Red Sea Reef Energy A+B and nitrates.

[ScottR]

I’ve been using Red Sea’s A+B reef energy for awhile now. I like it and can honestly say that my mixed reef corals really get some great PE. They look healthy and eat often. However, my nitrates have gone above 25. Using Salifert NO3 kit and not sure exactly where they are but under 50. Does this slurry of a concoction create nitrates? I know and can say from experience, that it does create algae growth. I use less than the recommended amount and use 4-5 days a week.

 

[Elegance Coral]

Yes. Red Sea A and B can increase nitrate if it breaks down in the tank. Any food or amino acid supplement can increase nitrate. It's not just a Redsea thing.
Peace
EC

 

[gotmesalty77]

I’ve been using Red Sea’s A+B reef energy for awhile now. I like it and can honestly say that my mixed reef corals really get some great PE. They look healthy and eat often. However, my nitrates have gone above 25. Using Salifert NO3 kit and not sure exactly where they are but under 50. Does this slurry of a concoction create nitrates? I know and can say from experience, that it does create algae growth. I use less than the recommended amount and use 4-5 days a week.

I was using a and b and my nitrates skyrocketed. Im still battling them back down at the moment. I had to totally re aquascape so I could deal with the algae.

 

[TheHarold]

Foods add nitrates. If you add too much food, you will get too much nitrates. Not sure why that would be surprising. Not unique to Red Sea.

 

[BestMomEver]

Red Sea suggests you use their entire program (of course they do!). I use their colors program and am interested in the energy products. But, one of the products they recommend as part of their system is NO3-PO4. This is exactly what it’s designed for.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

I use Reef Energy and don't have any issue with rising nitrates. My nitrates stay around 0.5 ppm. I only use a skimmer and DO NOT use NoPoX. Red Sea recommends turning off your skimmer for 15-30 after dosing Reef Energy. I turn my skimmer back on after 30 minutes to make sure that the corals have a chance to get the amino's but the skimmer cleans them out before they start to dirty the water.

 

[ScottR]

I use Reef Energy and don't have any issue with rising nitrates. My nitrates stay around 0.5 ppm. I only use a skimmer and DO NOT use NoPoX. Red Sea recommends turning off your skimmer for 15-30 after dosing Reef Energy. I turn my skimmer back on after 30 minutes to make sure that the corals have a chance to get the amino's but the skimmer cleans them out before they start to dirty the water.

I turn skimmer off for 15 mins. Back on sharp after that. I’m thinking about cutting back even further on A+B.

 

[mfollen]

Same here. Following.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

I turn skimmer off for 15 mins. Back on sharp after that. I’m thinking about cutting back even further on A+B.

@ScottR, would you consider your tank well stocked? The recommended dosage is for a well stocked tank.

 

[ScottR]

@ScottR, would you consider your tank well stocked? The recommended dosage is for a well stocked tank.

Yeah. It’s well-established, live rock, lots of inverts, lots of corals. But only 4 fish.

 

[Paul 569]

I’ve been using Red Sea’s A+B reef energy for awhile now. I like it and can honestly say that my mixed reef corals really get some great PE. They look healthy and eat often. However, my nitrates have gone above 25. Using Salifert NO3 kit and not sure exactly where they are but under 50. Does this slurry of a concoction create nitrates? I know and can say from experience, that it does create algae growth. I use less than the recommended amount and use 4-5 days a week.

I started using it . And my nitrate levels were 5 now 11 in 2 weeks . It does indeed raise nitrate

 

[Mark Novack]

Using it but still no detectable nitrates.