Im looking to find a way to generate nitrate without feeding. I been using reed energy for a few weeks I cant say its making a real impact but I have zero nitrates again, I only get growth in small little spurts. I dont wanna shut the skimmer because of the amino. I dont wanna feed more because the phos just goes up and I get that nasty green felty film on the glass and rocks. I dont wanna dump any more chemicals into the tank, I would like to stop using reef energy it seems like its just gonna be another expense. I get growth on some coral some havent budged in months some colorfull some still pale. it seems like i get a small amount ot nitrates and as soon as it looks like its gonna take off it goes right back down. I lowered my fixture to see if that helps but too soon to tell. I have a 7 fish in a 40. I havent made no changes to the feeding rutine oyster,frenzy,and powder frenzy. I been patient but again this is starting to become a chore. Am I the only one with this problem it seems evert tank looks great but mine ill add a pic to the thread in a few. Rant question post finished .Thanks ..
ways to generate nirtate?
- Thread starter SteveZ15
- Start date
- Location
- Howell, NJ
Do you have cheato?
What are you dosing?
Skimmer on this tank?
Water change habits?
What are you dosing?
Skimmer on this tank?
Water change habits?
No cheato ,2 part 6ml daily alk9 cal440 mg1380. skimmer octopus classic nwb 110 no carbon no gfo dosing reef energy 6ml. Havent did wc in 3 weeks usually 2.5-5 gals when I do but been backing off . Food daily oyster feast ,pellets 2x.. 3x a week frenzy frozen or clyclopeze and powde frenzy. Skimmer cup dark and change cup weekly this only because of the energy usually it takes a about 2 weeks to change cup. left dirty socks took them out and dont use one about a week now. light 6x39 ati 3blue 2purple 1aqua 12 inches above tank for 9hrs blue 6hrs all. 2 returns 2mp10 75% purple mode with export. rodi brs4stage all new cartridges.This is the only part I struggle with and its not like im trying to run low nurtients.Ill take some pics mabe you can see something i dont .. phos I dont really know hanna egg .up to date packets new battery test on same sample were .00 .10 .00 .00. Thanks for the response the tanks been running 2 years in feb and the past year been tough. The tank is so so in my eyes but enough to keep me hanging in there plus I love my fish I just cant let them go.
- Location
- Long island
Try this
Be careful, go very slow. I used it but I'm not responsible for any mishaps. Lol
Be careful, go very slow. I used it but I'm not responsible for any mishaps. Lol
- Location
- Long Island
+1 on Flourish Nitrogen
I have been using it for a few months with very good results.
I have been using it for a few months with very good results.
I tried that went slow had negative affects and green film I cant get rid of . Not as bad now .. dont wanna feed more because only phos went up and more algae including green film. The millie on top right was all reddish pink started turning green now looks like heck the unknown acro on lefr was purple with bright green tips looks dull. ff digi no color at all these have almost zero growth. purple acro by anemone great color but stn for no reason no swings in past month test alk every other day, the corals with color have some growth but nothing like what people have in ther tanks .. gsp hasnt grown in months . star burst cap over took the rock got stung by aptasia so i cloged the holw with epoxy. have a file fish which I think is starting to go at the aptasia but likes to nip the millie . and I cant catch him. The algae is present as you can see but any hine of gfo as little as 10 grams =stn the very next day. I had a good burst of encrusting a few weeks ago but nothing since some of these are a few months old and havent even fully encrusted the plugs. bright green cap grew some but not monti worthy.orange digi keeps color but barely grows. the three corals on the top pic keep color but minimal growth had the 2 on the ends for months . the one next to the faded cap keeps color but no pe since i had it it did heal from what liiked like where it was broken off. Dont know if its water quality lighting barely coraline .. my tank went bad due to gfo overdose so i wold consider the restart about a year old but still I dont think this should reflect a normal reef in a years time .. it almost makes me wanna tap out,but for some strange reason I keep trying
Attachments
- Location
- Rocky Point
I have great growth and haven't had a reading over zero in close to a year for Nitrates.
Set you skimmer so it doesn't skim, just circulate water. It's ok to use gfo if po4 rises about .1, but use just a tiny bit of rowsphos. I use 6 tbsp in 130 gallons of water, 3 tbsp is all you will need. FYI I no longer use BRS GFO, I had nothing but STN in the past with that stuff. You're bleaching the SPS a little. I would raise the light more, and shorten the photoperiod a little. T5's are very good a fading colors when nutrients are low.
