nitrate dilemma

[russ-iv]

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im battling cyano as well.

i know cyano needs carbon and light to live... so im stuck with that.

however i need nitrates and traceable po4.

po4: .01
nitrates just barely above .05 - .1

id be happy if there was some sort of nitrate dose i can do without adding carbon or phosphate.

any ideas?


test 2: almost grey again

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[jennm]

You're saying you don't have enough nitrate?

Am I reading that right?

 

[russ-iv]

JennM;1042801 wrote: You're saying you don't have enough nitrate?

Am I reading that right?

you got it jenn.

unless you know of anyone that has had success with a reef under 5 ppm nitrate id love to take their advice.

im running out of it

 

[jennm]

This is a new one on me. Most people strive to get it as close to zero as possible. We have maintained dozens of reef tanks below 5 - for years and years.

If you want to build nitrate for some reason, back off on water changes a bit. Not sure I'd want to let nitrate build up - but if you're keeping lagunal corals or something that likes a bit of schmutz in the water, that's an easy way to do it.

Most of the people I've ever encountered are working overtime to prevent nitrate buildup.

::

Jenn

 

[snowmansnow]

I've seen a recent surge here, or maybe it's just me , of people being afraid of ULNS for some reason. What most don't realize is that a real UNLS is REALLY HARD to make happen haha.

There are a lot of factors in keeping sps, and if the nutrients drop to 0 for long periods of time the corals get that zerovit look.

BUT in rl those tanks take a long time to get to that sort of balance.

The only way you may be bouncing around at undetectable levels is ignore tank is new with a very low bio load. That being said..... You'll soon be battling to keep those nutrients out of your system


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[sn4k33y3z]

andregarcia_73;1042807 wrote: Russ i need to take notes. I struggle with nitrates and i do a 40% wc monthly plus i run a biopellet reactor.....i do heavily feed though. And i always clean and change my prefilters. I tested yesterday and was at 60ppm....what's your secret?.... 240gal fowlr btw.

Vodka dosing!

 

[russ-iv]

JennM;1042805 wrote: This is a new one on me. Most people strive to get it as close to zero as possible. We have maintained dozens of reef tanks below 5 - for years and years.

If you want to build nitrate for some reason, back off on water changes a bit. Not sure I'd want to let nitrate build up - but if you're keeping lagunal corals or something that likes a bit of schmutz in the water, that's an easy way to do it.

Most of the people I've ever encountered are working overtime to prevent nitrate buildup.

::

Jenn

my only water changes have been to get cyano off my sand. im running a nitrate deficit. eg: my anerobic bacteria are colonizing faster than my fish load

 

[snowmansnow]

Btw Russ.... Here's a tank the tank I had w undetectable levels . It crashed due to an extended power outrage of a few weeks back when some tornadoes ripped through.

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I'm sure there are others here who have tanks that make mine look like poo that can chime in as to their levels.

B




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[russ-iv]

SnowManSnow;1042811 wrote: Btw Russ.... Here's a tank the tank I had w undetectable levels . It crashed due to an extended power outrage of a few weeks back when some tornadoes ripped through.

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I'm sure there are others here who have tanks that make mine look like poo that can chime in as to their levels.

B




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api undetectable?
or hanna/ red sea pro undetectable?

 

[snowmansnow]

Btw Jenn, that big giant cup on the left came from your store as well as the plate w the purple rim on the side haha

Back when THIS ONE was tiny!!!! Remember??

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[snowmansnow]

Russ-IV;1042812 wrote: api undetectable?

or hanna/ red sea pro undetectable?

I honestly don't remember what set of kits I was using at the time:/ sorry


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[snowmansnow]

andregarcia_73;1042814 wrote: Too busy vodka dosing my body . No but back to the topic at hand
...is there any adverse effect to corals in these conditions? Have you tested with different kits?

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Dosing vodka CAN increase color intensity as it is a type of carbon dosing....

I couldn't tell you what the dose should be


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[russ-iv]

andregarcia_73;1042807 wrote: Russ i need to take notes. I struggle with nitrates and i do a 40% wc monthly plus i run a biopellet reactor.....i do heavily feed though. And i always clean and change my prefilters. I tested yesterday and was at 60ppm....what's your secret?.... 240gal fowlr btw.

no skimmer. clean substrate (ssb). ats, clean rocks.

dsb in fuge.

but if you have a heavy bioload that all goes out the window. you gotta go skimmer imho

also make sure your nitrates never hit critical mass or rocks and substrate will leach it for eternity

 

[russ-iv]

SnowManSnow;1042816 wrote: Dosing vodka CAN increase color intensity as it is a type of carbon dosing....

I couldn't tell you what the dose should be


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i went vodka dosing and biopellets on my 220. that whacked my system so bad.

carbon dosing is a no go for me. i tried it for a year.

 

[snowmansnow]

It can be hard in established tanks I think.

Like the above said... Maybe stop using skimmer a while


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[russ-iv]

SnowManSnow;1042820 wrote: It can be hard in established tanks I think.

Like the above said... Maybe stop using skimmer a while


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i am skimmerless. that is my point.

id get in to the background of my setup but i dont want to ruffle feathers.

my hypothesis after doing this "test" is that a skimmer creates more nitrates than it removes. crazy right?

thats why i did it this way. i can afford a 1/2 hp chiller but not a skimmer? cmon. the issue i observed with my 220 was 2 things. one, once nitrate got super high it saturated the rocks and the sand bed. it kept leaching it for years. biopellets, vodka, etc.

i got so paranoid i went el natural. i figured if i cycled my tank, threw in a crap ton of zooplankton and phyto that it would take care of the detritus for me. no crabs messing with my lps, no peppermint shrimp scavenging my corals.
i made sure nitrate never hit 20 ppm.

i made a crude ats in place of my skimmer. threw in a dsb in the fuge and just used a gfo reactor for po4.


i knew phyto would cloud my tank up so i figured id use carbon if i had to

that is why i am in this situation

 

[jimmystephens]

Imo: I would just leave it all alone chemical/dosing wise and just let the tank run its course. I've seen more damage to tanks by chasing numbers. If cyno is the problem may be cut back on the hours or intensity of the leds.

 

[jimmystephens]

Your tank is still pretty new and it just takes time. Look up new tank syndrome.

 

[russ-iv]

JimmyStephens;1042824 wrote: Your tank is still pretty new and it just takes time. Look up new tank syndrome.

agreed. those stupid acros should be dying

 

[jimmystephens]

Not sure I follow u there?