High Nitrates - Immediate Removal?

[bertoni]

If the nitrate level stays fixed at an acceptable level, you likely can keep dosing the NoPOx indefinitely without issues. You could try backing off on it, but there's no good way to predict what will happen.

NoPOx is a mixture of vinegar and vodka at a particular ratio. You should be able to switch to either or the DIY NoPOx formula without issues.

 

[garygonzales]

yep this worked good for me too...i dosed for nine weeks...and now im down below 5 manufacturer suggest to keep dosing but at half the dose...so i was at 6ml and should go to 3ml...but what i did is stop dosing for a week or so and its still holding...so maybe it just stabilized now ..so im not sure if ill dose again...maybe once a week...hmmm

 

[Xxero]

If the nitrate level stays fixed at an acceptable level, you likely can keep dosing the NoPOx indefinitely without issues. You could try backing off on it, but there's no good way to predict what will happen.

NoPOx is a mixture of vinegar and vodka at a particular ratio. You should be able to switch to either or the DIY NoPOx formula without issues.

Very good! Thanks Jonathan!

 

[Xxero]

yep this worked good for me too...i dosed for nine weeks...and now im down below 5 manufacturer suggest to keep dosing but at half the dose...so i was at 6ml and should go to 3ml...but what i did is stop dosing for a week or so and its still holding...so maybe it just stabilized now ..so im not sure if ill dose again...maybe once a week...hmmm

That's awesome that your Nitrates have come down so much, too! I started off with the 6ml also, and now I'm dosing the 3ml. I think that I will continue on for a bit and then stop and see what happens.

Thanks for the input! :bigeyes:

 

[tmz]

Questions post # 140.

Jonathan summed it up nicely.
I 'd only add that the heterotrophic bacteria supported by the organic carbon dosing also keep PO4 down. Stopping may result in higher phosphate and nitrogen levels, possibly nitrate,nitrate or ammonia: often nuisance alge spikes when dosing stops . Tweaking the dose up or down and observing is the course I might take if there was evidence of too much bacterial biomass , a nitrogen deficiency or other effects I didn't like ; otherwise I'd keep the dose steady. Personally I've used vodka and vinegar in propotion very close to the NOPX levels for over 6 years and keep NO3 around 0.2ppm with PO4 in the 0.02ppm to 0.04 range.

 

[Xxero]

Questions post # 140.

Jonathan summed it up nicely.
I 'd only add that the heterotrophic bacteria supported by the organic carbon dosing also keep PO4 down. Stopping may result in higher phosphate and nitrogen levels, possibly nitrate,nitrate or ammonia: often nuisance alge spikes when dosing stops . Tweaking the dose up or down and observing is the course I might take if there was evidence of too much bacterial biomass , a nitrogen deficiency or other effects I didn't like ; otherwise I'd keep the dose steady. Personally I've used vodka and vinegar in propotion very close to the NOPX levels for over 6 years and keep NO3 around 0.2ppm with PO4 in the 0.02ppm to 0.04 range.

Hey thanks for the input, Tom!

In regards to "bacterial biomass"...what exactly does it look like? I've read about others carbon dosing and seeing "strings of bacterial blooms" in the water column, etc. but with the prior vinegar dosing and now with the NoPoX, I don't think I have seen anything??? The only oddity that I have noticed (both with the vinegar and the NoPoX) is some weird, slimy-ish, wavy, brown stuff that collects on the exterior of my overflow box (inside the tank). I'll take a picture real quick and post it.

I'm also starting to get concerned again.....The NoPoX claims that it will bring nitrates all the way down to Zero, but mine have been stuck between 5 and 10ppm for a few weeks now. Not that I'm complaining, I'm just beginning to wonder if it will actually bring them all of the way down. I understand that we don't necessarily want Zero nitrates, but I also know that Zero nitrates is possible. I would like to see it for myself, but I'm starting to feel like my nitrates are just playing possum! :bigeyes:

 

[Xxero]

Bad photo, but here is the brown, snotty, wavy stuff:

Something else, too.....I have a handful of various Mushrooms and 2 small Torch coral frags that are thriving and budding, but I have a Colt coral frag and a few Button Polyps that aren't doing so well. I can't really figure that one out? Colt corals are pretty hardy, but it and the Button Polyps seem to have shrunk up. Any ideas?

Shrooms:

Torches:

 

[tmz]

Hey thanks for the input, Tom!

In regards to "bacterial biomass"...what exactly does it look like? I've read about others carbon dosing and seeing "strings of bacterial blooms" in the water column, etc. but with the prior vinegar dosing and now with the NoPoX, I don't think I have seen anything??? The only oddity that I have noticed (both with the vinegar and the NoPoX) is some weird, slimy-ish, wavy, brown stuff that collects on the exterior of my overflow box (inside the tank). I'll take a picture real quick and post it.

