Struggling to keep Nitrates & Phosphates with a tank full of Tangs

[Merge_595]

for the first several months that I set up my 200 gallon I had the same issues lots of fish lots of feeding no nitrates or phosphate. It wasn’t a big deal the tank flourished, and like was said before eventually it accumulates and you have sustainable levels of both.
For nitrate edition, I suggest looking into dosing ammonia. There is a long thread on it. I like it. For phosphate addition I like to feed reef roids once or twice per week the phosphate levels linger.

Great information I've been hearing about dosing ammonia a lot lately I'm going to add some Tim's ammonia..I know reef roids add a ton of phosphates I've been hesitant bcuz I don't want a green hair algae issue either. How much ammonia tho???? 0.05? .1????

 

[Merge_595]

my dream. Having to add po4 instead of how can I keep it from climbing.

Was mine too years ago was a STRUGGLE

 

[Merge_595]

Maybe shut the skimmer down. Running a roller, sock? Let them overflow.

Mannnnnn..my PH would crash if I turn my skimmer off it's like fixing 1 problem to start another. No roller mat I'm scared of the smell..if i turn my skimmer off I'd be lucky if I hit 8.1 at peak bcuz I have the intake ran directly from outside..I did tune it extremely low tho

 

[exnisstech]

Ya I couldn't tell you what the pH is on any of my tanks lol. Ignorance is bliss

 

[Merge_595]

Ya I couldn't tell you what the pH is on any of my tanks lol. Ignorance is bliss

I'll say this..they say don’t chase PH but when my PH hits 8.4 my alkalinity consumption increases BIG TIME..

 

[Merge_595]

I'm going to pick up some reef roids tomorrow(I really don't like it I rather benepets)to get this phos up..anyone know anything about this ammonia dosing??? Seen a video on YouTube about it a while ago & someone mentioned it in this thread..

 

[Merge_595]

Caught my LFS man here comes green hair algae!

 

[Crabby48]

Was mine too years ago was a STRUGGLE

Sorry if I missed it but what food do you feed? Also what changed from you having high po4 and now struggling keeping po4?

 

[Crabby48]

I'm going to pick up some reef roids tomorrow(I really don't like it I rather benepets)to get this phos up..anyone know anything about this ammonia dosing??? Seen a video on YouTube about it a while ago & someone mentioned it in this thread..

I dosed ammonia on tanks that were cycling or only had few fish in big new systems to feed bacteria and not have the waste of rotten food.
I don’t remember the dosages though as it’s been a couple years

 

[Merge_595]

Sorry if I missed it but what food do you feed? Also what changed from you having high po4 and now struggling keeping po4?

This has been my food of choice for the last 6 year's. I did try different things tho..reef roids(the worse with phosphates)benepets I love it doesn't move phosphates at all..& different liquid foods..I cut everything out & went from a nyos 160 skimmer to a nyos 220..that's it

 

[Merge_595]

I dosed ammonia on tanks that were cycling or only had few fish in big new systems to feed bacteria and not have the waste of rotten food.
I don’t remember the dosages though as it’s been a couple years

I was watching a video on YouTube these guys who been in the hobby 20+ years was dosing ammonia to established reefs..I'll revisit that video

 

[Crabby48]

This has been my food of choice for the last 6 year's. I did try different things tho..reef roids(the worse with phosphates)benepets I love it doesn't move phosphates at all..& different liquid foods..I cut everything out & went from a nyos 160 skimmer to a nyos 220..that's it

Interesting. Thank you for the tip on benepeta. I wouldn’t try them thinking they wouldn’t be much better then reef roids.
You can dose po4 but not sure how you feel about that.

 

[JGT]

Probably more reading than you care for but this is a good thread on dosing ammonia.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

 

[Merge_595]

Interesting. Thank you for the tip on benepeta. I wouldn’t try them thinking they wouldn’t be much better then reef roids.
You can dose po4 but not sure how you feel about that.

Benepets is absolutely amazing especially for lps & softies soon as it hit the tank every coral would reach like it's no tomorrow I was on it early because I know one of the investors..before they had product for Acros..your PO4 won't move AT ALL..& I'm dosing PO4 I'll get a reading then right back to 0 the next day

 

[Merge_595]

Probably more reading than you care for but this is a good thread on dosing ammonia.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

Nah im always up for a good read THANKS!

 

[Crabby48]

Benepets is absolutely amazing especially for lps & softies soon as it hit the tank every coral would reach like it's no tomorrow I was on it early because I know one of the investors..before they had product for Acros..your PO4 won't move AT ALL..& I'm dosing PO4 I'll get a reading then right back to 0 the next day

Randy on R2R could probably tell you what to use to make your own easy. I got mine from fish of hex as I’m lazy. I use to make my own no3 years back. Not sure how much you will need but figured you may have cheaper option if needed

 

[Merge_595]

Randy on R2R could probably tell you what to use to make your own easy. I got mine from fish of hex as I’m lazy. I use to make my own no3 years back. Not sure how much you will need but figured you may have cheaper option if needed

I tried fish of hex phyto maybe 4/5 years ago my PO4 definitely spiked I completely forgot about that lol..

 

[Merge_595]

Probably more reading than you care for but this is a good thread on dosing ammonia.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

Appreciate it good read going to add some Ammonia I have left over from Dr.Tims I used for the cycle!!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Great information I've been hearing about dosing ammonia a lot lately I'm going to add some Tim's ammonia..I know reef roids add a ton of phosphates I've been hesitant bcuz I don't want a green hair algae issue either. How much ammonia tho???? 0.05? .1????

Just beware that Tims ammonia (ammonium chloride I believe) will deplete alkalinity and is not intended for regular dosing so may not have the desired purity for ongoing use (don't know since there's no purity data provided on it that I have seen). I think food grade ammonium bicarbonate is a better best for most folks:

DIY Ammonia dosing for low nitrate systems

Some reef aquaria have chronic low nitrogen availability. One indicator is very low nitrate. Nitrate dosing is a fine remedy, but it is possible that ammonia dosing may be more beneficial for some organisms since ammonia can be energetically easier to assimilate than is nitrate. For this...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Magic031707]

What are you guy's/gals using. I remember the day's of struggling to keep it from being high..now I can't keep just barely enough..stopped dosing bacteria..tuned the skimmer down..dosing almost daily..always back to almost nothing PO4 0.01 NO3 1..

Flakes and pellets