zero Nitrate high Po4

[Manose]

This is a young tank at 3 months after cycle so the ugly phase
Rocks are green not brown cause the lights
Dosing microbacter clean to help the uglies
No3 hanna hr =0
Po4 hanna .1
Does the algae on the rock have my No3 bound up?
Should I dose No3 or just ride this out and still use Microbacter clean or stop using it
I have water change water mixed but its old and was made just after my tank started
I use TM Pro salt

 

[rishma]

That’s a nice pic. Your ugly phase is quite nice looking in my opinion!

At this stage in tank, I typically just do water changes and let things stabilize.

Nitrate of zero is probably a combination of bacteria doings its job, and algae doing its thing. I typically don’t start dosing any nutrients when the tank is so new. I would not be overly worried about it, but dosing some nitrate is likely ok. Dosing some nitrate might bring the phosphate down some.

I do not consider phosphate of 0.1 to be very high. That’s at the upper end of the range I personally aim for but others certainly aim higher than that. I do try to aim lower when the tank is new because you get more algae on rocks before they’ve been covered in coralline and other good stuff. But again, not alarming and I’d probably just do regular water changes.

As far as MB clean, that’s a hot topic. I have used it, I’m not sure it does any good or any harm. I really don’t know what to think of it these days. You’ll probably get passionate advice on both sides of that argument.

If it were me, I’d just do water changes and regular testing to see how things are trending before taking any other actions. Good luck.

 

[Manose]

That’s a nice pic. Your ugly phase is quite nice looking in my opinion!

At this stage in tank, I typically just do water changes and let things stabilize.

Nitrate of zero is probably a combination of bacteria doings its job, and algae doing its thing. I typically don’t start dosing any nutrients when the tank is so new. I would not be overly worried about it, but dosing some nitrate is likely ok. Dosing some nitrate might bring the phosphate down some.

I do not consider phosphate of 0.1 to be very high. That’s at the upper end of the range I personally aim for but others certainly aim higher than that. I do try to aim lower when the tank is new because you get more algae on rocks before they’ve been covered in coralline and other good stuff. But again, not alarming and I’d probably just do regular water changes.

As far as MB clean, that’s a hot topic. I have used it, I’m not sure it does any good or any harm. I really don’t know what to think of it these days. You’ll probably get passionate advice on both sides of that argument.

If it were me, I’d just do water changes and regular testing to see how things are trending before taking any other actions. Good luck.

Yeah have not done any water changes as of yet but it might be time. I have water made up but it's a few months old so not sure its safe to use it or not.

 

[rishma]

Yeah have not done any water changes as of yet but it might be time. I have water made up but it's a few months old so not sure it’s safe to use it or not.

In a sealed container it’s probably fine. Many of us have used water to that is months old without issue. Some salts do have alkalinity drop with time, but I don’t recall if TM is one of them. I know I have used TM after sitting there for months. At a minimum I would check salinity again.

 

[PharmrJohn]

At this point, I'd just let it cook. You can dose some MB7 if you want to, but I don't think it's necessary. You're gonna want to get your NO3 above zero though. Your PO4 is just fine as is. There are people on this site who run higher than that in mature tanks who are successful. But your corals are gonna need nitrates available to them. Your algae will eat up some of it, but as your tank matures and your bacterial population grows, it will crowd out things like cyano, unwanted algae, dinos and diatoms. You'll go through these phases and everything should clear up nicely soon enough. Now it's just about good husbandry and patience.

Also, make sure you have good flow. You don't want any dead spots.

 

[Manose]

I have some nitrate and will add it as directed to get 1ppm

 

[rishma]

You're gonna want to get your NO3 above zero though.

I have some nitrate and will add it as directed to get 1ppm

First, I see no harm is adding some nitrate. If I was you and already had a bottle of it, I’d probably add it too.

I will say I am not concerned it’s at zero at this stage of the tank. I feel like that is pretty common. I know my most recent tank was near zero when it was new.

Now that my tank is mature and I am carbon dosing, I do get concerned if my nitrate drops to zero so perhaps I am contradicting myself

I am curious if you check phosphate before and after adding nitrate to see if it comes down. Not immediately, but in a day or so.

