NO-POX

[cdemoss01]

FYI, be very careful about bottoming out your PO4 levels trying to deal with this nitrate. Keep in mind that it might not really be a problem that you need to deal with directly, as long a the tank is back in balance overall.

I don't want dinos..

 

[Uncle99]

I do a 50% water change. That should decrease N to say 80-100ppm.

After 2 days, a second 50% water change, that should get us to 40-50ppm.

Now start your daily nopox dose.

Is quite slow. It took me 4 months to go from 50 to 5ppm.

 

[cdemoss01]

I do a 50% water change. That should decrease N to say 80-100ppm.

After 2 days, a second 50% water change, that should get us to 40-50ppm.

Now start your daily nopox dose.

Is quite slow. It took me 4 months to go from 50 to 5ppm.

This is my plan.. my anenome and softies won't grow so I need to be quick about this. What are chances of something catastrophic happening during WC?

 

[Uncle99]

This is my plan.. my anenome and softies won't grow so I need to be quick about this. What are chances of something catastrophic happening during WC?

I’m not sure what you mean.
50% old water out
50% new freshly mixed saltwater in.
The difference with such a big change is temp, at 50%, you’ll need to match temperature.

You can do 4-25% every other day with no heating.

Now if you don’t use reef salt, or make Salinity way high, then yes, that will be problematic.

Water changes is the single fastest way to lower nitrates, but, will lower phosphate as well. Generally, phosphate doesn’t zero out, but, if your concerned, a dose of Brightwell Neo-phos Fix that right away.

 

[cdemoss01]

This is my plan.. my anenome and softies won't grow so I need to be quick about this. What are chances of something catastrophic happening during WC?

I’m not sure what you mean.
50% old water out
50% new freshly mixed saltwater in.
The difference with such a big change is temp, at 50%, you’ll need to match temperature.

Now if you don’t use reef salt, or make Salinity way high, then yes, that will be problematic.

The fear is making a mistake which is why I've never done big changes like that before. I'm afraid of failure..

 

[Uncle99]

The fear is making a mistake which is why I've never done big changes like that before. I'm afraid of failure..

Then do 25% every 48 hours.
If you mix salinity to the same as your DT, can’t see how that’s any risk at all.

The trick with nopox is it takes time. That’s why the water changes, to bring your high nitrate down into a small amount, then use the nopox as 1 solution to keeping nitrates low.

Make sure your skimming.

 

[cdemoss01]

The fear is making a mistake which is why I've never done big changes like that before. I'm afraid of failure..

Then do 25% every 48 hours.
If you mix salinity to the same as your DT, can’t see how that’s any risk at all.

Right. Never mixed salt before. Is it hard or easy? How much mixing is actually involved.

 

[Uncle99]

Right. Never mixed salt before. Is it hard or easy? How much mixing is actually involved.

So for me, I use a big plastic garbage can, about 40 gallons.

First 1 fill with RODI water.
Then add salt.
I use powehead or pump as a mixer.
I mix for 24
I check with my refractometer to ensure (1.023 for fish only) or (1.026) for mixed reef.
I add salt if the result is to low.
I add RODI is the result is to high.
Once I reach 1.026, I take out the old, put in the new.

 

[cdemoss01]

Right. Never mixed salt before. Is it hard or easy? How much mixing is actually involved.

So for me, I use a big plastic garbage can, about 40 gallons.

First 1 fill with RODI water.
Then add salt.
I use powehead or pump as a mixer.
I mix for 24
I check with my refractometer to ensure (1.023 for fish only) or (1.026) for mixed reef.
I add salt if the result is to low.
I add RODI is the result is to high.
Once I reach 1.026, I take out the old, put in the new.

Seems easy.. I have a brute trashcan already I just forget how many gallons it is, any way of telling? Also how much of an impact does it have on RODI units?

 

[Uncle99]

Seems easy.. I have a brute trashcan already I just forget how many gallons it is, any way of telling? Also how much of an impact does it have on RODI units?

normal garbage size is about 22-25gallons.
As a rough guess, I use 8 cups of salt for 25 gallons.
So first I add 8 cups, mix 24 hours, measure, then tweak up or down, based on measurement.

Not sure I understand impact of RODI?

 

[cdemoss01]

Seems easy.. I have a brute trashcan already I just forget how many gallons it is, any way of telling? Also how much of an impact does it have on RODI units?

normal garbage size is about 22-25gallons.
As a rough guess, I use 8 cups of salt for 25 gallons.
So first I add 8 cups, mix 24 hours, measure, then tweak up or down, based on measurement.

Got it. I'll look for a label before I mix so I can try to find out how many gallons it is. If I can't find out I'll just slowly fill it with jugs that I know the gallon size of.

