Why wont my nitrates go up

[jhaggerty1990]

My phophates and nitrates bottomed out. I assume bc my skimmer, refugium, and gfo on a 25g. Think i got it to clean. About a week ago I removed the gfo, turned the refugium light off, turned the skimmer off, and began double feeding. Still reading 0 on both possibly like 1 or 2 on nitrates. About how long do you think until they might go up? I know i can dose both but trying to do it organically

 

[everpresentnoob]

I've been fighting the same thing in my 75gallon. Turned off my skimmer, don't have a fuge or gfo. I even pulled the hose off my reefmat. Been feeding three cubes of mysis and a generous sprinkle of pellets trying to get them up...

 

[TX_REEF]

assuming your test kits are good and you're testing properly, the only reason should be your corals and/or coralline algae are consuming nutrients. I had to shut off my skimmer, ramp up feeding and dose nitrate to get mine detectible.

 

[everpresentnoob]

I dosed neonitro for three days, the recommended 1 capful a day to add .5ppm to my 75 gallon. But then my Duncan refused to open so I stopped in case it was reacting badly to the dosing. My tank was barely showing any nitrates at that point then did a weekly water change a couple days later and back to 0... Granted this is testing with an API kit, so.... Yea....

 

[TX_REEF]

I would recommend a different test kit, API can be hit or miss. The red sea master saltwater is pretty good in my experience: https://amzn.to/3E5H0wS

 

[rtparty]

Dosing them is much easier and cleaner than trying to raise them with food alone

 

[jhaggerty1990]

I am using api for nitrates so I guess Ill change that. Phos I have hannah checker

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I am using api for nitrates so I guess Ill change that. Phos I have hannah checker

Change to either salifert or hanna to test nitrates!