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Ultra-low Nitrates

Rossim2i2

Rossim2i2

My nitrate levels are really low. Salifert test kit and I can't read any trace when looking down through the container. Looking through the side, it shows somewhere between .2 and .5. I think the low nitrates are causing my cyano outbreak. I've increased feeding a week ago, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Any ideas on how to increase it?

Phosphates are at 0.9 according to a Hanna checker.
 
Foxchase

Foxchase

Rossim2i2 said:
My nitrate levels are really low. Salifert test kit and I can't read any trace when looking down through the container. Looking through the side, it shows somewhere between .2 and .5. I think the low nitrates are causing my cyano outbreak. I've increased feeding a week ago, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Any ideas on how to increase it?

Phosphates are at 0.9 according to a Hanna checker.
Click to expand...
Dose nitrates. Neophos works great.
 
DangerDave

DangerDave

NJRC Member
I use sodium nitrate I purchase off amazon in 5lb bags. I’d like to find higher volumes to lower the cost.
 

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Salted

Salted

NJRC Member
Could you just turn off the protein skimmer a few hours a day? Or we could trade 20g of water, I'm around 45 nitrate.
 
Rossim2i2

Rossim2i2

Salted said:
Could you just turn off the protein skimmer a few hours a day? Or we could trade 20g of water, I'm around 45 nitrate.
Click to expand...
Lol. I have the skimmer running kinda dry as it is. I can certainly try to put it on a timer.

I ordered the Hanna checker to get a more accurate reading and some NeoNitro. Increased feeding as well...
 
M

momof6kids

NJRC Member
Following as I am in the same boat. My nitrates have been at 0 the entire time I have had this tank up and running. I am using an API test kit. So maybe I should upgrade to a better test kit.
 
Foxchase

Foxchase

I got dinos because I could not bring my nitrates or phosphates. And that's with me feeding frozen food, mixed with reef roids and the red Sea AB+ and feeding that every day.

Started dosing nitrates and phosphates and it's finally showing some. Took a while of dosing before I saw them
 
E

ericrodriguez

momof6kids said:
Following as I am in the same boat. My nitrates have been at 0 the entire time I have had this tank up and running. I am using an API test kit. So maybe I should upgrade to a better test kit.
Click to expand...

At 0 since day one? How many gallons is that system and how many fishes do you have?
 
Roca

Roca

I'm also dosing sodium nitrate. Nitrates rarely rose above 0.25 per the red sea and salifert kits. 40B with ~50g volume, mostly sps, 4 chromis, 2 clowns, starry blenny, and flasher wrasse. Tried increasing it via more frozen food, flakes, and coral foods (currently still doing 3mL Acropower/day). Fish got super plump but at best I'd see an occasional bump to 0.75 and cyano creeping in. So, I finally decided to just dose instead.
Made a solution that bumps 1ppm/10mL dosed in the tank. Also made a potassium phosphate solution to bump 0.05ppm/10mL dosed to be ready in case my phosphate (usually 0.02-0.05) dropped below detection by the red sea kit. Tested and saw that the tank drops a bit over 1 ppm/day. Now holding steady at 5ppm the last couple weeks and corals look better by the day. Daily alk consumption also climbed a bit. Phosphate has remained steady in the window.
 
E

eholceker

NJRC Member
Rossim2i2 said:
My nitrate levels are really low. Salifert test kit and I can't read any trace when looking down through the container. Looking through the side, it shows somewhere between .2 and .5. I think the low nitrates are causing my cyano outbreak. I've increased feeding a week ago, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

Any ideas on how to increase it?

Phosphates are at 0.9 according to a Hanna checker.
Click to expand...

Wouldn't do anything. Add more flow for the cyano and siphon it out. If anything feed your fish more.
 
DangerDave

DangerDave

NJRC Member
Easiest way was when I was using the Red Sea test done by the reefbot. The only problem is the reefbot is a giant pain in the ass and needs to be constantly fixed.
 
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