Cant get nitrates or phosphates above 0

a_kraker99 · 11/13/2012, 08:42 PM

That might sounds like a weird problem but I haven't done a water change in 3 weeks and I can't get my nitrates or phosphates to register at all. I suspect this is contributing to my lack of zoanthid color since they like a little bit of dirty water, right?
It is not my test kits either because I have tested them at the LFS as well.
I have 2 clowns, 2 blue green chromis and a royal gramma that eat like crazy in a 29g biocube so the bioload and organics are there. Maybe it is because I have a lot of liverock? I don't get it.
I assume it is alright to not change the water as long as those level stay down right? Maybe I should turn my skimmer off for a while every day?

jimmy frag · 11/13/2012, 08:47 PM

you want the water changes to keep your trace elements there. your nitrates and phosphates will come, carefull, im thinking this is a fairly new system.

jimmy frag · 11/13/2012, 08:52 PM

sorry kracker 99, should have asked if you were dosing carbon ?

a_kraker99 · 11/13/2012, 08:57 PM

It is just over a year old. No carbon. I ran purigen for a while but took it out a few weeks ago.

a_kraker99 · 11/13/2012, 08:59 PM

I have been trying everything to get my zoas to look vibrant again. All water parameters are spot on. Made me think that it is just too clean with 0 nitrates and phosphates so I took it out

SushiGirl · 11/13/2012, 09:34 PM

Zoas can survive fine with 0 phosphates & nitrates. Maybe it's the lighting. When did you last change your bulbs?

a_kraker99 · 11/13/2012, 10:03 PM

They look healthy (not closed up and getting good extension) they just lack the bright colors they used to have. Bulbs were changed a couple months ago. Zoas are near the top of the tank too

Spyderturbo007 · 11/14/2012, 01:48 PM

I have the same issue you have a kracker99. My Hammer Coral and Stylophora coral bleached out on me and my Zoas look bland. My Nitrates and Phosphates are 0ppm and won't come up. I've pulled the GFO, increased feeding stopped doing water changes and nothing.

I can't seem to find help anywhere since we seem to have a very unusual problem. Every post I find is people trying to drop Nitrates and Phosphates and here we are trying to raise them.

I just added a pair of snowflakes to the tank so hopefully the additional bioload will produce something. I just want my color back in my corals. A Purple Tipped Aussie Hammer Coral isn't as cool when it's bleached.

njudson · 11/14/2012, 02:06 PM

I doubt your hammer is bleaching due to a lack of nitrates or phosphates. How stable are your big 3 Ca, Alk and Mag?

a_kraker99 · 11/14/2012, 02:13 PM

Are you asking me? My calcium stays pretty stable. Alkalinity has been hard to keep up. Adding baking soda to compensate. I have heard this can be from a magnesium deficiency. I don't have a magnesium test kit but the LFS said it was 1300 the only time I ever tested it a few months ago.

11/13/2012, 08:42 PM	#1
a_kraker99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 55	Cant get nitrates or phosphates above 0 That might sounds like a weird problem but I haven't done a water change in 3 weeks and I can't get my nitrates or phosphates to register at all. I suspect this is contributing to my lack of zoanthid color since they like a little bit of dirty water, right? It is not my test kits either because I have tested them at the LFS as well. I have 2 clowns, 2 blue green chromis and a royal gramma that eat like crazy in a 29g biocube so the bioload and organics are there. Maybe it is because I have a lot of liverock? I don't get it. I assume it is alright to not change the water as long as those level stay down right? Maybe I should turn my skimmer off for a while every day?

11/13/2012, 09:34 PM	#6
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	Zoas can survive fine with 0 phosphates & nitrates. Maybe it's the lighting. When did you last change your bulbs? __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

11/14/2012, 02:06 PM	#9
njudson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 610	I doubt your hammer is bleaching due to a lack of nitrates or phosphates. How stable are your big 3 Ca, Alk and Mag? __________________ Barebottom Nano Radion Pro Icecap 1k Gyre Icecap K1 Nano Skimmer Ocellaris pair / Potter's Angel / BTAs, Zoas and Montis Current Tank Info: IM Nuvo Fusion Lagoon 25

11/13/2012, 08:47 PM	#2
jimmy frag Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: burlington ontario Posts: 845	you want the water changes to keep your trace elements there. your nitrates and phosphates will come, carefull, im thinking this is a fairly new system.

11/13/2012, 08:52 PM	#3
jimmy frag Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: burlington ontario Posts: 845	sorry kracker 99, should have asked if you were dosing carbon ?

11/13/2012, 08:57 PM	#4
a_kraker99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 55	It is just over a year old. No carbon. I ran purigen for a while but took it out a few weeks ago.

11/13/2012, 08:59 PM	#5
a_kraker99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 55	I have been trying everything to get my zoas to look vibrant again. All water parameters are spot on. Made me think that it is just too clean with 0 nitrates and phosphates so I took it out

11/13/2012, 10:03 PM	#7
a_kraker99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 55	They look healthy (not closed up and getting good extension) they just lack the bright colors they used to have. Bulbs were changed a couple months ago. Zoas are near the top of the tank too

11/14/2012, 01:48 PM	#8
Spyderturbo007 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: PA Posts: 2,564	I have the same issue you have a kracker99. My Hammer Coral and Stylophora coral bleached out on me and my Zoas look bland. My Nitrates and Phosphates are 0ppm and won't come up. I've pulled the GFO, increased feeding stopped doing water changes and nothing. I can't seem to find help anywhere since we seem to have a very unusual problem. Every post I find is people trying to drop Nitrates and Phosphates and here we are trying to raise them. I just added a pair of snowflakes to the tank so hopefully the additional bioload will produce something. I just want my color back in my corals. A Purple Tipped Aussie Hammer Coral isn't as cool when it's bleached.

11/14/2012, 02:13 PM	#10
a_kraker99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 55	Are you asking me? My calcium stays pretty stable. Alkalinity has been hard to keep up. Adding baking soda to compensate. I have heard this can be from a magnesium deficiency. I don't have a magnesium test kit but the LFS said it was 1300 the only time I ever tested it a few months ago.