How is everyone keeping nitrates up?

[Reefing.with.Rich]

I dose nitrate daily and I also feed “heavy” yet my nitrates continue to drop lower than I’d like them
I have a 26g Red Sea peninsula, heavy stocked in coral and I have 2 flurry clowns,lawnmower blenny, green dragonet, and a blue streak goby for fish
Also have a coral banded shrimp, a few snails and a few hermits.
I can’t seem to get my nitrates to climb and was curious what’s others are doing to raise their nitrate successfully
I dose the ESV nitrate also

on another note every other parameters is on point in my opinion
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1340
Alk 8.5
Salinity 1.026
Ph 8.1
Phosphate 0.07
Nitrate 2.5

 

[LiLinka]

How often are you doing water changes?

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

How often are you doing water changes?

10ML per minute daily
Didn’t think so little would effect the nitrates so much

 

[LiLinka]

I would stop doing water changes for 1-2 weeks and let the nutrients build up. Also feed more but don’t over feed. I like brightwells neonitro for dosing nitrates but always prefer natural ways of raising nitrates.

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

I would stop doing water changes for 1-2 weeks and let the nutrients build up. Also feed more but don’t over feed. I like brightwells neonitro for dosing nitrates but always prefer natural ways of raising nitrates.

Neonitro also raises your potassium levels as well that’s why I went with the ESV since it’s only works to raise the nitrate levels alone.
I’m going to **** my versa pumps down for a few days and see if the levels come up at all and go from there. Thanks!!!!

 

[trevorhiller]

Ways to reduce nitrate level-
Decrease fish bioload, Reduce daily feedings, Increase Water Changes, Carbon Dosing, Sulfur Nitrate Reactor

Ways to increase nitrate level-
Add additional fish, Input more food daily, Decrease water changes, Dose Nitrates

That's really about all there is to it, sounds like you just need to find the appropriate balance. I think many would say some detectable Nitrates is a fine goal and wouldn't worry about your 2.5 ppm level. Mine range from 2-15 and corals look fine.

I added an autofeeder to my tank recently set to feed 4x daily though and it raised my nitrates by 5-8 ppm though. If you're set on raising them, I'd try that. Your fish will appreciate the more frequent feedings too.

 

[homer1475]

Your adding nitrates by dosing, then removing them via daily WC's. Just stop doing daily WC's and go to weekly.

 

[HB AL]

My fish

 

[gbroadbridge]

I dose nitrate daily and I also feed “heavy” yet my nitrates continue to drop lower than I’d like them
I have a 26g Red Sea peninsula, heavy stocked in coral and I have 2 flurry clowns,lawnmower blenny, green dragonet, and a blue streak goby for fish
Also have a coral banded shrimp, a few snails and a few hermits.
I can’t seem to get my nitrates to climb and was curious what’s others are doing to raise their nitrate successfully
I dose the ESV nitrate also

on another note every other parameters is on point in my opinion
Calcium 450
Magnesium 1340
Alk 8.5
Salinity 1.026
Ph 8.1
Phosphate 0.07
Nitrate 2.5

I dont think there is anything wrong with 2.5ppm Nitrate.

Keep in mind that value is after the organisms in the tank have consumed all they want to.

If that number is stable, I wouldn't change anything.

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

Ways to reduce nitrate level-
Decrease fish bioload, Reduce daily feedings, Increase Water Changes, Carbon Dosing, Sulfur Nitrate Reactor

Ways to increase nitrate level-
Add additional fish, Input more food daily, Decrease water changes, Dose Nitrates

That's really about all there is to it, sounds like you just need to find the appropriate balance. I think many would say some detectable Nitrates is a fine goal and wouldn't worry about your 2.5 ppm level. Mine range from 2-15 and corals look fine.

I added an autofeeder to my tank recently set to feed 4x daily though and it raised my nitrates by 5-8 ppm though. If you're set on raising them, I'd try that. Your fish will appreciate the more frequent feedings too.

What do you feed to raise your nitrates and not phosphates?

 

[Dburr1014]

I dont think there is anything wrong with 2.5ppm Nitrate.

Keep in mind that value is after the organisms in the tank have consumed all they want to.

If that number is stable, I wouldn't change anything.

This^^^
PO4 looks spot on, feeding more will increase PO4 also. (which you have room to do if you want)
Dosing NO3 to a system that needs ammonium, well, kinda silly. (don't flame me, I used to do it too)

 

[Dburr1014]

Skip to about 31/32 minutes of you don't want to watch the whole video.
Extremely informative.

Coral Color - Trace Elements and Carbon Dosing with Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin

How to get better color out of your coral? Nutrient Levels and Trace Elements can play a big part in coral coloration. Today we have on Lou Ekus from Tropic ...

www.youtube.com

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

Skip to about 31/32 minutes of you don't want to watch the whole video.
Extremely informative.

Coral Color - Trace Elements and Carbon Dosing with Lou Ekus from Tropic Marin

How to get better color out of your coral? Nutrient Levels and Trace Elements can play a big part in coral coloration. Today we have on Lou Ekus from Tropic ...

www.youtube.com

Cool thanks man

 

[BrettE]

10ML per minute daily

Preface: I’m a newb and know nothing about anything.

10mL per minute all the time? By my math thats 3.8 gallons per day on a 26 gallon tank. That’s 15% per day. Isn’t that a lot?

10 mL/min * 1440 min/day * .001 L/mL = 14.4 L/day = 3.8 gallons/day.

 

[Dburr1014]

Preface: I’m a newb and know nothing about anything.

10mL per minute all the time? By my math thats 3.8 gallons per day on a 26 gallon tank. That’s 15% per day. Isn’t that a lot?

10 mL/min * 1440 min/day * .001 L/mL = 14.4 L/day = 3.8 gallons/day.

Yes, a lot. I have an AWC system.
I do 1% daily, 5% weekly, weekends off, equals 20% monthly.
In his setup, if your right, is 100% weekly. :O

 

[Coralsdaily]

for me, just simply having fish and feeding havily~

 

[GatorGreg]

Yes, a lot. I have an AWC system.
I do 1% daily, 5% weekly, weekends off, equals 20% monthly.
In his setup, if your right, is 100% weekly. :O

His salt bill is going to be outrageous yearly lol

 

[Jared Bryant]

Fish food and fish poop...

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

Preface: I’m a newb and know nothing about anything.

10mL per minute all the time? By my math thats 3.8 gallons per day on a 26 gallon tank. That’s 15% per day. Isn’t that a lot?

10 mL/min * 1440 min/day * .001 L/mL = 14.4 L/day = 3.8 gallons/day.

Yes that’s a lot of iv always had great success in my tanks over the years doing huge water changes. And if you know of Jason fox that is his “secret” to his success
He does typically 90% water changes once a week so iv always followed in his foot steps in the water change game

I haven’t had a problem with my nitrates before but I do believe my problem is I added a bunch of extra media to my tank to seed the media for a couple new frag tanks I’m planning to start up next week so iv been adding microbacter7 daily so I believe that’s the actual reason my nitrates have been dropping

 

[Reefing.with.Rich]

His salt bill is going to be outrageous yearly lol

You’re not kidding but everything is going great so I’ll spend the extra cash