Ideas on getting nitrates up

[Craigdillman]

Have you thought about using a product like Foz down for phoshate control works awesome and predictable and you can dose it by mixing it in Ro water, after its all set up and running you can just adjust the dose and your P04 will follow . Its More predictable, easier and WAYYY cheaper then GFO, once you switch you never go back.

[Myka]

The PO4 readings look ok to me. I'm happy anywhere between 0.01 - 0.1 ppm, preferably around 0.06 ppm. Most tanks need to use a little bit of GFO or some other phosphate reducer. The NO3 is definitely low, but not undetectable. Set skimmer to dry skim so it doesn't pull so much out.

What's your fish list? Maybe you just need more fish poop. Also, that alkalinity line graph gives me heart palpitations...

[warriorcookie]

Originally Posted by Craigdillman

Have you thought about using a product like Foz down for phoshate control works awesome and predictable and you can dose it by mixing it in Ro water, after its all set up and running you can just adjust the dose and your P04 will follow . Its More predictable, easier and WAYYY cheaper then GFO, once you switch you never go back.

I've thought lots about it. I really don't like the idea of the precipitate hiding everywhere and building up over time... But I might give it a try.

Originally Posted by Myka

The PO4 readings look ok to me. I'm happy anywhere between 0.01 - 0.1 ppm, preferably around 0.06 ppm. Most tanks need to use a little bit of GFO or some other phosphate reducer. The NO3 is definitely low, but not undetectable. Set skimmer to dry skim so it doesn't pull so much out.

What's your fish list? Maybe you just need more fish poop. Also, that alkalinity line graph gives me heart palpitations...

Yeah... The nitrate test has always been absolutely clear. All this feeding feels so weird, but now the numbers are slowly increasing and showing on the tests. When I shut off GFO, the PO4 shoots skyhigh.

For fish I have the following:
2 Ocellaris
1 Hippo tang (4-5")
1 Yellow Tang
1 Royal Gramma
1 Firefish
2 Lyretail Anthias
1 Bengai Cardinal
1 Yellowtail Wrasse
1 Harlequin Tusk (Juvenile)

And the usual BTA, Clam, pepermint shrimp, astrea snails, cerith snails, nassarius snails.

If more fish is the solution, what about dosing Nitrate until we add a couple more fish. Potassium Nitrate? Calcium Nitrate? I've heard carbon dosing with nitrate dosing can potentially reduce phosphates.


My Alk/CA has been driving me crazy. It's always been so stable, but after this event I should have shut off my doser then ramped it up slowly. I'll be testing Alk and PO4 every second day until things settle down.

[warriorcookie]

Grrr... I forgot to check the spelling now I can't edit... Banggai cardinal!

[warriorcookie]

Originally Posted by warriorcookie

If more fish is the solution, what about dosing Nitrate until we add a couple more fish. Potassium Nitrate? Calcium Nitrate? I've heard carbon dosing with nitrate dosing can potentially reduce phosphates.

Sounds like Sodium Nitrate might be the way to go.

I've read several reefers that use it to balance Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphates.