When to start dosing nitrates?

[GobyGuy]

When should I start being concerned about 0 nitrates?

moved up 5gal kept the rock and filter floss abt 3 weeks ago ish

30 gallon

AC70 hob with:
Old Filter Floss (just rinse it in wc water and put it back in)
Chemipure elite (year old jar but was left sealed in proper temp)
Matrix in bag (2weeks old)

Eshopps Nano Skimmer

2 clowns, 1 YWG/pistol pair
29 gal CUC from reef cleaners (10 hermits 40 snails mostly dwarf

2 inch sand bed (new with tank) mix of fine sand and gravel

I have been testing at
8-9dkh
~8ph
~32ppb phorus (I think it’s like .06ppm phate)
1.023-1.026 salinity

I have increased feeding to 3 times a day and including Red Sea coral energy AB into fish food (mix of brine and pellets) and broad casting corals the rest of AB dose, when should I be concerned that heavily feeding is not increasing my nitrates / the AB is their lifeline as I have seen no change in coral- colors don’t look awful but growth is kinda non existent

nitrates have been undetectable almost all 3 weeks, I did add 70-80% of a full bottle of stability throughout the first week of tank transfer from 5 gal as I added the matrix and new liferock at that time and did not want the fish to succumb to ammonia

water changes are weekly skipped this past week as I do not want to remove nitrates

 

[Spare time]

As long as you dose reef energy daily, you can stay with low nitrate. It is basically a tasty nitrogen supplement

 

[Lavey29]

Take out the chemipure and just run carbon for now. Maybe run skimmer half a day.

You never registered nitrates after cycling the new tank?

 

[doubleshot00]

I think going from such a small tank to a big tank may have been the problem. You should have just cycled the new tank. Then added the old contents.

 

[Uncle99]

Try a different test kit.
Very unlikely you are at actual 0.
You have fish, your cycled, theirs ammonia, must be some nitrate IMM.
If your absolutely certain it’s near zero, just bump it up with say neo-nitro and retest.

 

[Spare time]

Take out the chemipure and just run carbon for now. Maybe run skimmer half a day.

You never registered nitrates after cycling the new tank?

Eh the elite wouldn't do anything noticeable for nitrate. Its just carbon and gfo (with a resin that it useless in salt water)

 

[GobyGuy]

As long as you dose reef energy daily, you can stay with low nitrate. It is basically a tasty nitrogen supplement

I had thought as much as several thread I read mentioned it could be the sole food source -just want to give these zoas the world :’) lol

I think going from such a small tank to a big tank may have been the problem. You should have just cycled the new tank. Then added the old contents.

yeah in hindsight, I was convinced that it wouldn’t recycle as the live rock I’ve had in my smaller tank has developed the micro bac to handle the bio load/demand of the current inhabitants in the bigger tank ( I didn’t add any new fish with larger tank)

Try a different test kit.
Very unlikely you are at actual 0.
You have fish, your cycled, theirs ammonia, must be some nitrate IMM.
If your absolutely certain it’s near zero, just bump it up with say neo-nitro and retest.

yeah I am going to LFS tomorrow I guess I am learning that even with Hanna/NYOS test kits it’s better to not rely on one result only - it’s been about 2.5 weeks of actively watching and although in the NYOS test it is not showing pure white as in 0, it is not yellow enough to be 1ppm the next measurable “color” on the test

 

[Lavey29]

Eh the elite wouldn't do anything noticeable for nitrate. Its just carbon and gfo (with a resin that it useless in salt water)

It reduces organic waste which ends up as detritus and then nitrates.

 

[GobyGuy]

It reduces organic waste which ends up as detritus and then nitrates.

is this the same way skimmers “reduce” nitrates

 

[Lavey29]

is this the same way skimmers “reduce” nitrates

Exactly

Internet - Protein skimmers help maintain low nitrate levels by retarding nitrate buildup. They remove organic waste before it has a chance to break down and release nitrogen compounds. The use of a protein skimmer is essential in reef aquariums where a very low nitrate level is crucial for coral health.