Two in two days...

[OA3B]

Hey every one

So I’ve been battling high nitrates for some time(20-40 ppm per API.) Getting gha sprouts here and there. Done some research and got convinced into starting the Red Sea reef care program.
But I was still leery of this product, but every one is say nopox is the way to go for ridding gha. So for the recommended dosage is 3 ml per 25 gal for the amount of nitrates, 12 ml total for a 90 gallon. Thinking to myself, I’m going to go under the dosage amount starting off.
So Saturday I dosed 9 ml of nopox. Sunday even while at work, I got text from my wife saying that the we lost my bullet (bullet goby). No decay of the fish, she got it out. I dosed another 9 ml of nopox Sunday night. This morning I doing my weekly 20 gallon water change. I notice Mr. Crabs (coral banded shrimp) is not moving.

Is the nopox killing my tank slowly? I’m terrified if this really happening. I have 2 tangs (scopas, mimic), 2 tomato clowns, lawnmower blenny. I’m on edge at the moment. Should I dose another round of nopox tonight or hold off?

 

[Flippers4pups]

How old is the tank?

What's your source water?

API kits have been known to be not very accurate.

What's all of your water parameters?

What lights do you use?

 

[PirateDan]

I think I would hold off

 

[sfin52]

How old is the tank?

What's your source water?

API kits have been known to be not very accurate.

What's all of your water parameters?

What lights do you use?

Agree

 

[Flippers4pups]

Nopox is nothing more than carbon dosing, like vodka or vinegar. It's nothing more than ethanol and methanol. I would hold off dosing this product until you have a good clear picture of your current water parameters.

 

[OA3B]

The tanks is 6 months under my care. It was running by previous owner for over a year. I moved while it was still up running. I used ro/di water with 0 tds. I know API is terrible I’m waiting on my Red Sea algae control test kit (end of the week delivery).

10 dkh
8.4 ph
20-40 nitrates
.10-.25 phosphate
1.025 salinity
2 AI primes (saxby setting)

 

[Flippers4pups]

The tanks is 6 months under my care. It was running by previous owner for over a year. I moved while it was still up running. I used ro/di water with 0 tds. I know API is terrible I’m waiting on my Red Sea algae control test kit (end of the week delivery).

10 dkh
8.4 ph
20-40 nitrates
.10-.25 phosphate
1.025 salinity
2 AI primes (saxby setting)

I'd hold off till you get better kits, especially the P04.

 

[Hemmdog]

The tanks is 6 months under my care. It was running by previous owner for over a year. I moved while it was still up running. I used ro/di water with 0 tds. I know API is terrible I’m waiting on my Red Sea algae control test kit (end of the week delivery).

10 dkh
8.4 ph
20-40 nitrates
.10-.25 phosphate
1.025 salinity
2 AI primes (saxby setting)

Phosphates is your issues with the gha. Just run some gfo for a week or two. Should help dramatically. Sorry about your fish losses. I don’t think it’s the Nopox though. Although your dose does seem high. On my 90gal even when my nitrates were super high at 40, I only dosed 3ml max. Now I dose 2ml daily, keeps me at about 10 nitrate. Gfo I run as needed, seems to be a bag of chemipure elite for a week or two once every 3 months. I’ve had success with this in two tanks.

 

[OA3B]

So run some GFO (chemipure elite) for the time being and hold off with the nopox. Is that a unanimous vote?

Phosphates is your issues with the gha. Just run some gfo for a week or two. Should help dramatically. Sorry about your fish losses. I don’t think it’s the Nopox though. Although your dose does seem high. On my 90gal even when my nitrates were super high at 40, I only dosed 3ml max. Now I dose 2ml daily, keeps me at about 10 nitrate. Gfo I run as needed, seems to be a bag of chemipure elite for a week or two once every 3 months. I’ve had success with this in two tanks.

 

[Hemmdog]

So run some GFO (chemipure elite) for the time being and hold off with the nopox. Is that a unanimous vote?

Just tone down the Nopox, I wouldn’t completely end it. But yea chemipure elite is good stuff. It helps with phosphate issues for sure.

 

[OA3B]

I’m dosing 9 ml of just nopox. Should I do 6 ml or 3 ml nopox with some chemipure.

PS. I also been running granulated carbon. Will that be a problem?

