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vanreefer
03-11-2017, 03:57 PM
Hi
I have encountered a problem... NO3 is ~50ppm (salifert) and PO4 is 0 (Hanna ULR). I have been using aquaforest pro bio S and nopox to try to get nitrates down... Seems I have exhausted all the PO4 in the tank... Any advice on how to proceed? Add a source of PO4? Don't want to over feed as my nitrates are already up
Thanks
VR

Galizio
03-11-2017, 04:46 PM
What? I got the same issue since I started with aquaforest...


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hunggi74
03-11-2017, 05:16 PM
Wait for Wheelman76 to chime in. He doesn't get up until later but he had same issues.

DKoKoMan
03-12-2017, 04:01 AM
Wish I could give you some of my phosphates as they won't go under 0.25 LOL.

crimper
03-12-2017, 06:58 AM
I had the same issue after I switched to AF. My nitrates rose from 0 to 30 ppm after a couple of weeks of using Pro Bio S/NP Pro/Zeomix. My nutrients (NO3: 30ppm PO4: 0) sat there for 3 weeks.

I did 25% weekly WC to lower my NO3 level and continue dosing Pro Bio S/NP Pro. I must admit I almost give up after 2 weeks though I didn't noticed anything odd with my corals except that my yellow green monti turned darker green.

Until last week my NO3 dropped to 10ppm to undetectable 2 days ago. I noticed that my skimate turned darker and darker and indication that the bacteria now took over.

I'm dosing KNO3 now for 2 straight days now and feeding heavily to balance the system.

How long have you been using AF? Do you use Zeomix?

iamfrontosa
03-12-2017, 08:59 AM
I have on occasion added PO4 source to bring up the level. I used Flourish Phosphorus with no adverse affect on corals. Little bit goes a long way lol

Galizio
03-12-2017, 05:37 PM
I had the same issue after I switched to AF. My nitrates rose from 0 to 30 ppm after a couple of weeks of using Pro Bio S/NP Pro/Zeomix. My nutrients (NO3: 30ppm PO4: 0) sat there for 3 weeks.



I did 25% weekly WC to lower my NO3 level and continue dosing Pro Bio S/NP Pro. I must admit I almost give up after 2 weeks though I didn't noticed anything odd with my corals except that my yellow green monti turned darker green.



Until last week my NO3 dropped to 10ppm to undetectable 2 days ago. I noticed that my skimate turned darker and darker and indication that the bacteria now took over.



I'm dosing KNO3 now for 2 straight days now and feeding heavily to balance the system.



How long have you been using AF? Do you use Zeomix?



Don't know if the OP use the zeolite, I do , but are the zeo brand. I managed to lower the po4 and also the nitrate from 50 to 25 in the last to weeks also with water changes. I noticed my value went up when I took the zeolite off the reactor and use them in a mesh bag, so now the reactor is back on and the values are going down slowly, but at least going down... I used to dose mb7 and biofuel before switching to aquaforest pro bio s /np pro for over a month now


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vanreefer
03-12-2017, 07:28 PM
Sound like a similar situation. I am doing water changes now to help with the No3. Don't use the zeolites and been using AF for about a year. I am in recovery mode after a huge STN of all my acros.

I had the same issue after I switched to AF. My nitrates rose from 0 to 30 ppm after a couple of weeks of using Pro Bio S/NP Pro/Zeomix. My nutrients (NO3: 30ppm PO4: 0) sat there for 3 weeks.

I did 25% weekly WC to lower my NO3 level and continue dosing Pro Bio S/NP Pro. I must admit I almost give up after 2 weeks though I didn't noticed anything odd with my corals except that my yellow green monti turned darker green.

Until last week my NO3 dropped to 10ppm to undetectable 2 days ago. I noticed that my skimate turned darker and darker and indication that the bacteria now took over.

I'm dosing KNO3 now for 2 straight days now and feeding heavily to balance the system.

How long have you been using AF? Do you use Zeomix?

crimper
03-12-2017, 08:07 PM
Sound like a similar situation. I am doing water changes now to help with the No3. Don't use the zeolites and been using AF for about a year. I am in recovery mode after a huge STN of all my acros.

I think Zeomix played a vital role on my system entering the ULNS as it absorbs Amonia before it turn into Nitrates.

I just did another test again today NO3 is 0ppm.

In your case, I would continue doing large WC to manage NO3. Im not sure how NOPOX works so I cant comment on that.

crimper
03-12-2017, 08:20 PM
If I may add, be careful with Zeolites. My corals didn't like it when I started using it. I started with 1/4 of the recommended dosage. my corals turned pale close to bleaching after a week of using it.

Galizio
03-13-2017, 02:35 AM
Sound like a similar situation. I am doing water changes now to help with the No3. Don't use the zeolites and been using AF for about a year. I am in recovery mode after a huge STN of all my acros.



If still recovering , I suggest to hold on the zeolite, I found are really hard on sps ,especially on a established tank, if you can manage just with water changes that's great, that's what I'm doing at the moment even if my corals looks good so I'm not really worried about it.... I was impressed that from very low No3 bounced to 50 , but in my case could be different things not just the switching to aquaforest as some snails dying, or overfeeding...


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gmann
03-13-2017, 07:28 PM
I have the same issue although I am not dosing AF. I was using FAuna MArin bacto balls along with brightwells bio bricks. water changes have done nothing, so I think I will remove the bacto balls and try carbon dosing using bio fuel or something along with a no3 brick.

surprisingly my corals look fine, but my rocks do not :cry:

gmann
03-15-2017, 05:35 PM
sweet BRS just released a video on the subject