Should I lower my nitrate and phosphate?

[oshanickreef]

Salinity 1.026
Alkalinity 7.84
Calcium 440ppm
Magnesium 1380ppm
Nitrate 20ppm
Phosphate 93ppb (.285 dkH)

Currently worried a little about my nitrate and phosphate levels. This is the first time i have Seen nitrates in my tank in a long time. I have A mixed reef with lots of LpS and a few SPS. Three LPS corals seem to not be doing so well: the green trumpet, a favia, and a gold octospawn. I believe the three are STNing.

I currently Feed with an auto feeder 2 times a day with pellets. I have Lots of fish and they eat all of the pellets pretty fast. Then i usually Feed a mix of mysis, rods Foods, and other random frozen foods. I usually Dose some fuel (amino acid supplement, selcon, cyclopods, etc. i feed The mix of frozen once a day or every other day and i usually Direct feed all the LPS with a baster. But probably more like 4 times a week.

My skimmer is huge and i could Def turn it up a little bit. I also Have a gfo reactor that is running but I’m pretty sure my gfo is expired. I do Have a fuge loaded with green hair algae and chaeto and pods and stuff.

Any suggestions on lowering nitrate and phosphate without shocking the tank? I’m not too worried since 90% of my corals look amazing but still worried about those not doing well. Last time i threw In more gfo i think I hurt Some coral due to throwing off the balance of nitrate and phosphate.

Thanks for the help! :p

[ramseynb]

It’s high IMO but you might hear different. Honestly, with the amount you’re feeding, I would carbon dose. If it lowered your nitrate and you still had phosphates, I might run some GFO. It’s not important or even ideal to get them to zero, but lower would be good. Are you sure your alk levels are stable?

[mcgyvr]

If you want to lower it some reducing feeding would be where I would recommend you start..
I consider what you are currently feeding highly excessive..

You can easily cut back on any/ALL food intended for your corals.. They will likely do just fine without it considering there are many people who are not feeding their corals specifically at all (myself included).. In general they usually get sufficient energy from just the light in the tank..

[NO3]

You have fallen into the trapthinking of "more food will give me large beautiful fish"

In reality....fish in the wild only get a decent meal 2 maybe 3 times a week.

Reduce your feeding to ONCE a day. Trust me...fish are fat and happy with one meal a day.

Start doing weekly 20% waterchanges until NO3 and PO4 falls to acceptable ranges.

Stay on the ONCE a day feeding husbandry.....you will avoid many future problems

[Uncle99]

I carbon dose with NoPox, and run GFO, this brings me from 20ppm to 5ppm and the GFO in addition brings me to .005ppm in phosphate. This in my 70g, mixed reef with lots of LPS and some SPS...

[Monkeyfish]

Reduce your feeding to ONCE a day. Trust me...fish are fat and happy with one meal a day.

That would depend on the type of fish he has. Sorry if I missed that, but I didn't see a list of species. If he has anthias then his feeding regimen is appropriate. There are other species that nibble continuously throughout the day.

Have you always fed this way (as described)? An increase in nitrates/phosphates may mean you need to do more frequent water changes, filter media needs to be changed (you mentioned the GFO is "expired"), overfeeding, etc.

I would start by decreasing indirect feeding of the corals and do a water change. A few days after the water change, replace the GFO.

[Uncle99]

I would remove any "expired" GFO immediately and replace.
I found a bit of a " re-bound " effect on phosphate when GFO exhausted...

[drtrash]

How does your tank look? Gha all over? I have ove 50 N & .2 P, no algea, nothing visible, chaeto grows not going to change anything till i need to

[oshanickreef]

It’s high IMO but you might hear different. Honestly, with the amount you’re feeding, I would carbon dose. If it lowered your nitrate and you still had phosphates, I might run some GFO. It’s not important or even ideal to get them to zero, but lower would be good. Are you sure your alk levels are stable?

Alk levels are stable as can be. I’m dozing and it’s very constant over the past months. I cutrently Have a few tbsp of carbon in a filter sock in the overflow. Thanks!

[oshanickreef]

I would remove any "expired" GFO immediately and replace.
I found a bit of a " re-bound " effect on phosphate when GFO exhausted...

Ok thanks. I will Probably change it out here shortly.

[oshanickreef]

That would depend on the type of fish he has. Sorry if I missed that, but I didn't see a list of species. If he has anthias then his feeding regimen is appropriate. There are other species that nibble continuously throughout the day.

Have you always fed this way (as described)? An increase in nitrates/phosphates may mean you need to do more frequent water changes, filter media needs to be changed (you mentioned the GFO is "expired"), overfeeding, etc.

I would start by decreasing indirect feeding of the corals and do a water change. A few days after the water change, replace the GFO.

So i have Always fed this way. And i also Just tested my phosphates out of my ro/di and they are 23 or .07. So there’s a start.... LOL! I do Have three lyretail anthias, a potters wrasse that’s a piggy, a kole tang that i give Sheets of nori a few times a week. And they are small sheets lol. And about 15 other fish so i feel Like pellets won’t do the job feeding them all.

[oshanickreef]

How does your tank look? Gha all over? I have ove 50 N & .2 P, no algea, nothing visible, chaeto grows not going to change anything till i need to

I dont Have that everywhere but i do Have a sort of hair algae that spreads like an encrusting coral. It isn’t out of control... actually i placed A piece of sympodium on it a while back and it’s sort of killing the algae off.

[rjjr1963]

If your tank looks good I wouldn't change anything. Stability is much more important than arbitrary numbers. I run higher nutrient levels and my tank loves it. Virtually no algae and healthy corals.