 

[Dburr1014]

Don't be concerned if you think your tank is being fed. It's new many changes are coming.

@rishma Not sure why your carbon dosing with 0 no3.

My tank is always 0 no3 but I know my coral have what they need for food, they are growing.

 

[rishma]

Don't be concerned if you think your tank is being fed.
Not sure why your carbon dosing with 0 no3.
My tank is always 0 no3 but I know my coral have what they need for food, they are growing.

I don’t think the OP is carbon dosing

And I don’t carbon dose with zero nitrate or an attempt to get there. My carbon dosing is primarily to manage phosphate. If I’m not careful, nitrate can bottom out so I keep an eye on it.

I like some detectable nitrate when carbon dosing because that helps ensure the carbon dosing isn’t taking up all the N and starving the corals. Others don’t worry about it and that might be fine too, but I’ve done better trying to ensure some nitrate is still detectable

 

[Manose]

Don't be concerned if you think your tank is being fed.
Not sure why your carbon dosing with 0 no3.
My tank is always 0 no3 but I know my coral have what they need for food, they are growing.

I am not carbon dosing but have been dosing bacteria

 

[Dburr1014]

I don’t think the OP is carbon dosing

I am not carbon dosing but have been dosing bacteria

I edited my post for correction.

 

[Manose]

It probably was not needed but I added some nitrate and will test it tomorrow

 

[Daz_1978]

I see some zoas in the picture, so I’d want to be reading some Nitrate.
I dose NeoNitro to keep mine up.

Your phosphate isn’t necessarily high! Your nitrate to phosphate is way out of the ideal ratio, which is 100 to 1. So at 0.1 phosphate x 100 = 10 nitrate would be the goal.
The ratio keeps algae in check, and keeps corals fat & happy IME.

You could just try feeding more. Coral foods tend to raise nitrates, and pellet fish food will eventually.

 

[rishma]

It probably was not needed but I added some nitrate and will test it tomorrow

Dollars to doughnuts adding nitrate lowers your phosphate, maybe not after first dose but I bet it will. There is at least a 50% chance I am right!

I see some zoas in the picture, so I’d want to be reading some Nitrate.
I dose NeoNitro to keep mine up.

Your phosphate isn’t necessarily high! Your nitrate to phosphate is way out of the ideal ratio, which is 100 to 1. So at 0.1 phosphate x 100 = 10 nitrate would be the goal.
The ratio keeps algae in check, and keeps corals fat & happy IME.

You could just try feeding more. Coral foods tend to raise nitrates, and pellet fish food will eventually.

I disagree with a number of statements here, but that is ok. I’m only responding so the OP doesn’t take the idea of an “ideal” ratio as a fact. I don’t think there is strong evidence to support the idea of a particular ratio being better than others. It’s endlessly debated so I don’t think big debate here adds much value. Suffice it to say that the concept is hotly debated.

I do agree that 0.1 PO4 is good. I also agree that 10 ppm is good, but probably so is 2, and 15 and lots of other numbers within reason. I am not even certain 0 is bad, but I too would likely add a nitrogen source to get Nitrate detectable. Others would say it’s fine to leave it alone, and I cannot argue they are wrong.

I will caution that in my experience, and that of others, many coral foods and fish foods raise phosphate much more effectively than nitrate.

 

[Spare time]

I'd dose amino acids or ammonium chloride to help with the low nitrate. They contain 0 phosphate.

 

[Manose]

So I went and got some new curvettes for my hanna Po4 ulr and redid the test twice
The first test was .02 and the second was .01 so it seems I am way low in Po4
I have no clue how to handle this........... I am terrified of getting dinos

 

[Dburr1014]

So I went and got some new curvettes for my hanna Po4 ulr and redid the test twice
The first test was .02 and the second was .01 so it seems I am way low in Po4
I have no clue how to handle this........... I am terrified of getting dinos

Feed more

 

[Manose]

Feed more

On it asap as I have some dry food and will order some dry coral food like reef roids

 

[Dburr1014]

On it asap as I have some dry food and will order some dry coral food like reef roids

Reef roids is a perfect choice.