Nitrates keep dropping

[kpreslicka]

Hey guys I'm having a it of a weird problem. I can't keep my nitrates up. For context I have a 12 fish and about 14 corals frags. I have to feed 8 cubes of food daily in order to keep my nitrates from bottoming out. I know I can dose neonitro, which probably be easier, cleaner and cheaper. Would anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening? At one point they dropped to 2.5, I fed heavy and got them up higher. If I feed 8 cubes daily the nitrates will climb up, however if I drop it down to 7 cubes they start to drop. Tank is roughly 6 months old. All other parameters are good.

 

[CHSUB]

You should have posted the Emergency label…haha! Actually not a problem at all, continue feeding and if corals look weak or pale consider feeding more.

 

[jonelder68]

Dose sodium nitrate or ammonia bicarbonate. Mess around with low numbers and Dino’s will come.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-complete-guide-to-raising-nutrients.1112/

 

[Coralfuture]

I am curious what your filtration looks like.

 

[bobnicaragua]

How big is the tank? Is it bare bottom? Are you running a skimmer? Refugium? Carbon dosing? Mechanical filtration?

 

[Reeferbadness]

If you have a refugium macro algae sucks up a ton of nitrate. I have 2 tanks, both with fuges and need to dose NeoNitrate ( there are other methods I know ) to stay off 0.00 Feeding helps but can also throw Phos out of my desired range if too excessive

 

[kpreslicka]

I am curious what your filtration looks like.

Just filter socks currently. Skimmer was pulling out too much

 

[kpreslicka]

If you have a refugium macro algae sucks up a ton of nitrate. I have 2 tanks, both with fuges and need to dose NeoNitrate ( there are other methods I know ) to stay off 0.00 Feeding helps but can also throw Phos out of my desired range if too excessive

No refugioum

 

[kpreslicka]

How big is the tank? Is it bare bottom? Are you running a skimmer? Refugium? Carbon dosing? Mechanical filtration?

Just filter socks, sand bed and rocks. Was running a skimmer and it was maintaining it but now they just keep dropping

 

[kpreslicka]

Dose sodium nitrate or ammonia bicarbonate. Mess around with low numbers and Dino’s will come.
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/the-complete-guide-to-raising-nutrients.1112/

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. I've only done one water change in like a month. Been dosing reef fusion 1 and 2 to raise alkalinity but that's all

 

[kpreslicka]

How big is the tank? Is it bare bottom? Are you running a skimmer? Refugium? Carbon dosing? Mechanical filtration?

Also 120 gallon

 

[Fish Fan]

Pretty solid advice here so far. Feed more, use less mechanical filtration (ditch your socks), or dose either ammonia or nitrate in some form.

Here's RHF's article on ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/
Good luck!

 

[kpreslicka]

Pretty solid advice here so far. Feed more, use less mechanical filtration (ditch your socks), or dose either ammonia or nitrate in some form.

Here's RHF's article on ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/
Good luck!

Awesome thanks. I was probably going to start dosing nitrates and keep my socks to keep detritus out of my sump mostly. I've just been feeling like 8 cubes a day is too much and seven is too little to maintain nitrate levels. No signs of dinos yet, just curious of what everyone else is doing

 

[Coralfuture]

I would say you can ditch the socks sounds like the easiest approach.

 

[kpreslicka]

I would say you can ditch the socks sounds like the easiest approach.

Sounds good. Do you have any recommendations on cleaning the sump out then? I put my arrow crab and a few bristle worms down there but they aren't keeping up

 

[Coralfuture]

I just siphon mine out when I do water changes.

 

[kpreslicka]

I just siphon mine out when I do water changes.

Thanks. Random question though, wouldnt that lower my nitrates further by removing it?

 

[bobnicaragua]

Sounds good. Do you have any recommendations on cleaning the sump out then? I put my arrow crab and a few bristle worms down there but they aren't keeping up

I switched to half mesh filter socks and had to go back to regular socks because of rising nutrients.

 

[Miami Reef]

Filter socks do not remove nitrate.

Skimmers don’t directly remove nitrate, either, and the benefits of a skimmer go beyond nutrient control.

It’s far easier to dose sodium nitrate or ammonium bicarbonate. You can outcompete any filtration with enough nitrate or ammonium dosing.

 

[jonelder68]

Filter socks do not remove nitrate.

Skimmers don’t directly remove nitrate, either, and the benefits of a skimmer go beyond nutrient control.

It’s far easier to dose sodium nitrate or ammonium bicarbonate. You can outcompete any filtration with enough nitrate or ammonium dosing.

This is the way . Without much consumption I think you could dose to your target/10-15ppm NO3 and be set for a while. 14 frags won’t consume much and you didn’t mention a fuge so little to no consumption. 8 cubes of food sounds excessive. Just dose some sodium nitrate to target level and be done .