Elimi-NP not doing anything?

[punchy7080]

Been working on nutrient levels in my 75g office tank for months now. Started using Elimi-NP a couple months ago and have slowly ramped up from 0.7 ml to 2.5 ml daily dose. I'm currently over the maximum recommended dose for the total gallons in my system. However, my nitrates and phosphates are not budging. Last couple months the nitrates are averaging about 23 and phosphates about 0.1. Not terrible numbers but my corals are not growing and the tank still just seems "off". Realize that may have other contributing factors but I'm mostly stumped at how going from 0.7 to 2.5 ml per day on the Elimi-NP is not even touching my numbers... makes no sense @Lou Ekus

Thanks!

 

[MBruun]

Your system might not be carbon depleted, at least not for that type of carbon

 

[Lou Ekus]

Been working on nutrient levels in my 75g office tank for months now. Started using Elimi-NP a couple months ago and have slowly ramped up from 0.7 ml to 2.5 ml daily dose. I'm currently over the maximum recommended dose for the total gallons in my system. However, my nitrates and phosphates are not budging. Last couple months the nitrates are averaging about 23 and phosphates about 0.1. Not terrible numbers but my corals are not growing and the tank still just seems "off". Realize that may have other contributing factors but I'm mostly stumped at how going from 0.7 to 2.5 ml per day on the Elimi-NP is not even touching my numbers... makes no sense @Lou Ekus

Thanks!

There are lots of factors that influence these concentraitons. Input is often the determining factor. That input can be related to daily inputs like foods and other additives containing NO3 and/or PO4. But input can also be related to past concentraitons and leaching from concentrations hidden in coral structures and substrate. Unfortunately, there are no "silver bullets" for these things.
That all being said, your NO3 and PO4 concentrations are not bad. In fact, your PO4 is in the middle of what I would consider to be the optimum range. Your NO3 is a little high. But not dangeraously so. If your tank and corals are not doing great, my assumption would be that there are other factors influencing that... Then we get into what coud those be? Well, that is a larger discussion that is far beyond what we can do here, as EVERYTHING in your system needs to be considered. To have that discussion, I suggest calling me in the office, if you would like to go down that road.

 

[Mechano]

Personally , your phosphate is exactly where it should be(unless all you have is SPS). I’d just keep up on checking it. I’d be more concerned about nutrients dropping too quickly and starving the tank then running into possible issues with dinoflagellates etc.
as for nitrates, that isn’t even that high either.

My system is running at the average of .25ppm phosphate(even seen it rise to .45!!, and 20-30ppm nitrates.
I even have some acros and sps in my system that are growing like weeds.

Sometimes in this hobby, I find tinkering and messing around will upset the balance and stability and make things worse.

 

[punchy7080]

I'm not so much worried about the numbers, more confounded as to why more carbon source is not moving them at all. My corals are surviving, but not thriving/growing so trying to figure out the balance of the tank and see if there's some correlation.

 

[Lou Ekus]

I'm not so much worried about the numbers, more confounded as to why more carbon source is not moving them at all. My corals are surviving, but not thriving/growing so trying to figure out the balance of the tank and see if there's some correlation.

I think your corals "not thriving" is related to possibly something else besides these NO3 and PO4 concentrations. They are just not that far out of whack to be that much of a negative influence. I would say to look for other factors.

 

[punchy7080]

I think your corals "not thriving" is related to possibly something else besides these NO3 and PO4 concentrations. They are just not that far out of whack to be that much of a negative influence. I would say to look for other factors.

Lou, appreciate the responses and don't disagree at all. I guess if we aren't concerned at all about the nutrient numbers and why additional carbon source doesn't seem to impact, my question would be where do I go next? What step(s) should I take to determine why my corals/tank are just stagnant rather than thriving and growing? I feel like maybe the biome is just out of balance but don't know exactly how to determine that or what to do to address. I started with more than 50% KP live rock (tank is ~14 months old), change ~20% of my water every week and dose Zeobak and Zeofood twice a week. I also have a zeovit reactor (basically running the @SunnyX system). Just frustrating to keep doing all the work and not see positive results.

Thanks!

 

[Mechano]

I think your corals "not thriving" is related to possibly something else besides these NO3 and PO4 concentrations. They are just not that far out of whack to be that much of a negative influence. I would say to look for other factors.