 

[Uncle99]

Got it. I'll look for a label before I mix so I can try to find out how many gallons it is. If I can't find out I'll just slowly fill it with jugs that I know the gallon size of.

My RODI is right beside my brute can so I just fill the brute directly to 2” from the top, then add salt.

Takes about 6 hours to fill.

I realize this may not be possible for some.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes.. but I've been told not too

Let’s clarify that, since on its face, it is nonsensical to dose NOPOX if one believes that dosing the individual components in it is a problem.

NOPOX is mostly ethanol and acetic acid. Ethanol is the component in vodka. Acetic acid is the component in vinegar. NOPOX also contains a small amount of isopropanol and methanol, which I suspect are there to make the ethanol undrinkable and thus untaxed (it’s called denatured ethanol or denatured alcohol) rather than for any in tank benefit.

There may be reasons to not dose organics at all, including lowering of pH, O2, and changes to bacterial populations that could possibly be pathogenic to corals.

There are also reasons to dose organics beyond nitrate lowering, such as the increased bacteria being food for many types of filter feeders including corals. Many organisms, including corals, may also directly use the organics as a food.

So on balance, there are pros and cons, and they apply equally to commercial products such as NOPOX or diy recipes made with the same ingredients.

I used vinegar for years and slightly preferred it it my tank to vodka, but that may depend entirely on which microorganisms are present in the tank.

At the moment, I need to dose N, so organic carbon dosing is not part of my current husbandry.

 

[cdemoss01]

Got it. I'll look for a label before I mix so I can try to find out how many gallons it is. If I can't find out I'll just slowly fill it with jugs that I know the gallon size of.

My RODI is right beside my brute can so I just fill the brute directly to 2” from the top, then add salt.

Takes about 6 hours to fill.

I realize this may not be possible for some.

How nice is your RODI? I have a less expensive model..
RO buddie

 

[cdemoss01]

Yes.. but I've been told not too

Let’s clarify that, since on its face, it is nonsensical to dose NOPOX if one believes that dosing the individual components in it is a problem.

NOPOX is mostly ethanol and acetic acid. Ethanol is the component in vodka. Acetic acid is the component in vinegar. NOPOX also contains a small amount of isopropanol and methanol, which I suspect are there to make the ethanol undrinkable and thus untaxed (it’s called denatured ethanol or denatured alcohol) rather than for any in tank benefit.

There may be reasons to not dose organics at all, including lowering of pH, O2, and changes to bacterial populations that could possibly be pathogenic to corals.

There are also reasons to dose organics beyond nitrate lowering, such as the increased bacteria being food for many types of filter feeders including corals. Many organisms, including corals, may also directly use the organics as a food.

So on balance, there are pros and cons, and they apply equally to commercial products such as NOPOX or diy recipes made with the same ingredients.

I used vinegar for years and slightly preferred it it my tank to vodka, but that may depend entirely on which microorganisms are present in the tank.

At the moment, I need to dose N, so organic carbon dosing is not part of my current husbandry.

Interesting.. thank you randy

 

[Uncle99]

How nice is your RODI? I have a less expensive model..
RO buddie

I use exactly the same including DI resin.
That gives me 100’s of gallons of 0 TDS from a source which gives 140ppm.
I make 50 gallons per week.
25 for top up, 25 for water change.
250 gallon system.

 

[cdemoss01]

How nice is your RODI? I have a less expensive model..
RO buddie

I use exactly the same including DI resin.
That gives me 100’s of gallons of 0 TDS from a source which gives 140ppm.
I make 50 gallons per week.
25 for top up, 25 for water change.

What is DI resin?

 

[Uncle99]

What is DI resin?

A 4th a last stage in RO water. After 3 stage RO (reverse osmosis) best you get is about 5-10ppm.

The 4th stage makes RO water, RODI.

The 4th stage contains a resin which RO water passes through to bring the 5-10ppm to 0ppm.

RO buddy has that canister, but is usually separate buy.

 

[cdemoss01]

What is DI resin?

A 4th a last stage in RO water. After 3 stage RO (reverse osmosis) best you get is about 5-10ppm.

The 4th stage makes RO water, RODI.

The 4th stage contains a resin which RO water passes through to bring the 5-10ppm to 0ppm.

Ahh that's what that fourth unit is for.. now it makes sense. I'll send a photo of my new unit when I'm home, 0 idea how to put it together

 

[Uncle99]

Ahh that's what that fourth unit is for.. now it makes sense. I'll send a photo of my new unit when I'm home, 0 idea how to put it together

Sounds good.
Tons use that RODI so lots of help.