Nitrate or Nahhh-Trate: What is your Nitrate level & how is your reef responding to it?

[AlyciaMarie]

People like to debate certain parameters and what is "normal" for them. Everyone has different tanks, with a different life and oftentimes different needs. These factors can cause some fluctuation in parameters that are good for some reefs and not so good for others. Nitrate is one of those levels that people will agree to disagree on what level is beneficial (or detrimental). Let's discuss your opinions on it!

What is your Nitrate level & how is your reef responding to it?

 

[shakacuz]

when i had my tank running it'd always be within the 1-10ppm range. luckily(depending who you ask) i never had an abundance of no3/po4 in the tank. it would always be very close to 0.03-0.07

 

[edsbeaker]

I’m at around 5 ppm. The tank has only been up for 7 mos, so I’m keeping it at this level. It’s not to high which would make the uglies even worse, and it’s not too low to bring on Dino’s. Corals, LPS and softies, are fully extended and seem happy.

 

[corosato]

my unintended in tank refugium is keeping mine too low right now.....

 

[KrisReef]

People like to debate certain parameters and what is "normal" for them. Everyone has different tanks, with a different life and oftentimes different needs. These factors can cause some fluctuation in parameters that are good for some reefs and not so good for others. Nitrate is one of those levels that people will agree to disagree on what level is beneficial (or detrimental). Let's discuss your opinions on it!

What is your Nitrate level & how is your reef responding to it?

How come there is no "Don't Know?" nitrate level option?

My fish tank is probably over 100 ppm (High/Bad), and my reef(s) are likely <5ppm and 20ppm, (Low & moderately high respectively) but the only tank I care about nitrates in is probably close to non-detect. I am too lazy to measure but have been wondering. I'm going to go to the beach, maybe I will measure it afterwards.

("I'm psychotic's")?

 

[vlangel]

I like mine to be at least 25 ppm. The system as it is now is 5 years old so mature. Because of a deep sandbed in both the display and the sump plus all the ornamental macroalgae and rock this tank deals with nutrients very well. Almost too well. A few months back I tested and nitrates were undetectable. I tested 3Xs because I didn't believe it. Luckily nothing was suffering yet so I added 5 more fish which fixed the low nutrients. I am getting nice color and full looking coral plus my fish are fat and happy, (even if my ywg looks like he just ate a pickle LOL!

 

[Ben's Pico Reefing]

My corals are happiest with weekly water changes and low to no nitrates. My elegance coral gets cranky If there is to much detritus or nutrients. But I also have never tested this tank since day 1.

 

[JoJosReef]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[CHSUB]

0 no3 on my 10 month old 40g TWV system. Heavy fish loaded 300g ran about 2.5 ppm no3 which was fine too. Think lower is better but actually number is of little importance if tank passes “eye test”.

 

[ColorMeGone]

10+ if I can. I dose 1ml. of Ammonium Bicarbonate daily.

 

[56longroof]

Mines around 2 ppm right now. I started carbon dosing about a month ago when it was consistently in the 20's. It must be doing something positive because my acros are finally showing polyp extension.

 

[vlangel]

I like mine to be at least 25 ppm. The system as it is now is 5 years old so mature. Because of a deep sandbed in both the display and the sump plus all the ornamental macroalgae and rock this tank deals with nutrients very well. Almost too well. A few months back I tested and nitrates were undetectable. I tested 3Xs because I didn't believe it. Luckily nothing was suffering yet so I added 5 more fish which fixed the low nutrients. I am getting nice color and full looking coral plus my fish are fat and happy, (even if my ywg looks like he just ate a pickle LOL!

I had not tested my tank for a month and a half and decided to test. Uhhhg, my nitrates were only about 2 ppm! They were well over 30 ppm a month ago so the tank is still utilizing nitrates too well. I am adding 1 feeding of flake/pellets to my 1 feeding of frozen in hopes that brings it up a bit.

 

[FernBluffReef]

Currently dosing small amounts to keep my nitrates around 10 and phosphates around .1. Nutrients slowly go down if I don’t and my corals seem to get mad if phosphates get to .5. Not 100% sure exactly when they get mad nitrates so I’ve just tried to keep the 100 x 1 ratio since I’m having to dose some anyway

 

[Saffer1]

Mines around 2 ppm right now. I started carbon dosing about a month ago when it was consistently in the 20's. It must be doing something positive because my acros are finally showing polyp extension.

Which carbon dosing product are you using?

 

[Kmst80]

Nitrates are 34.6 as of a few minutes ago. Corals doing great. Mixed reef with a couple sps,
Phosphates are 0.44 btw.

 

[Dburr1014]

0

 

[56longroof]

Which carbon dosing product are you using?

Vinegar saturated with kalk to stop a ph drop.