Struggling with Nitrate & Phosphate

[Hallowhead]

You don’t want food sitting at the bottom decomposing

You want fish and corals eating it and using it to grow and energy. With the waste turning into nitrates

Decomposing shrimp -> ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrates!

 

[Justforkiks]

So I was considering chaeto refuge but I wasn't sure that would help. Do you think it will? What light did you use for them to grow? I have marine pure bricks in the back of the AIO so maybe too much media??

Chemipure blue & purigen running as well

Imo you're running too much chemical filtration drop the purigen and chemipure blue. Switch to a good carbon to keep the water clear and increase feeding. If your phosphate gets too high you can use some phospate rx it will bind it up and allow you to easily skim it out. Buy honestly if you slowly increase your feeding you shouldn't have any spikes in phos. Also the api test kits aren't very accurate try salifert or red sea for nitrate.

 

[Droberts0724]

I typically take a small chunk of a block like 1/32 dissolve in tank water and than dump the slurry into the tank.

That would probably work too! I spot feed and my tank would get phosphates and nitrates nothing high but I wanted mine at 0 not 5ppm for nitrates and .25 for phosphates....what kit are you testing with?

 

[Big G]

Wouldn't I want to add those nitrates & phosphates to get them off zero? Or you're saying naturally just feeding them more strained food will raise it? Would raising nitrate and phosphate take care of my dino's or is that a whole other process?

Yep. I use food to raise and balance my nitrate/phosphate levels in my tank. So this way you are not kinda starving your fish, too. Raising the levels will help with a bunch of issues with algaes, etc. But sand cleaning, stirring, etc. is still required.

 

[Hallowhead]

Yep. I use food to raise and balance my nitrate/phosphate levels in my tank. So this way you are not kinda starving your fish, too. Raising the levels will help with a bunch of issues with algaes, etc. But sand cleaning, stirring, etc. is still required.

Can you explain the slurry suggestion a little more? I am a bit confused still. I will begin feeding mysis everyday. Would you suggest some ghost feeding?

 

[Big G]

Can you explain the slurry suggestion a little more? I am a bit confused still. I will begin feeding mysis everyday. Would you suggest some ghost feeding?

"Slurry"? I stir the sand in my tank each day. It helps the snails, and prevents diatoms, etc. from building up in the sand.

For the food I keep 7-8 different types of frozen fish cubes: mysis, brine, chopped clams, mussels, seaweed, cyclops, coral mix, etc.
Take one of each type and place into a tupperware dish and put into your fridge to melt (slump). Mix a bit. Then strain off the excess liquid (I pour mine through a fine metal strainer). That liquid is loaded with nitrates and phosphates. So what remains is a lump of fish food. You can add a couple of drops of vitamins like Selcon, Zoecon, etc. if desired. The mix will stay good in your fridge for a few days of feeding. I feed enough for my fish to eat in a couple of minutes, twice a day. After doing this for awhile you'll get the hang of how much to feed to keep those nitrates and phosphates where you want them. So test once a day until you figure out what you tank needs and then adjust how much you feed.

 

[Hallowhead]

"Slurry"? I stir the sand in my tank each day. It helps the snails, and prevents diatoms, etc. from building up in the sand.

For the food I keep 7-8 different types of frozen fish cubes: mysis, brine, chopped clams, mussels, seaweed, cyclops, coral mix, etc.
Take one of each type and place into a tupperware dish and put into your fridge to melt (slump). Mix a bit. Then strain off the excess liquid (I pour mine through a fine metal strainer). That liquid is loaded with nitrates and phosphates. So what remains is a lump of fish food. You can add a couple of drops of vitamins like Selcon, Zoecon, etc. if desired. The mix will stay good in your fridge for a few days of feeding. I feed enough for my fish to eat in a couple of minutes, twice a day. After doing this for awhile you'll get the hang of how much to feed to keep those nitrates and phosphates where you want them. So test once a day until you figure out what you tank needs and then adjust how much you feed.

Why wouldn't I pour the strained off liquid full of nitrates into the tank right now ? as a means to increase the nitrates to a healthy level.

 

[Big G]

Yeah, I tried that once. Massive GHA outbreak Nothing good happens fast in this hobby. Slowly raising those levels was the best move for me. But of course your mileage could vary as all tanks are different. That's one of the cool things about this hobby - experimenting to find out what works for you.

