Phosphate limitation

GAM GAM · 10/08/2014, 11:52 PM

Ok. So let's say that I was carbon dosing. And that carbon source contained nitrates. And I dosed that concoction until I no longer had any phosphate in my tank (actually like 0.0018 ppm) but had nitrates around 15-20 ppm. I can't adjust the amount of nitrate in the mixture, and I only dose like 1 ml per day and it's auto dosed so I can't actually dose less of it. What does a guy do. Not shooting for zero nitrates but I think 5 ppm would be good

disc1 · 10/09/2014, 07:44 AM

Pick a different carbon source sounds like the obvious answer.

Dan_P · 10/09/2014, 04:04 PM

Need a few more facts to understand what is happening.

How many grams of nitrates and how many grams of carbon are you dosing every day? How many days did you dose to get your phosphates down? What were the nitrates at when you started dosing? Your current level is around 20 ppm? How many liters or gallons is your system?

Thanks.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 10/15/2014, 06:35 AM

What organic have you elected to dose that has nitrogen in it?

GAM GAM · 10/19/2014, 04:52 AM

Zeostart.....

Been feeding heavy and done some water changes. Tank looks good skimmers working harder (more stuff). Nitrate still a bit on the high side, and phosphate still super low. Dosent seem to be hurting anything.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 10/19/2014, 07:01 AM

Which Zeostart?

10/08/2014, 11:52 PM	#1
GAM GAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 63	Phosphate limitation Ok. So let's say that I was carbon dosing. And that carbon source contained nitrates. And I dosed that concoction until I no longer had any phosphate in my tank (actually like 0.0018 ppm) but had nitrates around 15-20 ppm. I can't adjust the amount of nitrate in the mixture, and I only dose like 1 ml per day and it's auto dosed so I can't actually dose less of it. What does a guy do. Not shooting for zero nitrates but I think 5 ppm would be good

10/09/2014, 07:44 AM	#2
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	Pick a different carbon source sounds like the obvious answer. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

10/15/2014, 06:35 AM	#4
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	What organic have you elected to dose that has nitrogen in it? __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

10/19/2014, 07:01 AM	#6
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Which Zeostart? __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

10/09/2014, 04:04 PM	#3
Dan_P Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 1,432	Need a few more facts to understand what is happening. How many grams of nitrates and how many grams of carbon are you dosing every day? How many days did you dose to get your phosphates down? What were the nitrates at when you started dosing? Your current level is around 20 ppm? How many liters or gallons is your system? Thanks.

10/19/2014, 04:52 AM	#5
GAM GAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 63	Zeostart..... Been feeding heavy and done some water changes. Tank looks good skimmers working harder (more stuff). Nitrate still a bit on the high side, and phosphate still super low. Dosent seem to be hurting anything.