Phosphates high/"Zero" Nitrates

beesnreefs

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65 gallon mixed reef, just over a year old. 7 fish, biggest is a white tail bristle tooth tang, smallest is a pink pygmy wrasse.

For the past 2 months or so I've had relatively high phosphates and undetectable nitrates. All corals (except two sps, one of which is new to the tank) are thriving. For example, my HG micromussa has split off at least 2 new polyps in the last month.

Here are the numbers (using Hanna ULR phosphate and HR nitrate)

About 2 months ago: Nitrates 0.00, Phosphates 0.70

(Added one bag of Chemi-Pure Elite)

1 week later: Nitrates 0.00, Phosphates 0.45
1 week later: Nitrates 0.00, Phosphates 0.35

Those numbers have held relatively steady since....Nitrates always 0.00 on the HR checker, Phosphates hover between 0.30 - 0.35

I do have a bit of GHA or Bryopsis but nothing out of control. And, as I mentioned, the corals are for the most part thriving except those two SPS. FWIW, I only have 4 SPS now....a fire digitata which is doing well and starting to grow, a walt disney which is not as happy as it could be, the milli that is doing poorly, and an acro that seems to be happy as a clam. All my LPS and softies are doing really well and growing.

Just curious to get folks thoughts on these numbers.

Aside from any concern about the levels I’d love to understand what might contribute to “high” phosphates and zero nitrates at the same time.
 
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vetteguy53081

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To balance both, add a pouch of chemipure blue and it will keep them both in check while polishing your water and reducing any toxins that may be present
 

vetteguy53081

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Can you help me understand how that works?
It contains polymers, GFO and high grade carbon. Chemi-pure Blue uses labratory grade resin technology to rapidly remove organics and phosphates from your aquarium water while raising redox and helping stabilize pH.
 

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This was my situation for quite some time. My system always trended toward no nitrate and lots of phosphate.

You could play around with dosing nitrate.

I noticed that dosing enough nitrate to get detectable levels helped keep phosphate in check.

You can dissolve some food grade sodium nitrate into some RO water and play with dosing small amounts. Brightwell also has a commercial product called NeoNitro that works too, but may or may not mess with potassium levels (based on anecdotal reports on here it seems like that product may contain potassium nitrate)

Go slow if you try it. A little goes a long way.

you may also see some algae growth adding nitrate if your system is currently nitrate limited.

I’ve also had success in the past just accepting my low nitrates, feeding a good amount, and keeping phosphate in check with chemical media like you’re doing now, so I’d say doing nothing is also an option in your situation.
 
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beesnreefs

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This was my situation for quite some time. My system always trended toward no nitrate and lots of phosphate.

You could play around with dosing nitrate.

I noticed that dosing enough nitrate to get detectable levels helped keep phosphate in check.

You can dissolve some food grade sodium nitrate into some RO water and play with dosing small amounts. Brightwell also has a commercial product called NeoNitro that works too, but may or may not mess with potassium levels (based on anecdotal reports on here it seems like that product may contain potassium nitrate)

Go slow if you try it. A little goes a long way.

you may also see some algae growth adding nitrate if your system is currently nitrate limited.

I’ve also had success in the past just accepting my low nitrates, feeding a good amount, and keeping phosphate in check with chemical media like you’re doing now, so I’d say doing nothing is also an option in your situation.
Thanks for sharing your perspective - this is incredibly helpful to hear.

FWIW, I feed what feels like "heavy" to me. Fish are fed a mix of frozen (Rod's, mysis), R.O.E., and AF Veg twice a day. I'd say the equivalent of 3/4 - 1 cube of food daily at max. I also dose 1 mL of Brightwell Coral Aminos daily and spot feed the corals with Benepet Benereef twice a week. Overall it seems to be keeping the corals quite happy....just curious how the phosphates spiked in the past 2-3 months with no change in the program.