 

[Hallowhead]

Yeah, I tried that once. Massive GHA outbreak Nothing good happens fast in this hobby. Slowly raising those levels was the best move for me. But of course your mileage could vary as all tanks are different. That's one of the cool things about this hobby - experimenting to find out what works for you.

I am not sure if I have GHA or dino's that's the problem. I will start your method of more often controlled feeding. Need to get a screen of some sort.

 

[Big G]

I am not sure if I have GHA or dino's that's the problem. I will start your method of more often controlled feeding. Need to get a screen of some sort.

This is similar to the strainer I use, but mine is small. About 3" diameter mesh.

 

[Hallowhead]

This is similar to the strainer I use, but mine is small. About 3" diameter mesh.

I'm gonna do my first round of feeding ! I'm thinking mysis in morning spectrum life before work

 

[Hallowhead]

What do we think I have??

 

[rolyguy7]

If you’re having trouble with low nitrates may I suggest adding more fish to increase nitrate production? You can also manually dose potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate. There’s an online calculator for dosing nitrates that works well. I dose potassium nitrate whenever my nitrates get too close to 0-5ppm. I keep mine at 10ppm. I have a lot of corals an not many fish so I I have the same issue. Problem with nitrates at 0ppm is some of your coral will start to starve.

Here’s the calculator if you decide to dose. Search reef2reef for threads on dosing sodium and potassium nitrate if you’d like more info.

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

 

[Hallowhead]

If you’re having trouble with low nitrates may I suggest adding more fish to increase nitrate production? You can also manually dose potassium nitrate or sodium nitrate. There’s an online calculator for dosing nitrates that works well. I dose potassium nitrate whenever my nitrates get too close to 0-5ppm. I keep mine at 10ppm. I have a lot of corals an not many fish so I I have the same issue. Problem with nitrates at 0ppm is some of your coral will start to starve.

Here’s the calculator if you decide to dose. Search reef2reef for threads on dosing sodium and potassium nitrate if you’d like more info.

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm

I will be adding more fish and dosing food like there is no tomorrow... at a controlled rate though.

 

[rolyguy7]

Dosing food doesn’t cut it most of the time. You end up creating ammonia with the excess food and still have corals starving. I’ve been keeping Reef’s for 20+ years. I know what I’m talking about.

Adding fish is the best way to go. But in the interim, you may want to dose a little nitrate. Your corals will thank you for it.

 

[Hallowhead]

Dosing food doesn’t cut it most of the time. You end up creating ammonia with the excess food and still have corals starving. I’ve been keeping Reef’s for 20+ years. I know what I’m talking about.

Adding fish is the best way to go. But in the interim, you may want to dose a little nitrate. Your corals will thank you for it.

Maybe I'll take a look at the lfs tomorrow

 

[Katrina71]

I'd pull the purigen. Keep the chemipure blue. Keep feeding the way you are. Pull the skimmer offline for 4 hrs a day to start. Imo.

 

[LuizW13]

Dose a little bit of Nitrates everyday; easier than over feeding in my opinion.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I have a similar issue that I have zero phosphates and algae but I do have nitrates of around 10 though. I've got a 90litre tank so about 23us gallon.
I've only got 2 clowns and a watchman goby so I don't give them loads of food I also have a couple of hermits and had snails which seemed to all have died! There maybe be a nassarius in the sand. But all my sps have died over the last 2 months they started to pale so started looking for issues,
My nitrate showed 10 and my last salifert phosphate kit showed 0.25 so didn't think of phosphates as an issue but I borrowed a hanna off a friend that showed 0, so I purchased a new salifert one this Saturday and that also shows zero.
The old one still shows 0.25! in the bin that goes. It's still in date which is annoying.
After reading up a bit on here there are recommendations of dosing or up the feeding, to start I'm upping my feeding to 2 times a day so only 3 days in and phosphates still show zero. I'm tempted to get a new fish as I used to have a royal gramma as well. Just have to convince the boss first though

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I had the same issue , algae was locking up the nutrients . When it died nutrients was back in . I used vibrant , then Dino x with a reduced 6 hr photo period. Worked for me .