shaywood Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) Measuring parameters today. My phosphate is basically at zero on a Hanna URL meter and nitrate is at 12. How can I lower nitrate without impacting phosphate? I have some hair algae, so I know there is nutrients in the tank. Edited January 31, 2021 by shaywood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 You can't unless you go the water change route. Everything that would absord nitrate.. bacteria through carbon dosing, macro alagae, etc also absorbs phosphates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spschampion Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I noticed that when I was dosing NOPOX into my tank, it dropped nitrate really fast! It didn’t seem to change phosphate much though. I have heard others state that they had similar results. Might be worth a try?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Tavan Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 nitrate of 12 ain't bad... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaywood Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 Yeah It's really the hair algae that bugs me. I don't have any herbivores in my small tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Tavan Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 Clean up crew? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaywood Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 Crabs and snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpfinnigan Posted February 1, 2021 Share Posted February 1, 2021 You can increase your phosphates by turning your skimmer off for a few hours a day. Mine was too effective, so I started turning it off for two hours in the AM and 2-3 hours in the PM. I coordinated this when I dose amino acids, coral foods, or other treatments that want the skimmer off, so it was a win-win and a little more maintenance free. If you want to adjust the Carbon, Nitrate, Phosphate levels without waiting for cycles or adding more food, ATI makes solutions for each. I've been trying it out the last year to make a few tweaks when things appear out of my accepted levels. It seems subtle and has not been a negative on the tank so far. I've mostly only dosed the Carbon and Nitrate, but you can dose Phosphate if all else fails. https://www.marinedepot.com/ati-nutrition-p-phosphorus-500-ml 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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