What’s considered ideal nutrients?

[Yourlocalreefer]

For me I’ve seen various answers from different reefers on what the ideal nutrients are for mixed reefs.

What are you thoughts on what a reefer should “Chase” in terms of nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

These are my thoughts, and the article has the justifications.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randy’s-thoughts-on-nutrient-target-ranges.1087/
4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

These are my thoughts, and the article has the justifications.

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/randy’s-thoughts-on-nutrient-target-ranges.1087/
4. What targets seem reasonable? Of course, that depends on all the other factors at play, such as types of corals, availability of ammonia, particulate foods, etc. However, for a mature mixed reef, this would be how I personally would run it:

• Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above 50 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by organic carbon dosing, turf or macroalgae, etc.
• Below 5 ppm, I’d begin to dose ammonia or feed more. The target level might drop lower if dosing ammonia, just like the heavy in/heavy out scenario where nitrate may not be as needed.
• Let phosphate float between about 0.06 ppm and 0.3 ppm. This range is higher than I’ve recommended in the past. I’d use gentle export in this range, such as growing macroalgae.
• Above about 0.3 ppm, I’d begin to focus more on reducing it, by turf or macroalgae, or a binder such as GFO or lanthanum (has its own risks to tangs). If a binder: GO SLOW. Turf and macroalgae will typically be slow enough.
• Below 0.06 ppm, I’d begin to dose sodium phosphate or feed more to get the level up.

Very nice article thank you!

 

[CHSUB]

If you start the process of nutrient control before you add water to your aquarium it makes the “Chase” easy.

Plan to stock with a moderate fish load and mostly fish that consume algae. Use a “large” amount of rock, but don’t overpack and insure flow so there are no detritus collecting dead zones. Plan on having a huge amount of coral that you directly feed at least a few times a week because corals are animals not plants.

After your tank is established no3 should, with minimal effort, be undetectable with hobby testing and po4 < 0.1.

Ideal nutrients start before the first fill….

 

[X-37B]

No chasing needed. Set your parameters in a range and focus on keeping them from drifting out of set parameters.
Have a plan for when they exceed setpoints.
My setpoints:
Temp 77-82
SG 1.026-1.027
Alk 7-8
Cal 400-500
Mag 1300-1400
No3 5-20
Po4 .05-.2
This works for all types of systems I run.

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

If you start the process of nutrient control before you add water to your aquarium it makes the “Chase” easy.

Plan to stock with a moderate fish load and mostly fish that consume algae. Use a “large” amount of rock, but don’t overpack and insure flow so there are no detritus collecting dead zones. Plan on having a huge amount of coral that you directly feed at least a few times a week because corals are animals not plants.

After your tank is established no3 should, with minimal effort, be undetectable with hobby testing and po4 < 0.1.

Ideal nutrients start before the first fill….

Thank you! Definitely better to start at the beginning rather than trying to control mid maturity

 

[Yourlocalreefer]

No chasing needed. Set your parameters in a range and focus on keeping them from drifting out of set parameters.
Have a plan for when they exceed setpoints.
My setpoints:
Temp 77-82
SG 1.026-1.027
Alk 7-8
Cal 400-500
Mag 1300-1400
No3 5-20
Po4 .05-.2
This works for all types of systems I run.

That’s a great range. If I may why 0.2 as the max?

 

[exnisstech]

Ideal for me is where a tank settles in naturally and runs with water changes and requires no dosing to raise or lower N and P. I am more concerned about bottomed out N and P vs what many consider too high. I've had dinos and also my low nutrient tanks are more proned to have nuisance algae.

 

[X-37B]

That’s a great range. If I may why 0.2 as the max?

No real reason.
I used to run <.1 but see no visable difference at 0.2.
So it's just the number I chose as my upper limit.
In my 150 when it gets to
0.2 I add 1/2 cup of P-minus and it brings it down to 0.05-0.1. That last a couple weeks and its back to 0.2.