Nitrates higher than phosphates

[steve_london_uk]

Hi all. Just after a little bit of advice please.

So my latest tank (Red Sea 350) I started from scratch with new dry tock, live sand and a bacteria start potion. It's been setup for around 4 weeks now and has a pair of maroon clowns and a tang along with a cleanup crew of all sorts.

My parameters are:
Salinity: 1.026
Temp: 26c
Alkalinity: 5.4 (might be Hanna check reagent being out of date, need to get a new one)
PH: 7.9
Phosphate: 0.06
Nitrates: 9.1

I've started getting a light brown algae or something coverage on rock and sand which I thought was normal with a new tank and should go but now seen some bright green appearing on some rocks. Also my latest nitrate readings I thought was a little high with the phosphates being relatively low. I am running Rowaphos (which maybe I need a little more of??) but what can I do that will solely lower the nitrates given the lower Phos levels? Most things I've seen need both to reduce.

Any advice welcome please as if I can't crack the reef game this time the whole hobby is coming to a close lol.

Thanks.

 

[IceNein]

Those seem like normal Nitrate and Phosphate levels.

The brown and green algae? Normal part of a new tank.

Do more water changes if you want to lower it, but those levels seem good to me.

 

[rishma]

I wouldn’t lower nitrate or phosphate.

I don’t support chasing any sort of ratio of phosphate and nitrate and your numbers are good. I like to keep both in a target range. In my current tank I target 0.05-0.12 phosphate and 5-15 nitrate. There is nothing special about these ranges, but they work for my current tank. Many people have higher ranges for both. In a new tank I like to keep them lower because the new rock isn’t covered with coraline and other things that prevent pest algae from taking hold.

I do not recommend driving phosphate below 0.03. While that level of phosphate is fine, I find to too close to zero and near the limits of test accuracy. That’s why I set my lower limit at 0.05. Running at zero phosphate can cause big problems and it’s often associated with Dinoflagellates, also known as dinos, that are a common and persistent pest that’s hard to get rid of. Be careful with the rowaphos.

I don’t worry much about nitrate, checking 1-2 times a month unless I do something I expect to impact my nitrate. I’d check more often in a new tank. I check phosphate often in my established reef.

My tank is happy at 0.06 phosphate and 10 nitrate. When phosphate is that low I give the corals an extra feeding. Since your tank is new, I’d do nothing.

Brown and green algae is 100% normal for a new tank. If you don’t need the lights for animals, you can reduce them or turn them off for a while. Your tank will go through a stage of different algaes as the surfaces get colonized with bacteria and other life.

 

[zerozero]

Your parameters are fine. I have PO4 at 0.1 and NO3 around 10 in a five month old tanks. I was worried about PO4 and NO3 bottoming out to zero so I deliberately feed a little heavy. The fish don't care, my corals are happy and the CUC are on top of algae. Yes, your Alk is a bit on the low side but you can tackle that with your water changes I suspect.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would not run rowa phos, the phosphate is low enough. Would suggest to post some pics of the algae

 

[steve_london_uk]

I would not run rowa phos, the phosphate is low enough. Would suggest to post some pics of the algae

Here is the green and brown I currently have. Not sure what to do with it

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Don't do anything with it except possibly add some algaevores.
Your rock won't stay white regardless of what you do.

 

[rishma]

Here is the green and brown I currently have. Not sure what to do with it

Do nothing. That is both very minor and completely normal.

 

[steve_london_uk]

Thanks for your advice everyone. Is it likely to go on its own though and will it get worse? I'd like to get it sorted if needed before it gets out of hand like my last tank (although the nutrients were really really bad and could never get it back)

 

[JonoH]

Here is the green and brown I currently have. Not sure what to do with it

Looks like perfectly normal transition of dry rock to algea covered rock...
Will continue to do that till its all purple!

 

[steve_london_uk]

Looks like perfectly normal transition of dry rock to algea covered rock...
Will continue to do that till its all purple!

Any advice on how I can speed up the growth/production of the coralline? I do have some on some old rock that I could maybe scrape off? However this old rock is FULL of nitrates and phosphates that when I put it all in my last tank sent the results through the roof within hours!

 

[rishma]

Any advice on how I can speed up the growth/production of the coralline? I do have some on some old rock that I could maybe scrape off? However this old rock is FULL of nitrates and phosphates that when I put it all in my last tank sent the results through the roof within hours!

I have scrapped coralline off walls and rocks to seed a new tank. I think it works.

If you have a small rock with coralline from the old tank, even if saturated with phosphate, i think it’s ok to add to the new tank. Just a small one. That is what I would do, but interested to see what others think.

Part of what your tank is going through is establishing new biofilms, bacteria, etc. Adding a little bit of rock from the old tank (or even better, add some old sand too!) will help speed up this process.

The algae will get worse and different types will probably grow and out compete the others. Is it totally normal. Keep nutrients low (NOT zero) during this stage helps keep things from getting out of control. You are doing excellent with your current nitrate and phosphate levels. Just keep an eye on it.

As far as growing coraline algae, I am no expert. My observations are that appropriate levels of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and phosphate seem to result in good growth. It takes a while to establish, but then seems to grow exponentially. Lower, bluer light seems to grow it the best.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Thanks for your advice everyone. Is it likely to go on its own though and will it get worse? I'd like to get it sorted if needed before it gets out of hand like my last tank (although the nutrients were really really bad and could never get it back)

My tank is thriving at nitrates over 75 and phos around 1... I say just relax and let the tank mature.

 

[mboley]

Thanks for your advice everyone. Is it likely to go on its own though and will it get worse? I'd like to get it sorted if needed before it gets out of hand like my last tank (although the nutrients were really really bad and could never get it back)

There's nothing to sort out, you're fine.

 

[JonoH]

Any advice on how I can speed up the growth/production of the coralline? I do have some on some old rock that I could maybe scrape off? However this old rock is FULL of nitrates and phosphates that when I put it all in my last tank sent the results through the roof within hours!

Patience...

But a rock or frag plug with some Corraline on it will help seed it onto your new rock, but who knows how long...probably depends on your Alk level to a certain degree.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Patience...

But a rock or frag plug with some Corraline on it will help seed it onto your new rock, but who knows how long...probably depends on your Alk level to a certain degree.

I agree with the uncertainty. I don’t think it is well known why the onset and growth of coralline is variable.

In possible non chemical explanations, the clean up crew may also matter. If an herbivore is scraping the rock with its mouth, it may scrape off tiny coralline growths that start.

 

[VDC]

Here is the green and brown I currently have. Not sure what to do with it

normal....