Nitrates and soft corals

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Ok...so I'm getting ready to start growing some soft corals, but my Nitrates are >4 PPM nitrates and Phosphates are 0.008. Will this affect corals such as frog spawn, hammer corals, zenia's etc.? Or should I try and get everything down closer to zero?

If I need to lower them should I vodka dose? If so how much do I start with for a 55 gallon tank and 30 gallon sump?

 

[acabgd]

No, actually soft corals will like it.

 

[Pife]

You should read more about soft coral and lps and sps.

 

[Sgt Jonny Cat]

Ok... the soft corals will like it? I'm guessing they will consume some of the nitrates then?

 

[Pife]

Some don't mind it. No I don't believe they consume it.

 

[Big_Boss_77]

I don't think they consume it, I just don't think they mind it as much as some of the more delicate corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I expect that all corals take up nitrate and phosphate, unless they get all the N and P they need from foods they consume.

Just to be clear, two of the three corals you mentioned are hard (LPS) corals.

That said, the nitrate is fine if it is not a lot higher. >4 ppm might be 400 ppm.

What does "Phosphates are 0.008" mean?

Is that with the Hanna 736? Did you concert it to phosphate from phosphorus?

 

[Gandolfe]

My high nitrate tank

My high nitrate tank

My tank sits at between 80 and 100 PPM(ATI Test), and my softies love it...see videohttp://<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HZaEY2yeTSQ?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>...First part is an attempt at hatching brine shrimp, then it goes to y Sea Horse/Macro/refugium tank then my 125 gallon tank