Test Kit Questions??? Nitrates/Phosphates Random Thoughts

[CRASHJT]

I finally decided to do some water testing yesterday I havent tested in a while cause I knew my nitrates were high as well as my phosphates but Ive been changing water here and there and clearing out some hair algae from time to time but???? anyway so yesterday I decide to test my LFS ro water and find that there is a phosphate reading kinda unclear as to what but def. not 0.0 anyway I also test my tank and find that my nitrates are about 15 and phosphates are say 0.25ppm last test Nitrates were 80 anyway hair algea has been going crazy for quite some time and like Ive said Ive changed some water but if these numbers are true thats the lowest nitrates Ive had scince I set up the tank??? (bought it used) could the mass growth of hair algae be bringing it down ??? test kits are API and something like a year maybe year and a half old??? do they expire Im really wanting to be happy that my numbers are droping but find myself really questioning it............other thing is I have an Octopus NW-150 skimmer on a 55G tank overkill I know but maybe another factor in the recent drop??? is it finally broke in good??? and last but not least I stoped feeding frozen brine everyday and went to feeding flakes and then the brine every so often also reduced my stock from THE NEWBY: blue Hippo tang, Sailfin tang, lawnmower blennie, scooter blennie, 2 clowns, diamond goby maybe more dont really remember now im down to 2 false perc clowns a sixline wrasse and a diamond goby


Sorry for the long winded post just really confused???

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, lots of growing algae will itself reduce nutrients, but it is still appropriate to try to intercept those nutrients first to decrease the algae problem. :)

[fatdaddy]

Ive been changing water here and there and clearing out some hair algae from time to time but????

If you've reduced feeding, removed hair algae (export), and done a few water changes, then it's possible that your nitrates have fallen.

However, test kits do tend to lose their accuracy after about a year, so your trust in the kit should be suspect. How to know? Take some water down to the LFS and have them test it. Or, you could just get a test kit from a different manufacturer and test it to compare.

I have a red sea test kit that is still accurate (at least in the low range) after two years, so some kits have longer longevity then others.

I've learned to test everything at least once a month. The surveillance helps me from getting into trouble, and in your case, it would help you to know which way your numbers are going.

[CRASHJT]

Yeah I got pretty ****ed at myself for letting it go but its a little late to late now Im just in recovery mode you know how it is your all into it at first and then you loose interest for a bit well thats what happened but I do love it and have decided I want to upgrade to a 150 but want my numbers good before I do so. So basically Im doing what I should be then Ive reduced my stock and changed my feeding the algae is lowering my nitrates unfortunatly my display is now my fuge lol but just keep on keepin on and I will def get my water tested from another kit just for comparison thanks

[fatdaddy]

I want to upgrade to a 150 but want my numbers good before I do so.

Good move.

I'd recommend a remote DSB for the nitrates. I installed a monster sand bed with a 100g live stock trough with a seep gate, and my nitrates went from 70 to zero in about a month. I bet an ice cream pail full of sand in the sump would be enough to put a dent into it. Definitely, a 5g pail would work too.

Also, get an automatic feeder, so you can regulate the amount of food going in. It's so easy to add more (the fish look so hungry), and if you go on vacation, you won't have somebody dumping feed into the tank (one of my problems).

[CRASHJT]

Not a bad idea do you mainly feed flakes?? or frozen?

I used to feed frozen brine daily now I only feed it like once a week and feed flakes the rest of the week but of course right now I dont have anything that really needs the meat???

[fatdaddy]

Not a bad idea do you mainly feed flakes?? or frozen?

flake.