Of course, as you suggested, things are doing well and the algae is at a minimum so maybe chemical control of phosphates and accepting zero nitrates is the way to go.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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It contains polymers, GFO and high grade carbon. Chemi-pure Blue uses labratory grade resin technology to rapidly remove organics and phosphates from your aquarium water while raising redox and helping stabilize pH.
You could do that or dose nitrates and carbon dose, naturally level out that tank bacterial battle......
 

vetteguy53081

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You could do that or dose nitrates and carbon dose, naturally level out that tank bacterial battle......
Carbon dosing or NoPox will encourage Dino !!
 
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Shooter6

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Lanthium chloride will remove excess phosphate the fastest. I am totally against gfo because of it twice melting on me and filling the tank with rust. The last time it happened , last winter. It was the brs gfo. Never again!
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Lanthium chloride will remove excess phosphate the fastest. I am totally against gfo because of it twice melting on me and filling the tank with rust. The last time it happened , last winter. It was the brs gfo. Never again!

How were you using it? I've never heard of it breaking apart unless there was too much flow through a reactor.
 

Dan_P

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65 gallon mixed reef, just over a year old. 7 fish, biggest is a white tail bristle tooth tang, smallest is a pink pygmy wrasse.

For the past 2 months or so I've had relatively high phosphates and undetectable nitrates. All corals (except two sps, one of which is new to the tank) are thriving. For example, my HG micromussa has split off at least 2 new polyps in the last month.

Here are the numbers (using Hanna ULR phosphate and HR nitrate)

About 2 months ago: Nitrates 0.00, Phosphates 0.70

(Added one bag of Chemi-Pure Elite)

1 week later: Nitrates 0.00, Phosphates 0.45
1 week later: Nitrates 0.00, Phosphates 0.35

Those numbers have held relatively steady since....Nitrates always 0.00 on the HR checker, Phosphates hover between 0.30 - 0.35

I do have a bit of GHA or Bryopsis but nothing out of control. And, as I mentioned, the corals are for the most part thriving except those two SPS. FWIW, I only have 4 SPS now....a fire digitata which is doing well and starting to grow, a walt disney which is not as happy as it could be, the milli that is doing poorly, and an acro that seems to be happy as a clam. All my LPS and softies are doing really well and growing.

Just curious to get folks thoughts on these numbers.

Aside from any concern about the levels I’d love to understand what might contribute to “high” phosphates and zero nitrates at the same time.
Phosphates come in with food. I have not read that it is any more complicated.

It is possible that aragonite surfaces exposed to high phosphate will give back that phosphate when phosphate in the water becomes depleted, but that eventually dwindles. You might need GFO to lower PO4 if you felt the need.

By the way, the nuisance algae you do have represents a potential future problem. Maybe think about dealing with it now before it takes off.
 

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I have a similar issue; Phosphates are 0.21, and Nitrates are 0.8. I am going to try dosing Nitrate to get them around five and see what happens. I've had a hard time keeping SPS and LPS, and I wonder if this is the cause. If you decide to dose Nitrates and you make your own solution, there is a good calculator here you can use to determine your dosing amount.


Chose this option-nitrate from potassium nitrate
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I have a similar issue; Phosphates are 0.21, and Nitrates are 0.8. I am going to try dosing Nitrate to get them around five and see what happens. I've had a hard time keeping SPS and LPS, and I wonder if this is the cause.

I would not guess those values are the cause, if accurate, but boosting nitrate a bit seems a fine plan.
 

thatmanMIKEson

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I would not guess those values are the cause, if accurate, but boosting nitrate a bit seems a fine plan.
It could be any # of things along with that correct? Do you recommend 10:1 when dealing with n03/p04? I know you carbon dose vinagar regularly and dose nutrients and silicates.
 

Shooter6

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How were you using it? I've never heard of it breaking apart unless there was too much flow through a reactor.
Brs reactor. It was barely tumbling at the surface of it, just like everyone else does.

Was fine for months then one day it went to ****. Theres far better ways to manage phosphate then the crutch of gfo.

I've never been a fan of it, but had friends talk me into running it again . I learned my lesson and will never use it again. With my new system, running bare bottom I don't need any phosphate control.
 

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