Running High Nitrates But Zero Phosphate

[Ziggy17]

Hey folks. For the DIY Sodium Phosphate recipe, is this ok?
The formula is the same but the name has Anhydrous.

Anhydrous Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic​

That is what’s available on the Canadian Amazon.

 

[Miami Reef]

Thank you, I was just looking on Amazon for the phosphate, but I'd appreciate the suggestion!

The source in the DIY was from Amazon.

Many sources will work though.

 

[Miami Reef]

Hey folks. For the DIY Sodium Phosphate recipe, is this ok?
The formula is the same but the name has Anhydrous.

Anhydrous Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic​

Yes. Anhydrous is what we primarily use. That’s what my DIY uses.

 

[Ziggy17]

Yes. Anhydrous is what we primarily use. That’s what my DIY uses.

Copy. Much appreciated.

 

[Miami Reef]

This is what I use:

 

[Ziggy17]

These are the only two available on our Amazon

 

[Miami Reef]

These are the only two available on our Amazon

Both are fine. IMO.

They are very expensive. Wow.

You can get dibasic, trisodium, or monobasic.

Whichever is easiest to source. The difference between them is very minor and they’re interchangeable.

I like the loudwolf because it was a purity grading, but any of the others would be more than fine IMO.

 

[Miami Reef]

@Ziggy17

Not to derail the thread, but how’s the coffee business doing?

 

[Fish Fan]

I will also add my thoughts in the morning. It's getting late here and I'm crashing.

Have a great night, brother! Thank you for your help!

 

[IOAOI]

Same! Mines a WB25 and all the skimmer have been challenging or don't fit well with a radion mount. We need a 25g HOB skimmer @IOAOI

Thanks for the shout-out. Really appreciate you thinking of me.
We do have one. But its miniature size makes it particularly sensitive to even minor water parameter fluctuations. Small changes in water quality or just 1-2cm variance in water level can easily cause overflow issues or microbubble leaks, requiring frequent adjustments that some hobbyists find tedious.

 

[Fish Fan]

Thanks for the shout-out. Really appreciate you thinking of me.
We do have one. But its miniature size makes it particularly sensitive to even minor water parameter fluctuations. Small changes in water quality or just 1-2cm variance in water level can easily cause overflow issues or microbubble leaks, requiring frequent adjustments that some hobbyists find tedious.

Thank you for your reply here!

Interesting! Out of curiosity, would that fit in the back of my IM 25 lagoon AIO?

Thanks again!

 

[Ziggy17]

@Ziggy17

Not to derail the thread, but how’s the coffee business doing?

It’s holding its own. Peak times it does about $400hr, slower times $50/hr. It’s my wife’s business and she has fun as an owner op. It just doesn’t scale so it’s really tough to have it make enough to pay herself a decent salary. But she’s happy, so I’m happy :)

Appreciate you remembering and asking. I was actually going to change my avatar today when I created an sig, but I remembered our chat and left it up. It’s a beacon of a dumb question ahead! Haha

 

[Fish Fan]

It’s holding its own. Peak times it does about $400hr, slower times $50/hr. It’s my wife’s business and she has fun as an owner op. It just doesn’t scale so it’s really tough to have it make enough to pay herself a decent salary. It she’s happy, so I’m happy :)

Appreciate you remembering and asking. I was actually going to change my avatar today when I created an sig, but I remembered our chat and left it up. It’s a beacon of a dumb question ahead! Haha

That's very cool, congrats to your wife if she's able to be even a little successful in a very tough industry. When I was much younger I worked in a lot restaurants, all different positions, front and back of the house. I have often thought I'd really like my own restaurant, but don't have anywhere near the capitol, and it's such a risky endeavor.

But just the other day I was telling my wife maybe I could do some kind of little coffee shop type place. Coffee, as well as some baked goods, maybe some breakfast sammiches, that kind of thing. Low cost, lower risk, no liquor license or a ton of staff. I think of stuff like this, but I don't know if I could really be successful at it. And, I worry that I couldn't ever take a vacation because I'd be tied to the place, unless I found some unicorn of a manager I could trust. But I do miss food and bev, it's fast-paced and exciting.

Anyway, I just think that's really great that your wife can have her own thing like that, and it's making her happy. Good job!

And now I totally get your avatar; please don't change it, it suits you lol!