I agree with Lou. And by the way, I love your products lol.

So when is the last time an ICP test was done to get a general idea? I agree in the above statement. The phos and nitrate shouldn’t be bugging anything.
I would get an Icp test and see if there is something funky in your tank like too much of one element or the reverse with too little.

 

[areefer01]

Maybe you are just doing too much fiddling and not enough letting the tank mature? What startles me more than anything else is your statement "My corals are surviving, but not thriving/growing".

What does that even mean?
What is your yardstick?

Things take time, especially reefs. We haven't even peeled the layers off the onion yet by asking what sort of display size, lighting, flow, chemistry parameters, how much rock, type of aquascape, and so forth. So much contributes to the displays health.

 

[Lou Ekus]

Lou, appreciate the responses and don't disagree at all. I guess if we aren't concerned at all about the nutrient numbers and why additional carbon source doesn't seem to impact, my question would be where do I go next? What step(s) should I take to determine why my corals/tank are just stagnant rather than thriving and growing? I feel like maybe the biome is just out of balance but don't know exactly how to determine that or what to do to address. I started with more than 50% KP live rock (tank is ~14 months old), change ~20% of my water every week and dose Zeobak and Zeofood twice a week. I also have a zeovit reactor (basically running the @SunnyX system). Just frustrating to keep doing all the work and not see positive results.

Thanks!

It is difficult for me to help you diagnose this coral issue, when most of the products you are using are not Tropic Marin. It's not that the science doesn't translate. I am just not well informed enough about other company's products to be able to help you. I would suggest, now that you know that the NO3 and PO4 concentraitons are most likely not your issue, that you give them a call and ask them for some help with thier products in your tank. They will be better equiped to help you figure out the optimum use of those products.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Lou, appreciate the responses and don't disagree at all. I guess if we aren't concerned at all about the nutrient numbers and why additional carbon source doesn't seem to impact, my question would be where do I go next?

Organic carbon sources are typically slowly acting methods (often surprisingly and frustratingly slow), so it may take a long time, and I generally do not expect much effect on phosphate for a variety of reasons (denitrification reducing only nitrate, phosphate release from rock and sand making any phosphate decline much smaller than expected).

 

[punchy7080]

Organic carbon sources are typically slowly acting methods (often surprisingly and frustratingly slow), so it may take a long time, and I generally do not expect much effect on phosphate for a variety of reasons (denitrification reducing only nitrate, phosphate release from rock and sand making any phosphate decline much smaller than expected).

I’m using another of Lou’s products to manage phosphate for now. I’ll stay the course and see if the carbon source eventually has a lowering effect on the nitrate. Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m using another of Lou’s products to manage phosphate for now. I’ll stay the course and see if the carbon source eventually has a lowering effect on the nitrate. Thanks!

Sounds good. What product for phosphate?

 

[punchy7080]

Sounds good. What product for phosphate?

I’m using elimi phos rapid on that tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’m using elimi phos rapid on that tank

Sounds good, just watch for breathing issues with tangs, if you have any. Some folks report such problems with lanthanum dosing, but many also do not.

 

[punchy7080]

Sounds good, just watch for breathing issues with tangs, if you have any. Some folks report such problems with lanthanum dosing, but many also do not.

Appreciate it. I’ve used several of the aquarium specific products and never had issues. Just started very, very slowly with Seaklear on my 300g with tons of tangs. So far so good there as well.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Been working on nutrient levels in my 75g office tank for months now. Started using Elimi-NP a couple months ago and have slowly ramped up from 0.7 ml to 2.5 ml daily dose. I'm currently over the maximum recommended dose for the total gallons in my system. However, my nitrates and phosphates are not budging. Last couple months the nitrates are averaging about 23 and phosphates about 0.1. Not terrible numbers but my corals are not growing and the tank still just seems "off". Realize that may have other contributing factors but I'm mostly stumped at how going from 0.7 to 2.5 ml per day on the Elimi-NP is not even touching my numbers... makes no sense @Lou Ekus

Thanks!

As others said, your phosphate is good, your nitrates are up, but not awful, when I used Elimi NP my nitrates were like 50, but it brought them down in very short order.