Nitrates and NOPOX

[OceanDiver]

So I have REEFER 525xl.

I used the redsea mature method which seemed to work out great.

But my issues are with nitrates.

using the redsea test kits, my NO3 is holding at 8 and I’m dosing 3.5ml a day with a DOS.

i can’t seem to get the NO3 to lower. If I increase the NOPOX my water with cloud within day due to bacteria...

any suggestions?

I also have a refugium running with cheato which seems to be growing. I have two clowns and 3 tangs and feed 2 times a day With flake and nori

 

[Redfoxtang]

Does a 20-30% water change help lower the NO3. My problem with using it long ago and it stayed like your saying then the bottom fell out and had tons of algea and then dinos.

 

[mta_morrow]

A couple things. I have a 525xl as well and a lot of fish. My nitrates for almost 2 years have been in the 10-16 range. I dose 12 ml of NoPox daily now.
In order for carbon dosing to work, you must have phosphates as well. What are they measuring?
What is your target for nitrates, and why?
What is your alkalinity?

 

[OceanDiver]

ALK is around 8.4
CAL is around 420

Phosphate are showing 0 but i don’t this that is accurate either as I am getting some algae of the walls and my cheato is growing. That said, i did start looking ways to raise phosphates and trying to learn about the red field ratio.

my goals were to mimic my last reef tank (I set them up exactly the same) NO3 1-2 and PO4 .08. granted this tank is double the size and I know every tank is different.

just frustrating. If I follow the NOPOX dosing instruction my tank will look like a milk shake. Also, my nitrates where around 30. But steady now between 8-10. my end goal is to have SPS and with my ALK at 8.4, i figured my NO3 needs to be lower (Based on reading posts and talking to the redsea folks) the 525xl is only two months. I know this is part of the equations too.

just wandering what I shout try, or if I am good, or maybe I should remove the cheato.

 

[OceanDiver]

Funny I was already following your tank build thanks in advance for the help

 

[OceanDiver]

Does a 20-30% water change help lower the NO3. My problem with using it long ago and it stayed like your saying then the bottom fell out and had tons of algea and then dinos.

So I have a separate DOS running an AWS program. I am doing 1.5 gallons a day.

i though about increasing that to 2.0 gallons. But not sure if that will help.

 

[Dkeller_nc]

Your nitrates don't need to be lower than 8 ppm to keep SPS. Many of us deliberately keep SPS in water with a nitrate concentration of around 10-15 ppm, and a phosphate concentration of about 200 ppb.

 

[OceanDiver]

The SPS world is a little new to me. I have been running tanks for 15years but never tried SPS.

So I am learning. Sadly the bottom glass broke on my last tank see below

 

[OceanDiver]

A couple things. I have a 525xl as well and a lot of fish. My nitrates for almost 2 years have been in the 10-16 range. I dose 12 ml of NoPox daily now.
In order for carbon dosing to work, you must have phosphates as well. What are they measuring?
What is your target for nitrates, and why?
What is your alkalinity?

love your tank brother. Are you running a UV?

 

[mta_morrow]

love your tank brother. Are you running a UV?

Yes, 24/7. And thank you for the compliment!

 

[OceanDiver]

Yes, 24/7. And thank you for the compliment!

which UV sterilizer are you using

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Your nitrates don't need to be lower than 8 ppm to keep SPS. Many of us deliberately keep SPS in water with a nitrate concentration of around 10-15 ppm, and a phosphate concentration of about 200 ppb.

I agree, 8 ppm is fine. If you really want it lower you may just need to use more organic dosing.

 

[mta_morrow]

which UV sterilizer are you using

I run an Aqua UV, 25 watt 24/7. I run low flow thru it to kill stuff bs higher flow for just water clarity.

 

[User1]

The SPS world is a little new to me. I have been running tanks for 15years but never tried SPS.

So I am learning. Sadly the bottom glass broke on my last tank see below

Totally unrelated to your tank - more on that in another post - but I really dig the tall vase on the left of the tank.

 

[OceanDiver]

Totally unrelated to your tank - more on that in another post - but I really dig the tall vase on the left of the tank.

I think the wife got that at pier one if I am not mistaken

 

[OceanDiver]

I agree, 8 ppm is fine. If you really want it lower you may just need to use more organic dosing.

randy 1st love your articles I have been reading them and using them as reference for years.

so I am dosing 3.5 ml a day of NOPOX initially I was following the redsea instructions and dosing 12ml assuming my water volume is 100g. My nitrates dropped from 30 to 10. So per the instruction I dropped from doing 12 to 8. Then cloudy water showed up which I know is a bacteria bloom but makes the tank look terrible. So I called redsea and they said drop to 4 and I dropped it down 3.5 and the water is now starting to clear and my nitrtate are still holding at 8

what are you thoughts should I stay at my current dose and keep my nitrates at 8.

I was shooting nitrates Between 1-2 per the phamplet redsea sent me.

i would rather stay stable than chase numbers but just want to get to the right place before I purchase some acro frags

thanks in advance

 

[OceanDiver]

Update

NO3 holding at 4.0
and
PO4 holding at .02