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Totally agree. The range is the range, but how you get there and stay there is the key!Oh boy, you're going to get a thousand opinions,lol. In my opinion.....PO4 between .02 and .1 and nitrates between 2 and 10ppm. It really depends on nutrient throughput more than numbers. In other words if you can feed a ton every day so all animals are extremely well fed and remove all leftovers resulting in zero's on both then that's fine. But if your starving everything so you can have zero's or .02 PO4 and .05 Nitrates then that's bad. For most of us we try and reach a compromise with some residual amounts in the tank at all times.
Yeah that's the like preferred parameters, that's my target exactly. 0.03 is good for a mixed reef also.I’d say less than 0.03 phosphate and around 5 nitrate, that’s why I target anyway
How did you get nitrate so low, but phosphate so high in regards to ratio?Nitrate 1. Phosphate 0.1.
That's 100:1.The ratio that is commonly found in ocean water would be at a 10:1 ratio. Meaning 10 parts nitrates and 1 part phosphates, so if looking to have a low nutrient amount of No3 and PO4. Would be 1ppm nitrate and 0.01 phosphate.
Woops 1ppm nitrate to 0.1 phosphateThat's 100:1.
I have a bacterial export method. My system sits on the Tropic Marin N / P Bacto Balance. Sometimes I make adjustmentsHow did you get nitrate so low, but phosphate so high in regards to ratio?
Have you tried sending in your water to be tested? It's famously difficult for one to be able to read nitrates at an accurate level with hobby level kits. I'd be interested in knowing what your actual levels are at. I haven't looked much into ICP testing for nitrates, but maybe @Randy Holmes-Farley will have more to say on that.I have a bacterial export method. My system sits on the Tropic Marin N / P Bacto Balance. Sometimes I make adjustments
I'm not worried about the accuracy of the nitrate test. I think this parameter does not need measurement accuracy. But I still check each test with a reference liquid. I should have written earlier that nitrate is about one.Have you tried sending in your water to be tested? It's famously difficult for one to be able to read nitrates at an accurate level with hobby level kits. I'd be interested in knowing what your actual levels are at. I haven't looked much into ICP testing for nitrates, but maybe @Randy Holmes-Farley will have more to say on that.
That doesn't need to be clarified. I agree in that I don't think one needs to freak out about nitrate. I'm only curious if it's below 1. Are you worried about dinos at all?I'm not worried about the accuracy of the nitrate test. I think this parameter does not need measurement accuracy. But I still check each test with a reference liquid. I should have written earlier that nitrate is about one.
I figured out the question. Yes, I worry when I see zero, so sometimes I add sodium nitrateThat doesn't need to be clarified. I agree in that I don't think need one needs to freak out about nitrate. I'm only curious if it's below 1. Are you worried about dinos at all?