Nitrates

[AdamG280]

So I’ve been cycling my tank with fish and a coral and adding nitrifying bacteria for 8 weeks now. I tested the ammonia: 0, tested the nitrites: 0, but my nitrates also look like 0. Granted, I’m using the API tests with the test tubes and I have a Hanna nitrate tester coming today, but I kind of want to put in some macroalgae. How long do you think it will take to build up some nitrates to support that?

 

[brclark82]

If you’ve had fish in the tank for 8 weeks you can stop testing ammonia and nitrite…if you were cycled your fish would already be dead and now those tests don’t matter

It is a bit odd there’s zero nitrate and you do need to get that number up above zero soon. It’s also time to start testing phosphate and make sure that’s somewhat in line as well and not zero or too high.

Check your nitrate when your Hanna gets here and see if it registers something and then get a phosphate test as well.

 

[brclark82]

Don’t put any macro in until you get detectable levels of both nitrate and phosphate and even then you wanna keep a close eye to make sure you don’t bottom out your nutrients…zeros are worse than high numbers in most scenarios

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

If you’ve had fish in the tank for 8 weeks you can stop testing ammonia and nitrite…if you were cycled your fish would already be dead and now those tests don’t matter

It is a bit odd there’s zero nitrate and you do need to get that number up above zero soon. It’s also time to start testing phosphate and make sure that’s somewhat in line as well and not zero or too high.

Check your nitrate when your Hanna gets here and see if it registers something and then get a phosphate test as well.

I am not a fan of the Hanna nitrate. I use Salifert. For me, YMMV, but I simply look for color. I know I am north of Dino’s, so from there I look at my tank and see what’s going on. The Hanna Nitrate tester is a headache. If you don’t get the coffee filter just right you get blow by, the plastic insert breaks by the 3rd reagent refill. I do love their PO4.

 

[brclark82]

I am not a fan of the Hanna nitrate. I use Salifert. For me, YMMV, but I simply look for color. I know I am north of Dino’s, so from there I look at my tank and see what’s going on. The Hanna Nitrate tester is a headache. If you don’t get the coffee filter just right you get blow by, the plastic insert breaks by the 3rd reagent refill. I do love their PO4.

You are referring to the Hanna nitrate low range test which is unnecessary and yes I’m sure a huge pain. The Hanna nitrate high range is plenty accurate and works the exact same way as the Hanna phosphate test which is just dumping a packet of powder and shaking for a while.

 

[AdamG280]

Thanks everybody. My phosphates are 0.14 ppm and I just put in some phosguard. I couldn’t read the API reef test version of the phosphate test well either. I’m assuming I just have low nitrates so far. I’m not excited about all the steps that are gonna come with this Hanna LR nitrate tester. If it’s too much of a pain, I’ll just go by the color tests.

 

[Lavey29]

Thanks everybody. My phosphates are 0.14 ppm and I just put in some phosguard. I couldn’t read the API reef test version of the phosphate test well either. I’m assuming I just have low nitrates so far. I’m not excited about all the steps that are gonna come with this Hanna LR nitrate tester. If it’s too much of a pain, I’ll just go by the color tests.

You don't need phosguard in a new tank

 

[AdamG280]

You don't need phosguard in a new tank

oh I read I shouldn’t let them get up to 0.2 ppm

 

[Lavey29]

oh I read I shouldn’t let them get up to 0.2 ppm

New tanks will have unstable parameters but it's always better to be in a good range around .1 for phosphate then a low bottomed out level. Nitrates at 10

 

[CHSUB]

0 no3 is fine…you should never worry about undetectable no3 in a reef aquarium with fed fish. If you decide to add macros than maybe dosing some no3 is required. However, I have growing mangrove trees and have never needed to dose no3.

 

[brclark82]

Thanks everybody. My phosphates are 0.14 ppm and I just put in some phosguard. I couldn’t read the API reef test version of the phosphate test well either. I’m assuming I just have low nitrates so far. I’m not excited about all the steps that are gonna come with this Hanna LR nitrate tester. If it’s too much of a pain, I’ll just go by the color tests.

