Nitrates and phosphates elevated

[niknik515]

Help! Around Christmas I’ve noticed my torches losing tissues, I did not get all my ingredients for kfc dip until New Year’s Eve. I had actually dipped them because I lost my Todd’s torch from BJD also. We’ll dipping them was a disaster I lost them all, bjd everywhere and I’m still hopeful some torches will recover by rehabilatating them. They have completely lost their tentacles but some have mouth and tissue left in them. I dosed cipro in my tank, also did water changes.

Fast forward to now, I have been testing my nitrates and phosphates level and they are elevated. Yesterday’s nitrates were 57.4 yes too high and phosphates were .55. Today’s reading for phosphates went up even higher .63 I’ve tuned down feeding a lot very little in the morning, I stopped the AB+ dosing as well( I would dip the torches separately) for trying to rehab it. I do have a GFO and it had worked lowering my phosphates before, I’ve turned it up higher but instead my reading went up. We have a good clean up crew (sand sifting star fish, snails, hermits) my load is: 7 fish, a cleaner, 2 peppermint and 1 pistol. A black widow nem, 3 hammers, 3 sps frags, zoas, Duncan and octospawn.

My current parameters are as followed (pic attached) I need help managing my nitrates and phosphates. We do have a reef mat and skimmer as well.

All seems happy hammer, nem, bubble and my only torch left which is the indo joker plus sps and zoa frags. A few mushrooms and lobophyllias.

Is this when I need to either dose vodka to help with nitrates?

Please help! TIA!

 

[niknik515]

Addition: even the rainbow goni is happy. I know I shouldn’t chase my numbers but trying to find balance. Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

I do not know that nitrate and/or phosphate were contributors to this issues as some great tanks (e.g., Richard Ross in the link below) that anyone would be proud of have higher N and P.

Thus, I would also consider other causes.

Rich’s 150 gallon display, on a 300 gallon system, is running a phosphate level of 1.24 ppm, a level at 24.8 times higher than the often recommended .05 ppm. Photo by Richard Ross.

https://reefs.com/magazine/skeptical-reefkeeping-ix-test-kits-chasing-numbers-and-phosphate/

 

[niknik515]

Addition: even the rainbow goni is happy. I know I shouldn’t chase my numbers but trying to find balance.


Thank you. I have been just letting it be. What corals I have left right now seem very happy, just not sure for a 110 gal if it’s going to cause long term issue and also not sure if it’s the cause for tissue receding to begin with.