How to raise Nitrates and Phosphates?

[Ian Baxter]

Since mid June my PO4 has been at 0 every week. Before that it would bounce around between .01-.05. My nitrates have been at 0 too. The tank was set up in November as an upgrade from my 32g. There is some algae on the sand. Like little tufts of green algae that I can't seem to get rid of too. Any idea what to do? Both tests are Hanna.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Feeding more or dosing N and P are fine plans.

 

[Ziggy17]

Feeding more or dosing N and P are fine plans.

+1

Spot feeding reef roids to your corals will fetch you nicer looking animals and increase nutrients.

 

[Miami Reef]

In my opinion, adding more fish is the simplest and most fun way to increase nutrients.

For the algae on the sand: I’d recommend siphoning them out. You can add a sand sifting goby or Nassarius snails to maintain the sand bed.

The above creatures will keep the sand turned over which will prevent algae from forming on them.

 

[Ian Baxter]

Feeding more or dosing N and P are fine plans.

Thanks! I thought I was feeding too much. I will try that and maybe start using reef roids again.

 

[Ian Baxter]

In my opinion, adding more fish is the simplest and most fun way to increase nutrients.

For the algae on the sand: I’d recommend siphoning them out. You can add a sand sifting goby or Nassarius snails to maintain the sand bed.

The above creatures will keep the sand turned over which will prevent algae from forming on them.

I do have three more fish in QT. I've been pulling the algae every WC and almost all of my nassarius have died. I recently bought two conchs and two African nassarius but only one of each survived.

 

[Miami Reef]

I do have three more fish in QT. I've been pulling the algae every WC and almost all of my nassarius have died. I recently bought two conchs and two African nassarius but only one of each survived.

Can you add a sand sifting goby? Those are power horses.

If it was my tank I’d siphon out the top layer of sand. Then I’d stir around the sandbed with a hand-held algae scraper.

I’d also add the sand sifting goby.

Like this video:

 

[Ian Baxter]

Can you add a sand sifting goby? Those are power horses.

If it was my tank I’d siphon out the top layer of sand. Then I’d stir around the sandbed with a hand-held algae scraper.

I’d also add the sand sifting goby.

Like this video:

I have a 65g display and currently have 2 clowns, a white tail tang, and a Fathead anthias. In QT I have a midas blenny, Red Stripe Angel, and a 4" porcupine puffer. I will either rehome the puffer or upgrade the tank. Not sure if I could add another fish. I really like the Bella Goby though.

 

[Uncle99]

I dose them up as it is faster, food increases work over the longer term.

Those corals look hungry, dose them up and feed more.

 

[Ian Baxter]

I dose them up as it is faster, food increases work over the longer term.

Those corals look hungry, dose them up and feed more.

Okay, I did just lose a really nice bower and that rasta is about gone. Any good products to dose?

 

[Uncle99]

Okay, I did just lose a really nice bower and that rasta is about gone. Any good products to dose?

I use brightwells neo nitro and neo phos to bump my nutrients quickly into range.

I run a stable 10ppm nitrate and .15ppm phosphate.

Make sure you test so you can see the effects of your dose after 24 hours.

 

[Ian Baxter]

I use brightwells neo nitro and neo phos to bump my nutrients quickly into range.

I run a stable 10ppm nitrate and .15ppm phosphate.

Make sure you test so you can see the effects of your dose after 24 hours.

Thanks!

 

[Reefer911]

Can you add a sand sifting goby? Those are power horses.

If it was my tank I’d siphon out the top layer of sand. Then I’d stir around the sandbed with a hand-held algae scraper.

I’d also add the sand sifting goby.

Like this video:

Where do I get that tool in the video? That sand looks great!

 

[Miami Reef]

Where do I get that tool in the video? That sand looks great!

Search aquarium plastic tongs on Amazon.

Aquarium handheld scrapers also work.

 

[Ian Baxter]

I use brightwells neo nitro and neo phos to bump my nutrients quickly into range.

I run a stable 10ppm nitrate and .15ppm phosphate.

Make sure you test so you can see the effects of your dose after 24 hours.

I did a WC yesterday as it has been two weeks. I had also been feeding twice a day. My Nitrates on 8/4 and 8/7 were 0 and after the WC 0. My PO4 has been .052 on 8/4 and .024 on 8/7. After the WC it was .015.

Yesterday I dosed 25 ml of NeoNitro and tested just now and my nitrates are .1 and PO4 .028.

Do I dose NeoNitro again at 25lm?

 

[Uncle99]

I did a WC yesterday as it has been two weeks. I had also been feeding twice a day. My Nitrates on 8/4 and 8/7 were 0 and after the WC 0. My PO4 has been .052 on 8/4 and .024 on 8/7. After the WC it was .015.

Yesterday I dosed 25 ml of NeoNitro and tested just now and my nitrates are .1 and PO4 .028.

Do I dose NeoNitro again at 25lm?

If your confident in your test, yup, another round.

Let’s get it up to 2ppm then stop dosing.

Then let’s see if that number holds

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I did a WC yesterday as it has been two weeks. I had also been feeding twice a day. My Nitrates on 8/4 and 8/7 were 0 and after the WC 0. My PO4 has been .052 on 8/4 and .024 on 8/7. After the WC it was .015.

Yesterday I dosed 25 ml of NeoNitro and tested just now and my nitrates are .1 and PO4 .028.

Do I dose NeoNitro again at 25lm?

I dose more of the neonitro. Maybe 50 mL.

 

[Ian Baxter]

I dose more of the neonitro. Maybe 50 mL.

If your confident in your test, yup, another round.

Let’s get it up to 2ppm then stop dosing.

Then let’s see if that number holds

I did 25ml last night (before I saw Randy's comment). Tonight, I tested at 2.2 Nitrates and .046 phosphates. I'm pretty confused with the major jump with both. Hanna testers for both and I'm pretty confident with the accuracy. No plans to dose tonight given how high the phosphates jumped. Also, no reef roids tonight.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I did 25ml last night (before I saw Randy's comment). Tonight, I tested at 2.2 Nitrates and .046 phosphates. I'm pretty confused with the major jump with both. Hanna testers for both and I'm pretty confident with the accuracy. No plans to dose tonight given how high the phosphates jumped. Also, no reef roids tonight.

I wouldn't spend time trying to understand small changes that may be all sorts of things, including test variability.

Both are fine and not near any sort of high range concern. I'd still dose nitrate or ammonia, or it is likely to drop back.

 

[Uncle99]

I did 25ml last night (before I saw Randy's comment). Tonight, I tested at 2.2 Nitrates and .046 phosphates. I'm pretty confused with the major jump with both. Hanna testers for both and I'm pretty confident with the accuracy. No plans to dose tonight given how high the phosphates jumped. Also, no reef roids tonight.

Those numbers are great IMM as your system does not have a ton of corals right now.

The goal now is to get it to “hold” week to week. Look for longer term trends and react only steady increases or decreases.

You can consider adding some PODS, just once with a daily dash of live phyto and that food will strength your systems maturity.

In my system, nitrate 10ppm and phosphate.15ppm gets used up faster as we are packed full of corals.

For me, those levels are at max (but hold) so I keep them. Too high is as bad as too low.

Looks like RHF suggestion of 50ml was spot on.

Good luck!