Phosphate/Nitrate levels

[Plankton]

Been working on getting my two tanks stable at near NSW levels. For awhile I’ll have it dialin in but then it drifts.

ph, alk, ca, mg, salinity all normal

current phosphate/ nitrate levels however: phosphate is ok but nitrates super low and yeah I have fish, feed them everyday and have chaeto on alt light cycle:

25G lagoon: phos=0.16; nitrate0.91
75G: phos=0.09; nitrate = 0.01

PS just sent in samples to ATI labs

 

[jhuynh]

try dry skimming?

 

[JVU]

It’s pretty common to have phosphate drift up and nitrate drift down in a reef tank. I basically think of it as normal. This is due to a slight imbalance between the phosphate to nitrate ratios in what you feed vs the ratio of consumption in your tank.

The easiest and most direct way to raise nitrate specifically is to just dose nitrate. I use Brightwell Neo-Nitro but there are lots of good options. One of the great things about dosing nitrate specifically is that you can just dose whatever you test or dose guesstimate amounts rather than using a precise dosing pump since relatively rapid increases and decreases are not harmful, and absolute amounts are not too important, unlike other reef parameters.

To lower phosphate, again you have options but easiest is dosing nitrate if you have a strong refugium. Or GFO if not.

 

[Plankton]

@JVU - Thanks for the feedback and recommendations and will try dosing brightwell nitrates to balance my tank.

here is latest pic of baby home wrecker just for fun.

 

[sfsuphysics]

damn even your frag plug looks colorful

 

[Coral reefer]

Maybe remove chaeto if you want nitrates to go up?

 

[Plankton]

Maybe remove chaeto if you want nitrates to go up?

I love my chaeto garden but it’s maybe too productive so have been thinking of maybe reducing photo period from 12 hours to like 8?

 

[Plankton]

damn even your frag plug looks colorful

LOL yeah corraline algae is taking off now. HR doing good but I have a couple other corals that are pale so starting to think it’s because my phosphate and nitrate levels are not stable.

 

[Coral reefer]

LOL yeah corraline algae is taking off now. HR doing good but I have a couple other corals that are pale so starting to think it’s because my phosphate and nitrate levels are not stable.

I would suspect low rather than unstable.

 

[Plankton]

Starting to feed pellets to fish now cuz they are far more nutrient dense, anthias love them and should result in higher nitrates/phosphates. We shall see

 

[Coral reefer]

Starting to feed pellets to fish now cuz they are far more nutrient dense, anthias love them and should result in higher nitrates/phosphates. We shall see

I would suspect more of a bump in phosphates than nitrates with most food. Watch out

 

[Plankton]

Thanks for heads up. I ordered some brightwell nitrates and will start dosing to balance N/P. Sorry and by ‘balance’ of course I don’t mean 1:1 but something like 16:1 N to P.

 

[Plankton]

Here is plan: take nitrate/phosphate measurements, dose 0.5 ml NeoTitro, wait 24 hours then measure again.

Today’s measurement : 0.12 phosphates; 0.00 nitrates.

 

[H2OPlayar]

Just do a 20% water change with my tank water, you'll have as many nitrates as you want!

 

[JVU]

Thanks for heads up. I ordered some brightwell nitrates and will start dosing to balance N/P. Sorry and by ‘balance’ of course I don’t mean 1:1 but something like 16:1 N to P.

If you are referencing the redfield ratio for nitrate and phosphate, it is 10:1 once you account for molecular weights. 16:1 is N : P