That's what it looks like;some is ok but if it starts building up in unsightly ways cut back on the dose.

I'm also starting to get concerned again.....The NoPoX claims that it will bring nitrates all the way down to Zero, but mine have been stuck between 5 and 10ppm for a few weeks now. Not that I'm complaining, I'm just beginning to wonder if it will actually bring them all of the way down. I understand that we don't necessarily want Zero nitrates, but I also know that Zero nitrates is possible. I would like to see it for myself, but I'm starting to feel like my nitrates are just playing possum! :bigeyes:

It can commonly take months for the NO3 that was in the tank at start to drop. 5 to 10 ppm is tolerable in the meantime, at some point it should drop. The carbon dosing helps bacteria that take the ammonia first without oxidizing it to nitrate thus reducing new ntrate supplies. it takes longer to get at pre dosing existing nitrate in many cases .especially at the lower levels.

 

[Xxero]

That's what it looks like;some is ok but if it starts building up in unsightly ways cut back on the dose.

It can commonly take months for the NO3 that was in the tank at start to drop. 5 to 10 ppm is tolerable in the meantime, at some point it should drop. The carbon dosing helps bacteria that take the ammonia first without oxidizing it to nitrate thus reducing new ntrate supplies. it takes longer to get at pre dosing existing nitrate in many cases .especially at the lower levels.

All of this was very informative and encouraging.

Thank you for your response, Tom! :bigeyes:

 

[tmz]

You are welcome.

 

[Xxero]

Metamorphosis.

Metamorphosis.

Just a quick update. As things change or as I change things, I like to use this thread to keep track of it all.

NoPoX For The Last Two Weeks:
I first cut my dosing in half for about 7 days, and then stopped dosing altogether for the last 7 days. The brown, snotty stuff (bacterial blooms?) started to disappear, but my nitrates jumped up to 20ppm as of this last Friday.

Things That I Have Noticed/Changed:
1. While dosing the NoPoX, the pre-filter sponge inside of my overflow box began getting clogged with this same brown, snotty stuff requiring it to be cleaned every 2 days. After cutting back and then stopping the dosing, the sponge is back to only needing a weekly cleansing.
2. I removed my ATS. While dosing the NoPoX, algae stopped growing on the plastic mesh screen, and it was replaced with guess what? Yup! Brown, snotty stuff! Like the pre-filter sponge, the pvc part of the ATS and the screen began getting clogged up with this stuff, so I removed it for the time being. I will probably add it back in once I find this bacterial balance.
3. I removed the DSB in the refugium portion of my sump. The DSB has been in place for 5 months, and I felt like it was doing nothing (in my particular application) towards intended nitrate reduction. It also made me a little nervous in regards to its potential to go toxic at some point, and it was beginning to form an odd looking "crust" on top of it.
4. I wet-vac'd out that portion of the sump (after removing the Emerald Crab of course :bigeyes: ), and I replaced the DSB with an 8x8x4 in. Marinepure block. I also added about another 7 pounds of cured Live Rock in the remaining space for more critter real estate.
5. After replacing the water in that portion of the sump (about 10 gallons), my nitrates dropped back down to 10ppm. I began dosing the NoPoX again today, but I'm only going with half of the recommended amount. I think it's all about finding the bacterial sweet spot.

Okay, that's about it. The tank looks great and all of its inhabitants appear happy as can be. I've recently purchased a few new coral additions, and so far so good with all of those. As usual, I guess...time will tell. :bigeyes:

 

[garygonzales]

i as you had the same problem with brown nasty stuff clogging all of my filters and sponges..i think thats what the nopox is doing .so im guessing its working...but since then ive taken off my hob filters and all of my sponges and poly flters too ..put in a newer sump with a new skimmer and more live rock....and so far nitrates been 0....i dose nopox maybe once a week...if that........

 

[garygonzales]

i see you change things around alot...maybe you should leave it alone for awhile let things take it coarse...if you keep changing its never going to settle down...

 

[Xxero]

i see you change things around alot...maybe you should leave it alone for awhile let things take it coarse...if you keep changing its never going to settle down...

True statement...no argument here. :bigeyes:

 

[garygonzales]

goodluck ..its worked for me

 

[tmz]

The brown stuff is bacterial mass from the extra organic carbon. It needs somewhere to grow and filter material is a common harbor. Cutting back on the dose and setting a lower routine level can help.

 

[truffle22]

I Heard u can use sugar or vodka to get ur nitrates down.


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[bertoni]

Carbon dosing (usually vodka or vinegar) definitely can help remove nitrate and phosphate from the water column. It's used fairly commonly. Sugar is a bit more risky since a fair number of corals seem to have trouble when it's added.

 

[tmz]

I agree sugara more complex carbohydrate is a problem many times.

 

[garygonzales]

thats why nopox is a good choice......