To water change or not to water change? That is the question!
- Thread starter marco j
- Start date
marco j
Member
I was trying to get my nitrates down. My montis were all looking a bit under the weather. Plus I hadn’t don’t a water change in over a month or two. Why do you think my phosphates are too low?
lionfish300
New member
Well you have Po4 at 0. Corals need a little Po4
Bpb
New member
Despite what some reports say, UN-rinsed PE mysis causes my PO4 to skyrocket. 2 cubes in my 90 gallon and I'll have a 0.05-0.07 ppm spike. Observed this happen many times. Rinsing 2-3 times in Rodi water seems to completely eliminate that. Raising po4 is quite easy.
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marco j
Member
My Salifert test kit reads at zero but they are notorious for being a little inaccurate. Besides don't you want near zero anyways?
I should see how well I can manage them that way.
Major? Please explain
Near zero, right?
I tend to agree. I am also contemplating starting up an up flow ATS since my chaeto grows so slowly.
Pslreefer
New member
Higher nitrates are proven to be beneficial to sps, with some of the best reef tanks in the world with elevated levels.
Take a look here:
https://www.*********.com/ams/tank-parameters-of-some-masters.263/
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Your montis might be looking under the weather because they do not have enough PO4, FYI average PO4 on reefs is .13 mg/l:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17301601?via=ihub
Here's a couple videos also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRIKW-9d2xI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R2BMEfQGjU
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17301601?via=ihub
Here's a couple videos also:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRIKW-9d2xI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R2BMEfQGjU
biecacka
Active member
Sanjay one of the best SPS keepers states his N03 is well over 50...but i like closer to 5-10 but I'm no master.
my thoughts is to control n03 via water change its best to do a single 100% change. why? change 20% and you only reduce your n03 by 20% so on and so forth. so do 100% then take control of what got them to that number, i.e.. over feeding etc.
corey
my thoughts is to control n03 via water change its best to do a single 100% change. why? change 20% and you only reduce your n03 by 20% so on and so forth. so do 100% then take control of what got them to that number, i.e.. over feeding etc.
corey
Actual test on reefs where corals are collected come in about .01 PPM. Dr. Holmes-Farley has a sampling and links to these in his phosphate articles.
If your tank is new, then just wait. If you have sand and real live rock, then they will get the N down really low all on their own. Barebottom and tanks with dry/dead rock can be a lot harder.
25 is too high for me... I like to be less than 2.
BTw - unless you are using GFO, LC or Aluminum-based Phosphate removers, then you do not have 0 Phosphate... this is just a problem with hobby grade color-based test kits.
If your tank is new, then just wait. If you have sand and real live rock, then they will get the N down really low all on their own. Barebottom and tanks with dry/dead rock can be a lot harder.
25 is too high for me... I like to be less than 2.
BTw - unless you are using GFO, LC or Aluminum-based Phosphate removers, then you do not have 0 Phosphate... this is just a problem with hobby grade color-based test kits.
Breaking up the clump and adding Iron are very effective ways to get new chaeto growth.
No-water-change folks will oft see their macro growth slow down to nothing... this is because the stuff uses up all of the iron and then cannot grow anymore. Water changes introduce new iron, but you can also dose iron supplements.
Naturally low phosphate and nitrate is always OK since you always have enough to support life and feed the equilibrium
No-water-change folks will oft see their macro growth slow down to nothing... this is because the stuff uses up all of the iron and then cannot grow anymore. Water changes introduce new iron, but you can also dose iron supplements.
Naturally low phosphate and nitrate is always OK since you always have enough to support life and feed the equilibrium
2wheelsonly
Member
Did you not do water changes in the past? I have ALWAYS ran my tanks with minimal water changes and just recently started dosing trace elements and my color/growth took off like crazy...best thing I ever added but then again I am a 10% every two-three months water changer.
I also find running nitrates higher has been better for my corals than hovering around 0-5.
You're testing po4 with a salifert kit. In my experience they are completely useless in the low ranges. They only show a hint of blue once you're close to 0.1 (not 0.01). You need a hanna ULR checker. My salifert and nyos kits always show 0 po4 but my hanna says I am 0.01-0.02 which is fine.
High nitrates will most likely lead to low phosphates.
marco j
Member
Well, I used to be pretty steady at a 25g water change every 2-3 weeks or so but my nitrates were almost undetectable for the first two years running the system. Year three is when I cut water changes down to a minimum and honestly my tank has done much better. Sounds like I should increase my feeding a little.
I agree, I need to get a better phosphate test kit. I didn't think the relationship between phosphates and nitrates were so crucial. I figured close to zero on both is ideal but it seems a little elevated NO3 is preferable along with higher than 0 PO4 but lower than .05
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