Phosphates and Nitrates

[txj4ep0]

I have a 2 month old Red Sea max cube 20 gal that is fully cycled with some snails, 2 hermit crabs, a small black clownfish and a fire shrimp. My ammonia is 0 and my nitrites are 0, unfortunately so is my nitrates and phos. How do I safely elevate those 2 a little to get it off rock bottom?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Are there corals in the tank? What test kits are you using? Personally I would not be trying to increase nutrients in a brand new tank.

 

[dloberry]

I have a 2 month old Red Sea max cube 20 gal that is fully cycled with some snails, 2 hermit crabs, a small black clownfish and a fire shrimp. My ammonia is 0 and my nitrites are 0, unfortunately so is my nitrates and phos. How do I safely elevate those 2 a little to get it off rock bottom?

Did you a small dose of ammonium

 

[Fish Fan]

First, I'd double check your testing methods and make sure that your tests are accurate. Then, I'd first try feeding some more fish food and see if that helps.

 

[txj4ep0]

I did to check it while I was cycling it a few weeks ago. I dosed what came out to 1 ppm ammonia and it cleared it over the course of 24-36 hours.

 

[txj4ep0]

I have a 2 month old Red Sea max cube 20 gal that is fully cycled with some snails, 2 hermit crabs, a small black clownfish and a fire shrimp. My ammonia is 0 and my nitrites are 0, unfortunately so is my nitrates and phos. How do I safely elevate those 2 a little to get it off rock bottom?

Did you a small dose of ammonium

I did to check it while I was cycling it a few weeks ago. I dosed what came out to 1 ppm ammonia and it cleared it over the course of 24-36 hours.

 

[txj4ep0]

Are there corals in the tank? What test kits are you using? Personally I would not be trying to increase nutrients in a brand new tank.

I haven’t added any corals yet.

I use API normally but had my LFS check it too because I didn’t trust the api readings.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I haven’t added any corals yet.

I use API normally but had my LFS check it too because I didn’t trust the api readings.

API is a good as a guide for nitrate, but not accurate enough to make the decision to start dosing. Salifert makes a good accurate test.

The API phosphate kit just gives a range so your phosphate is somewhere between zero and .25. The next measurement is .25 to .5. My phosphate is at .03, which is not possible for the API tester to test. So this test doesn't work for our hobby, it doesn;t test low enough.

 

[allof fish]

Brightwell nitrate and phos products are good, or feed a ton. I’m a believer in having higher nutrients when starting a tank, not super high but nitrate 10-15 and phosphate over .05. IME you’ll get uglies not matter what but want to avoid really bad ones. In my new tank I’m trying to push numbers up as nitrate and phos were 7.4 and .03 couple days ago. Dealing with a little cyano which everyone will but want to avoid Dino’s at all cost. Only algae is film algae atm. Do daily maintenance, add very big cuc and raise nutrients you should be able to avoid really bad stuff whether you have a bunch of coral or now