Nitrates 60, Phosphate 0 - don't call it a comeback!

[DeepBlueSomething]

Someone once said - nothing good ever happens fast in a reef - so...

I have been busy with life and am now able to turn attention back to my 40g Reef. I have lost most LPS with the exception of shrooms which are quite happy with the mess. I have a Duncan that is hanging on. SG is on, pH @ 8.1, Temp 77-78. Source of nitrates is lack of water changes over the past months. Lightly stocked with some CuC, 2 clowns, 1 mel wrasse, 1 goby, 1 chromii

What is the recommendation to bring Nitrates down without shocking worse. I am planning on two 5g water changes a week with fresh saltwater mix. More or less frequent - or single larger changes?

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[EmdeReef]

Someone once said - nothing good ever happens fast in a reef - so...

I have been busy with life and am now able to turn attention back to my 40g Reef. I have lost most LPS with the exception of shrooms which are quite happy with the mess. I have a Duncan that is hanging on. SG is on, pH @ 8.1, Temp 77-78. Source of nitrates is lack of water changes over the past months. Lightly stocked with some CuC, 2 clowns, 1 mel wrasse, 1 goby, 1 chromii

What is the recommendation to bring Nitrates down without shocking worse. I am planning on two 5g water changes a week with fresh saltwater mix. More or less frequent - or single larger changes?

Any thoughts appreciated.

I’d be surprised if high nitrates would make LPS unhappy.

Did you do anything to bring phosphates to zero?

Carbon dosing is the fastest way to bring nitrates down.

 

[DeepBlueSomething]

I’d be surprised if high nitrates would make LPS unhappy.

Did you do anything to bring phosphates to zero?

Carbon dosing is the fastest way to bring nitrates down.

Thanks for insight...

Nothing to bring phosphate down - test is colorimetric and could be between zero and .125 - didn’t use my high sensitivity test as I expected it to be elevated as well. 2 part dosing - approximately every 10 days

In the last 6 weeks hav lost several small hammers and a favia. Duncan is not happy.

Blastomussa and mushrooms very happy

Will test big 3 once back home today -

Haven’t carbon dosed previously- a bit apprehensive.

Any thoughts with my additional information?

 

[jda]

Water changes are a good way - these can add in elements and trace too. Water changes are the easiest way to turn around a tank.

Do you have sand? If so, then it should start to remove nitrates if you leave it undisturbed.

I definitely think that nitrates over 50 are a problem for most coral... and over 20 for some.

 

[Justin Cook]

I was in a similar situation. Did quite a few water changes and that's a great way to go but ended up dosing a small amount of carbon to bring everything back under control. It's readily doable but I didn't lose anything in my tank. The coral colors stank but nothing died. My nitrates were in the 40 range though.