Don’t buy the difficult LR tester there’s no reason…the Hanna Hr tester is super easy and accurate. If you accidently bought the LR already don’t even open it just exchange it for the HR

 

[AdamG280]

0 no3 is fine…you should never worry about undetectable no3 in a reef aquarium with fed fish. If you decide to add macros than maybe dosing some no3 is required. However, I have growing mangrove trees and have never needed to dose no3.

Awesome I wanted to get one of those too!

 

[AdamG280]

Don’t buy the difficult LR tester there’s no reason…the Hanna Hr tester is super easy and accurate. If you accidently bought the LR already don’t even open it just exchange it for the HR

What kind of range do I want them? Between 0 and 10?

 

[brclark82]

What kind of range do I want them? Between 0 and 10?

The LR will read to 2 decimal points 0.00-5.00 ppm and can do one decimal 0.0-50.0 with a dilution method. The HR will read 0.0-75.0 with a simple powder packet.

I keep my tank between 10-20 but there are lots of acceptable nitrate readings. No one in the aquarium world needs nitrate accuracy to the second decimal so that why the HR is the

 

[jabberwock]

So I’ve been cycling my tank with fish and a coral and adding nitrifying bacteria for 8 weeks now. I tested the ammonia: 0, tested the nitrites: 0, but my nitrates also look like 0. Granted, I’m using the API tests with the test tubes and I have a Hanna nitrate tester coming today, but I kind of want to put in some macroalgae. How long do you think it will take to build up some nitrates to support that?

Why are you doing it completely wrong?

 

[Lavey29]

0 no3 is fine…you should never worry about undetectable no3 in a reef aquarium with fed fish. If you decide to add macros than maybe dosing some no3 is required. However, I have growing mangrove trees and have never needed to dose no3.

0 nitrates is not fine. ULNS was a fad a bunch of years back but now there sure is a lot more evidence that shows proper nutrients levels are essential to coral health and the tank environment. Very experienced reefers may elect to go ULNS with SPS systems because they have fine tuned their skills for that type of tank. For u all us average reefers 0 nutrients means big problems.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Thanks everybody. My phosphates are 0.14 ppm and I just put in some phosguard. I couldn’t read the API reef test version of the phosphate test well either. I’m assuming I just have low nitrates so far. I’m not excited about all the steps that are gonna come with this Hanna LR nitrate tester. If it’s too much of a pain, I’ll just go by the color tests.

0.14 ppm Phosphate is just where you want them. 0.10 - 0.20 is the normal range.
Ideally Nitrate 10-25ppm.

I useed to have all the Hanna checkers, but sold all of them off (except phosphate) as I find them unnecessarily complex, take too much time, and the reagents cost too much.

Salifert works just fine and are accurate, quick and cheap.

 

[Tangdora]

Tank size and how many fish. 2 or 3 fish in say a 120 will not cause any bump in nitrate. The nitrate produce as such would be consumes most likely by the algea forming on your rock and glass. Also as other have already stated do not use microalgea or a scrubber till u you have a naturally occurring self sustaining level that you are looking to bring down to target. May want to make your self a solution of sodium nitrate and pump them up a tick. 0 will almost certain lead to Dino’s.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

You are referring to the Hanna nitrate low range test which is unnecessary and yes I’m sure a huge pain. The Hanna nitrate high range is plenty accurate and works the exact same way as the Hanna phosphate test which is just dumping a packet of powder and shaking for a while.

I agree with the unnecessary. You would think I lived under a rock. This and that Red Sea has an S version. I guess when something ticks you off, you just move on and put some blinders on. I may have to look into this Voodoo you talk about.

Anyone want to trade a Hanna low range test kit with 2 extra boxes and a Hanna CA test kit with 2 extra boxes (reagent) for a Hanna high range test kit ? :) :) :) :) I also hate their Calcium.

 

[CHSUB]

0 will almost certain lead to Dino’s.

Dinoflagellates have no greater ability to survive in a low nutrient environment than any other algae or plant. Cyanobacteria have an ability to fix n2 but not dinoflagellates.