Nopox -- effective for nitrate reduction in frag tank without skimmer?

[helwrj28]

As title states, I'm interested in the use of Nopox for Nitrate reduction in a frag tank that I'm using for soft coral... but I do not have a skimmer. Curious how effective this would be-- mainly cost-effectiveness and safety vs water changes. I do not have any fish livestock and only a couple inverts in the tank (emerald crab, astrea snails)... any information and guidance is most appreciated thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In a tank with filter feeders, it's a fine plan, or at least a fine experiment.

In a tank with just frags, I'm not convinced it's a good long term plan since bacteria that grow may have nowhere to grow but all over everything (eventually).

 

[therootcause]

mainly cost-effectiveness and safety vs water changes.

Hey I'm curious about the tank volume, if there is a sump, and if there is a refugium.

 

[helwrj28]

Hey I'm curious about the tank volume, if there is a sump, and if there is a refugium.

No sump and I started a refugium in the back corner of the tank. It's a 20 gallon long.

 

[therootcause]

No sump and I started a refugium in the back corner of the tank. It's a 20 gallon long.

What are the nitrates looking like now? With no fish you can pretty well control the nutrient input. On a 20 gallon tank I would just do a 50% water change to cut nitrate in half and then sparingly feed the inverts as needed.

 

[helwrj28]

What are the nitrates looking like now? With no fish you can pretty well control the nutrient input. On a 20 gallon tank I would just do a 50% water change to cut nitrate in half and then sparingly feed the inverts as needed.

Doing that significant of a water change won't have any adverse reactions?

My phosphates are around .04
Nitrates are >50 (I'm not even feeding that much but I was dosing phytoplankton and I think some of that led to the increase in nutrients)

 

[therootcause]

Surely you can do a 50% water change with properly prepared and heated water for a tank that small without adverse effects. If you'd rather take it slow, try 20% for the next three days.

I would also retest or ask someone else to test your water with their own kits to confirm you actually have such a large gap in the ratios of N to P.

Current ratio 1250N :1P

 

[therootcause]

Did you make any changes over the weekend?