mean phos is on the higher end, something causing a slight imbalance.

Yeah I am currently fighting off GHA and dinos

 

[NonstopSoda]

I keep my 26 g nitrates at 15-20ppm, my phos is currently zeroing out but I just ordered neo phos to help boost it up a bit

 

[austin_socal]

I keep my 26 g nitrates at 15-20ppm, my phos is currently zeroing out but I just ordered neo phos to help boost it up a bit

Ok- thank you. Should I try to boost my nitrates or no?

 

[Snowxcross]

Yeah I am currently fighting off GHA and dinos

Cool. Do you have corals that need a lot of light? Something that will help is at the very least kill your white lights. No need for them especially when you have GHA and Dino's. Are the dinos the type that come out during the day but hard to see at night? If so, you can increase your flow, don't feed, don't do a water change, open your skimmer all the way. You can get a cheap 9w UV that you can put in the tank off Amazon. Run that 24/7. If those type of dinos, they'll be gone in about a week or so. If you don't have corals I would keep the lights off during this time. Not sure how bad your GHA is, you may have to do some manual removal. But ya that's why your showing 0 for nitrates.

 

[Snowxcross]

Ok- thank you. Should I try to boost my nitrates or no?

No your GHA is consuming nitrates. Eliminate GHA.

 

[NonstopSoda]

Corals need nitrogen to grow! 0 will cause problems in growth as well as the microbial level dino outbreaks are a result of low nitrate. I would try to raise them!

 

[austin_socal]

Cool. Do you have corals that need a lot of light? Something that will help is at the very least kill your white lights. No need for them especially when you have GHA and Dino's. Are the dinos the type that come out during the day but hard to see at night? If so, you can increase your flow, don't feed, don't do a water change, open your skimmer all the way. You can get a cheap 9w UV that you can put in the tank off Amazon. Run that 24/7. If those type of dinos, they'll be gone in about a week or so. If you don't have corals I would keep the lights off during this time. Not sure how bad your GHA is, you may have to do some manual removal. But ya that's why your showing 0 for nitrates.

Ok, thanks bro. For the not feeding- I have a clownfish, six line wrasse and a bsj, so can I feed them? And I don’t have coral needing light so I will blackout the tank.

 

[NonstopSoda]

No your GHA is consuming nitrates. Eliminate GHA.

i agree before boosting nitrate to get rid of GHA because it would add fuel to fire! i need to read closer

 

[austin_socal]

No your GHA is consuming nitrates. Eliminate GHA.

Ok, sound good- ty

 

[austin_socal]

i agree before boosting nitrate to get rid of GHA because it would add fuel to fire! i need to read closer

Thank you!

 

[NonstopSoda]

I recommend Reefcleaners if you wanna pump up your CUC, my last order from them was awesome and they gave me some extra snails too : ) and with a boost of snails as long as the GHA is trimmed back they should devour it quickly

 

[Snowxcross]

Ok, sound good- ty

You're welcome, good luck. It will work out!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

What kind of test kit are you using?

 

[Mkkari]

Edited: Randy's comment made me realize I missed out some more details.

I usually follow a 100:1 ratio for NO3 and PO4.
For instance, if No3 - 5ppm then Po4 - 0.05ppm Or No3 - 10ppm then Po4 - 0.1ppm.

I personally keep my No3 ~ 15 - 20 ppm and my Po4 ~ .15 - .2 ppm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I usually follow a 100:1 ratio for NO3 and PO4.
For instance, if No3 - 5ppm then Po4 - 0.05ppm Or No3 - 10ppm then Po4 - 0.1ppm.

What if nitrate is 0.1 ppm. Ratio planning would give 0.001 ppm phosphate. Both are likely too low, pointing out the flaw in ratios.

It is never wrong, IMO, to give absolute targets for nitrate and phosphate independent of each other.

 

[austin_socal]

I recommend Reefcleaners if you wanna pump up your CUC, my last order from them was awesome and they gave me some extra snails too : ) and with a boost of snails as long as the GHA is trimmed back they should devour it quickly

Thank you bro