Thanks for the replies here; good conversation is always welcomed in my threads, even if it's not about fish tanks

 

[Miami Reef]

It’s holding its own. Peak times it does about $400hr, slower times $50/hr. It’s my wife’s business and she has fun as an owner op. It just doesn’t scale so it’s really tough to have it make enough to pay herself a decent salary. But she’s happy, so I’m happy :)

Appreciate you remembering and asking. I was actually going to change my avatar today when I created an sig, but I remembered our chat and left it up. It’s a beacon of a dumb question ahead! Haha

You were actually conversing with Randy. He asked what the chemical compound was. You said it was Caffeine in reference to your coffee business (I think it was a truck)

I just happened to stumble across it and my brain decided it wanted to engrave that information in my head.

 

[Ziggy17]

That's very cool, congrats to your wife if she's able to be even a little successful in a very tough industry. When I was much younger I worked in a lot restaurants, all different positions, front and back of the house. I have often thought I'd really like my own restaurant, but don't have anywhere near the capitol, and it's such a risky endeavor.

But just the other day I was telling my wife maybe I could do some kind of little coffee shop type place. Coffee, as well as some baked goods, maybe some breakfast sammiches, that kind of thing. Low cost, lower risk, no liquor license or a ton of staff. I think of stuff like this, but I don't know if I could really be successful at it. And, I worry that I couldn't ever take a vacation because I'd be tied to the place, unless I found some unicorn of a manager I could trust. But I do miss food and bev, it's fast-paced and exciting.

Anyway, I just think that's really great that your wife can have her own thing like that, and it's making her happy. Good job!

And now I totally get your avatar; please don't change it, it suits you lol!

Thanks for the replies here; good conversation is always welcomed in my threads, even if it's not about fish tanks

Thanks man. Yeah. It’s really a tough business. I grew up in food and Bev, like you. And it was my mistress for decades until I couldn’t juggle that and real life.

Like you, we discussed it, decided to try and boom. We do a lot of baked as well, but profits on that stuff in under 20% So it inflates your sales numbers but really doesn’t hit the bottom line like you would hope it would. :)

 

[Ziggy17]

You were actually conversing with Randy. He asked what the chemical compound was. You said it was Caffeine in reference to your coffee business (I think it was a truck)

I just happened to stumble across it and my brain decided it wanted to engrave that information in my head.

Haha. You, Randy, I conflated you two as you both will forget more than I’ll ever learn on the chemistry side. So I’m always happy when one of you two answer. Albeit Randy is a bit of a god in terms of smartest guys in the room that we have the privilege to learn from.

 

[Miami Reef]

Haha. You, Randy, I conflated you two as you both will forget more than I’ll ever learn on the chemistry side. So I’m always happy when one of you two answer. Albeit Randy is a bit of a god in terms of smartest guys in the room that we have the privilege to learn from.

Haha.

Randy’s the best. He can’t be topped!

 

[Fish Fan]

Thanks man. Yeah. It’s really a tough business. I grew up in food and Bev, like you. And it was my mistress for decades until I couldn’t juggle that and real life.

Like you, we discussed it, decided to try and boom. We do a lot of baked as well, but profits on that stuff in under 20% So it inflates your sales numbers but really doesn’t hit the bottom line like you would hope it would. :)

I get it, it's a tough nut to crack, so to speak, but good job to both of you!

I got away from restaurant life when I realized I was always working nights, weekends, and holidays, with no heath insurance or many other benefits. When everyone I knew was getting together for parties or holidays, I was working. But I always really liked food service, it's insanely fast-paced and stressful, and you really have to think on your feet. I know I would be a great restaurant owner (I've managed more than one), but it's just so much capitol that I don't have, plus staff, and lot's of headaches. But it's a very cool industry for sure

 

[Fish Fan]

Haha.

Randy’s the best. He can’t be topped!

RHF has been the guy since back on the old Reef Central days (and likely before!), but you are no slouch sir! I always appreciate your help and posts

 

[Troylee]

I wish I could help ya but I’ve never ran a fishless tank.. how are the nitrates even getting that high? Are you dosing them? Keep dosing phosphate and get it up while changing water to get the n03 down.. once they’re down then bacto balance is a great choice, I use it. It won’t really drop numbers it locks them in! It also contains p04 and n03 to keep ya from bottoming out.