NO3 at 0

[Bubblebass]

Had dinos a few times and treated with bacteria and UV. Just finished my 3rd battle with this crap. Why would my NO3 still be at 0 when I'm feeding heavy and adding NeoNitro? What could be consuming it? Lost most of my coral at this point from the latest dino outbreak.

120g 5 year old tank

NO3 0
PO4 .074
Alk 8.3
Calcium 470
Mag 1350

 

[Dan_P]

Had dinos a few times and treated with bacteria and UV. Just finished my 3rd battle with this crap. Why would my NO3 still be at 0 when I'm feeding heavy and adding NeoNitro? What could be consuming it? Lost most of my coral at this point from the latest dino outbreak.

120g 5 year old tank

NO3 0
PO4 .074
Alk 8.3
Calcium 470
Mag 1350

You haven’t provided any information about your system or pictures, but even if you had, no one is going to be able to answer this question.

If you believe that you need the nitrate concentration to be higher in your system, add more nitrate until it is. Feeding “heavily” is subjective and not an effective way to manage aquarium nitrate.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

You haven’t provided any information about your system or pictures, but even if you had, no one is going to be able to answer this question.

If you believe that you need the nitrate concentration to be higher in your system, add more nitrate until it is. Feeding “heavily” is subjective and not an effective way to manage aquarium nitrate.

+1 we need info about your system.

 

[Bubblebass]

You haven’t provided any information about your system or pictures, but even if you had, no one is going to be able to answer this question.

If you believe that you need the nitrate concentration to be higher in your system, add more nitrate until it is. Feeding “heavily” is subjective and not an effective way to manage aquarium nitrate.

What would you like to know? I'm super frustrated at this point. Like I said, most of my corals have died (whole SPS colonies too). Used to be a thriving mixed reef. What pics would you like to see? There's no algae at this point at all. 2 days post elegance corals dino regiment. I have mocroscopic old pics to ID dinos.

Fish are fine.

 

[Bubblebass]

+1 we need info about your system.

Tell me what info I can provide that may have to do with NO3 consumption. Happy to comply. I'm about to throw in the towel, as I have gone through this channel many, many times. I hate to sound short. I'm just at the end of my wits.

 

[Bubblebass]

You haven’t provided any information about your system or pictures, but even if you had, no one is going to be able to answer this question.

If you believe that you need the nitrate concentration to be higher in your system, add more nitrate until it is. Feeding “heavily” is subjective and not an effective way to manage aquarium nitrate.

Also, I am adding NeoNitrate as you mentioned. I believe feeding "heavy" is subjective, yes. Pellets once a day and frozen once a day.

 

[Scrubber_steve]

Tell me what info I can provide that may have to do with NO3 consumption. Happy to comply.

Tank size
occupants
feeding amount
FILTER SYSTEM
maintenance

 

[SDK]

Do you have a deep sandbed? Any sort of refugium? How much rock is in there? How many fish and how large is your system?

 

[Ling_Thing]

Whatever export methods your using I would stop (refugium, Carbon dosing, algae scrubber & even turn off the skimmer and only run it a couple hours ever couple of days). Start dosing ME coral nitrate to achieve detectable n03 readings and see how the tank reacts.

 

[Bubblebass]

Tank size
occupants
feeding amount
FILTER SYSTEM
maintenance

120g 4x2x2
3 wrasses
2 tangs
2 clownfish
2 blennys
royal gramma
sifting goby

Curve 7
Filter Sock
No refugium
Strict maintenance of every 2-3 week 20g water change until dino outbreak. Stopped changes to try to get back some biodiversity
Offline dual reactor

 

[Scrubber_steve]

120g 4x2x2
3 wrasses
2 tangs
2 clownfish
2 blennys
royal gramma
sifting goby

Curve 7
Filter Sock
No refugium
Strict maintenance of every 2-3 week 20g water change until dino outbreak. Stopped changes to try to get back some biodiversity
Offline dual reactor

What are you measuring NO3 with, & how much are you feeding?

 

[Bubblebass]

Do you have a deep sandbed? Any sort of refugium? How much rock is in there? How many fish and how large is your system?

Sandbed is 1-2 inches deep.
2 marine pure blocks and probably 70lbs rock

This system ran great for a couple years. I destroyed my biodiversity with gfo, been fighting dinos for the last year plus. Now PO4 stays up nitrates swing from 0-4. I add NeoNitro and it will stay at 4 for a week or 2, then drop again. The cycle of cyano, dino, death, fight is killing me.

120g 4x2x2
3 wrasses
2 tangs
2 clownfish
2 blennys
royal gramma
sifting goby

Curve 7
Filter Sock
No refugium
Strict maintenance of every 2-3 week 20g water change until dino outbreak. Stopped changes to try to get back some biodiversity
Offline dual reactor

 

[Bubblebass]

What are you measuring NO3 with, & how much are you feeding?

Salifert kit (2 of them). Feed frozen and pellets once each per day. Dose NeoNitrate when it gets to 0-2. Then it will drop off and my battle begins again

 

[Bubblebass]

Whatever export methods your using I would stop (refugium, Carbon dosing, algae scrubber & even turn off the skimmer and only run it a couple hours ever couple of days). Start dosing ME coral nitrate to achieve detectable n03 readings and see how the tank reacts.

Yes, that's where I started. Nitrates will get to 4 for a week or so then drop again. Even teating everyday, I end up with dang dinos again.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

How are you testing nitrates?

 

[Bubblebass]

How are you testing nitrates?

Multiple Salifert test kits. I was thinking one wasn't good, but the new one has same measurements. Also, the tank is acting like it has zero Nitrates. Dinos and corals not happy. Zero green algae.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Multiple Salifert test kits. I was thinking one wasn't good, but the new one has same measurements. Also, the tank is acting like it has zero Nitrates. Dinos and corals not happy. Zero green algae.

Yeah, I saw that after I posted. Getting an auto feeder to feed multiple times a day might help.

 

[Bubblebass]

I am not new or naive to the reefing scene. I know all the standard quesitons like "feeding habits, test kits, how much rock, lighting schedules, flow and filter systems". This is more than the basic stuff. Battling this for years now. At my wits end.....

 

[Bubblebass]

Yeah, I saw that after I posted. Getting an auto feeder to feed multiple times a day might help.

Just doesn't make sense that NO3 would be low. I'd like to figure out the cause.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I am not new or naive to the reefing scene. I know all the standard quesitons like "feeding habits, test kits, how much rock, lighting schedules, flow and filter systems". This is more than the basic stuff. Battling this for years now. At my wits end.....

Nobody is suggesting you’re naive. We’re just trying to figure out what you could do to increase nutrients and if you were doing something ( like running a fuge) that you were so used to that you didn’t suspect as an issue