 

[mike321]

I’m dosing 9 ml of just nopox. Should I do 6 ml or 3 ml nopox with some chemipure.

PS. I also been running granulated carbon. Will that be a problem?

I would do half the recommended dose of nopox.

 

[Hemmdog]

They are different so that’s fine. I’d do 6 for a week then down to 3. Check your nitrates and see what’s going on a few times a week.

I’m dosing 9 ml of just nopox. Should I do 6 ml or 3 ml nopox with some chemipure.

PS. I also been running granulated carbon. Will that be a problem?

 

[Flippers4pups]

Using chemicals to address the elevated N03 and P04 is considered by some as a bandaid for what's causing them to be high. N03 at elevated levels isn't necessarily bad. Some systems can handle them at your level just fine. I'm one that can get away with them at 30-40 ppm. Though your Phosphates are high at .1-.2 is high.

What's causing this? We've ruled out source water.

During the six months of your care, did the tank have elevated N03 and P04 all this time?

A bigger picture is needed to keep you from constantly adding chemicals to address the issues your having.

A picture of the tank would help me understand a great deal. In the case of your GHA issues, what lighting are you using? Duration of photo period? Intensity?

 

[OA3B]

Using chemicals to address the elevated N03 and P04 is considered by some as a bandaid for what's causing them to be high. N03 at elevated levels isn't necessarily bad. Some systems can handle them at your level just fine. I'm one that can get away with them at 30-40 ppm. Though your Phosphates are high at .1-.2 is high.

What's causing this? We've ruled out source water.

During the six months of your care, did the tank have elevated N03 and P04 all this time?

A bigger picture is needed to keep you from constantly adding chemicals to address the issues your having.

A picture of the tank would help me understand a great deal. In the case of your GHA issues, what lighting are you using? Duration of photo period? Intensity?

I agree with adding chemicals, I really would prefer not to, but I’m not winning. It’s like this is my last resort. I test twice a week, plus do weekly water changes, blowing off the rocks.
I been using the API (I used a magnetic stirrer) test kit for the time I’ve had the tank. I’m just lately upgrading to Red Sea test kits. I will continue to use the magnetic stirrer, because I find that easier than constant shaking needed.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Quick question. Are you running a skimmer? If not, carbon dosing elevates bacteria growth. A sudden growth in bacteria could be depleting O2 in the tank. If you are running a skimmer, run it wet and make sure that you have good aeration of your tank water.

 

[OA3B]

Yeah I’m skimming wet...
It’s a light to dark skim produced, plus a air stone

 

[OA3B]

I would like to take the opportunity to say thanks to all that have replied and given me some insight on my problem.

Thanks again

 

[SPR1968]

Your Nopox dose sounds about right and yes you can leave the activated carbon in place. I wouldn’t have thought it would have any effect at all on your fish and I’ve never read anything to this effect and Nopox is widely used. If your concerned, maybe start off at a lower dose of say 6ml and then slowly increase up as your system adjusts

You should start to see the nitrate levels drop as the Nopox kicks in, and it’s just a matter of balancing the dose with what’s happening in your system. Just make very fine adjustments. If it doesn’t drop within a few weeks just increase the dose by 1ml extra per day every week until it starts to fall and if the nitrate drops again back of the dosage slightly. You will soon get the hang of it.

It’s not very good at phosphate control, so you may need to run GFO along side it, (I use rhowaphos) and despite what Red Sea say this is fine and many of us do this. You will need to change the GFO often to start as it removes the phosphate otherwise it won’t work. You don’t have many corals but just watch them and if you notice any adverse efffects use less GFO to start so it doesn’t drop the level to quick.

As the phosphate is removed from the tank you should see things improve and the GHA start to die off, but it could take time so just be patient

Then just keep phosphate locked down at around 0.03ppm and nitrate, well opinion differs but say around 10ppm ish

 

[MrObscura]

I wouldnt have freaked at your levels. Overreacting and trying to reduce them quickly is likely to cause more problems than the nutrients themselves... Trust me I speak from experience.

40ppm no3 and 0.25 po4, while higher than I'd aim for are not going to do any harm to your tank, especially short term. Waterchanges, maybe a little phosphate remover and patience would have brought them down. I personally aim to just keep no3 around 20ppm or so and po4 around 1 or lower now.