You should get a dozen mex turbos for the algae. They will clear a good amount up quickly. Also, I would stop doing water changes until your nitrate climbs.
You should get a dozen mex turbos for the algae. They will clear a good amount up quickly. Also, I would stop doing water changes until your nitrate climbs.
Is it safe to not skim using amino? I should I cut a hr of full lighting and a hr of just blue. I lowered the fixture the other day thinking I wasn't getting enough light for the acros. Am I wasting time with reef energy? I gotta get the hermits out damn snail killers. I got 9hr photo period now will 7 be good. I think I wanna go back to mh can you recommend a good unit. Rich thanks for all your help I swear when I get it right I'll never ask questions for at least a year lol. I will start with 2 spoons because I don't trust the egg Hanna and I cant swing the good one right now. Where do the nitrates go is it the algae or coral using it. Over all do you think the tank is OK . once again thanks
The tank is fine but you need to find the balance and maintain it. Not sure about the amino and skimming but you don't need the amino. You won't have a problem if you stop skimming for a while. Powerful skimming is pretty effective at keeping nitrates very low.
What nitrate test kit are you using?
9 hours isn't a very long pp, maybe just raise the light back up. How high is it off the water? A good MH light would be the reebrite MH pendant or if you could find a giesemann spectra. I wouldn't change lighting until you get things balance though
The hermits eat mex turbos? The mex turbos are huge! They knock over frags once in a while but clean rocks better than anything I have seen.
DOn't worry about the questions
I injured myself pretty badly and I'm bored out of my mind hahaha
What nitrate test kit are you using?
9 hours isn't a very long pp, maybe just raise the light back up. How high is it off the water? A good MH light would be the reebrite MH pendant or if you could find a giesemann spectra. I wouldn't change lighting until you get things balance though
The hermits eat mex turbos? The mex turbos are huge! They knock over frags once in a while but clean rocks better than anything I have seen.
DOn't worry about the questions
I injured myself pretty badly and I'm bored out of my mind hahaha
I'm in the same boat as steve I feel your pain all of my sps stn gfo or not and my nitrates are zero when I do go skimmerless I need to turn off my dosers for some reason my alk rises really high. I guess skimming uses alk? Im trying to keep my tank at 7.5-8 ppm of alk they say low nutrient tanks do better at a lower alk
mandown123
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Staten Island, NY
Suggestion, if you stir up a portion of the sandbed, I think that might release some amount of nitrate.
The light is foot above the tank I moved down because my LPs are always open I remember with my mh I always had growth even when corals were pale.on the box of reef energy it says to skim to remove flocks. I used it thinking I gotta give them something .it says they can directly dissolve this without needing to process. My tank is only using 4ml if 2 part this led me to believe no energy to grow so I lowered light.I read on another thread someone spill skimate and stuff showed good reaction maybe add a ounce or two. The hermits gang up on snails when they fall food rarely reaches the floor wrasse and other fish eat like slobs.can I add small bag of chemioure elite still scared of gfo even a little.
What po4 readings are you getting? If less than .1 I wouldn't use GFO, especially with no nitrate. I never used chemipure elite. I know there is GFO in it but I have no experience with it. Just monitor po4 levels closely since corals are faded. You can do damage real quick if you overdue it with GFO given the coals current condition. Hopefully they respond to no skimming quickly and nitrates rise a little.
mandown123
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Staten Island, NY
I personally like chemipure elite a lot, great experiences with it. It absorbs nitrate though (and phosphate), so if you want more nitrate I think it'd be counterproductive for you. However if there is anything weird in your water, I think running it will grab that out. I say it couldn't hurt you.
Same sample tested .00 .11 .00 .00 these were the order of tests on same sample on the eqq. I'm trying to par the tank to make sure the light is not too high what made me lower it is that last purple one I got from you was starting to get a tad bit of brown in the green and LPs always in feed mode. How long with skimmer off should I see nitrates . I did a week with no results .zero on redsea and salifert corals show loss if pe so I skimed again I just took the valve off and let it recirc
- Location
- Brooklyn, NY
Contact Tristan and Leo at Pax Bellum. They sell a sodium nitrate product designed to raise NO3 levels for their Arid Chaeto reactor.
- Location
- Bellmore, NY
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