Zero nitrates for 1 month and counting

[Reef Johnson]

Using a Hanna tester, I'm getting 0 nitrates in my mostly fish reef tank. Algae (looks line dinos, and minor bubble) is growing that I'm cleaning a couple days a week, letting the cleaning crew and tang have at it , feeding twice a day with a variety of dry and mysis shrimp, and running a reef mat advancing only .5 inch. Also, have a skimmer, I'm shutting down for 2 hours after 2x day feeding and at 30% intensity 12 hours a day. The fish are happy and healthy, corals not as happy and I'm going slow with them because of that.......but why am I unable to get any Nitrates? Except for slightly elevated calcium, all other parameters at recommended.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

If you believe you have dinos, zero nitrate is not a good idea.

I'd feed more or dose either ammonium bicarbonate, sodium nitrate, or calcium nitrate. Food grade is the way I would go.

 

[Reef Johnson]

Got it. Will try one of these food-grade elements but are rec. concentrations posted somewhere? (20 g. per liter?)
Still seems odd that nuisance algae is growing without detectable nitrates, unless it is taking what is available?

 

[Project1004]

How big is your tank and how many fishes do you have? I usually add fish when I need to increase my nitrate naturally. I currently have 9 small size fishes in a 48Gal and it keeps my nitrate 5-10ish.

 

[CaptainScuba]

Got it. Will try one of these food-grade elements but are rec. concentrations posted somewhere? (20 g. per liter?)
Still seems odd that nuisance algae is growing without detectable nitrates, unless it is taking what is available?

Randy, and the late Miami Reef have tons of formulations, math, and dosing recommendations posted for various DIY supplements in these threads:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-chemistry-archive.987116/ (randy)
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/miami-reef’s-reef-chemistry-articles.1070325/ (miami reef)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Got it. Will try one of these food-grade elements but are rec. concentrations posted somewhere? (20 g. per liter?)
Still seems odd that nuisance algae is growing without detectable nitrates, unless it is taking what is available?

Like a macroalgae refugium or algal turf scrubber, lots of algae will reduce nutrients.

 

[Reef Johnson]

How big is your tank and how many fishes do you have? I usually add fish when I need to increase my nitrate naturally. I currently have 9 small size fishes in a 48Gal and it keeps my nitrate 5-10ish.

I've got 90 g. All healthy - dwarf angel, tomini tang, and 14 smaller fish, and an array of clean-up- shrimp, and 2 urchins, and snails.