Bio-Pellets nitrate limited

r0cksteady · 03/18/2014, 06:50 AM

Hi All,

I've recently restarted my system. Dosing zeobak, coral snow and run bio-pellets.

I have hardly any fish in my 500 gallon setup but dose all the liquid continuum coral food products to satisfy my filter feeders / nps ( averaged out to 5ml per day in total).

My question, my nitrate and phosphate have been sitting at the same score for over a month:

P04 - 0.08 (Hanna)
N02 - 2ppm (redsea)

If I want to migrate from a mixed reef to more sps focused, how much lower should I try and get them or are these acceptable levels?

Am I nitrate limited for the bio-pellets to drop the phosphate further? If so what's the safest/most natural way of raising nitrates in Order for the bio pellets to drop them both further?

TylerHaworth · 03/18/2014, 07:12 AM

I'd say whatever you are using as coral food is preventing your nitrates/phosphates from dropping down into the lower levels... Fish poop is all the food they need, except for the NPS stuff... NPS is really hard to to in conjunction with SPS unless you have a crazy efficient export and water change system.

If you are ready to go low nutrient for SPS, it's time to move the NPS stuff out, IMO.

If your nitrates are 2.0ppm then no, you are not nitrate limited.

r0cksteady · 03/18/2014, 05:38 PM

So using more Bio-pellets wouldnt achieve the same result? ie. dropping p04\n02 further than my current scores with the same feeding regime?

r0cksteady · 03/21/2014, 03:18 AM

*bump*

03/18/2014, 06:50 AM	#1
r0cksteady Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 379	Bio-Pellets nitrate limited Hi All, I've recently restarted my system. Dosing zeobak, coral snow and run bio-pellets. I have hardly any fish in my 500 gallon setup but dose all the liquid continuum coral food products to satisfy my filter feeders / nps ( averaged out to 5ml per day in total). My question, my nitrate and phosphate have been sitting at the same score for over a month: P04 - 0.08 (Hanna) N02 - 2ppm (redsea) If I want to migrate from a mixed reef to more sps focused, how much lower should I try and get them or are these acceptable levels? Am I nitrate limited for the bio-pellets to drop the phosphate further? If so what's the safest/most natural way of raising nitrates in Order for the bio pellets to drop them both further? __________________ Jason A question never asked, is a question never answered. Two people attempting something differently, doesn't make one of them wrong

03/18/2014, 07:12 AM	#2
TylerHaworth Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Barboursville, WV Posts: 628	I'd say whatever you are using as coral food is preventing your nitrates/phosphates from dropping down into the lower levels... Fish poop is all the food they need, except for the NPS stuff... NPS is really hard to to in conjunction with SPS unless you have a crazy efficient export and water change system. If you are ready to go low nutrient for SPS, it's time to move the NPS stuff out, IMO. If your nitrates are 2.0ppm then no, you are not nitrate limited. __________________ 180 Gallon Rimless. Halides. MP40's. Other Goodies.

03/18/2014, 05:38 PM	#3
r0cksteady Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 379	So using more Bio-pellets wouldnt achieve the same result? ie. dropping p04\n02 further than my current scores with the same feeding regime? __________________ Jason A question never asked, is a question never answered. Two people attempting something differently, doesn't make one of them wrong

03/21/2014, 03:18 AM	#4
r0cksteady Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 379	bump __________________ Jason A question never asked, is a question never answered. Two people attempting something differently, doesn't make one of them wrong