Reburn Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I went from the API nitrate test kit and wasn't happy to the Salifert and still wasn't happy. I have since gotten a Red Sea pro kit and I like its resolution and color change quite a bit more. The only complaint is the test takes 9 minutes to stabilize colors after everything is mixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Nitrate kits pretty much all suck IMO if you're looking for good resolution at the low end. Caveat that I haven't tried the salifert yet, but i didn't care for the Red Sea either. The green/yellow at the low end was hard for me to differentiate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 I had the Red Sea kit once upon a time but never tried the Salifert but heard that was a good kit. Anything is better than API! I'm still in the rebuilding phases Robb... what better time to experiment! Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I am not unhappy with the salifert nitrate kit -- for my eyes, I feel it is has about +/- 0.05 resolution on the color differentiation scale in the low range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAM Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Let's come up and build an all in one checker that is affordable and can be linked to apex that will check all perimeter!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolt Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 But I am one of the two people that use Reef Angel on this forum .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I only had experience with the API test kit and recently purchased an elos test kit on a whim that another local reefer wasn't using. It's easy to use and pretty low range. Granted, I have yet to get a reading above 0 on it. Might try it on the fw tank and see if I get a reading since I dose potassium nitrate in that tank. Either way. I am in support of your experiments. Has dosing phosphate kept it elevated or does it keep falling to zero? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 I've stopped dosing the phosphate. It would just keep dropping to 0 after raising it to 0.02 ppm. I'm sure the nitrates will do the same but I hope it sticks around in the system longer. If so, it may be more viable to dose it. Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 To my surprise, my nitrates are still 15ppm. I had previously removed a ton of biopellets and I'm probably running 1/3 of the recommended amount. I also dialed back the flow on the biopellets as well. Maybe at the current level, it maintains the nitrates where it is at. If so, I may ramp it up a bit to lower the nitrates to 5-10 ppm and then keep that maintenance range by slowing the biopellets back down. That would be ideal because it would give me control of my nitrate levels in my tank and that would appeal to my control freak nature. Now if only my phosphates would play nice. I have one last theory to why some of my acros are still STN'ing. My main guess is lack of nutrients hence the phosphate and nitrate addition tests. But one thread I ran across mentioned the precipitation of iron from GFO that had been released into the system and embedded in the substrate. I had my GFO reactor clog up and blast a bunch in my sump. I never cleaned it up. I wonder if I am getting a spike in iron levels and some sps aren't taking too it well? Anybody have an iron test sitting around? I guess I should get to pulling that stuff out. Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Maybe you should just take the GFO and biopellets off line altogether. Not that you haven't had really good results with your old tank, but maybe it's time to go simple. Skim well, feed heavily, frequent WCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share Posted August 22, 2014 Can't take biopellets offline, my nitrates will shoot up to 50 ppm. GFO has been offline for about 2 weeks now with no increase in phosphates. I like that problem. Water changes? Really Robb? You're barking up the wrong tree. Might as well tell James to do a water change too! Lol! Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Uh. Yeah. 50ppm-WC=happy tank. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 50 ppm nitrates - 234 gal water change (90% volume) = 5 ppm nitrates. <---- repeat everytime my nitrates climb up to 50 ppm which was probably about every 2 weeks with my bioload and feeding pattern 234 gal water change = 8 brute trash cans of saltwater 8 brute trash cans of saltwater = 1 and 1/3 salt buckets = poor Ty = broken back = salty mouth taste from siphoning tube = dead salty grass in backyard Alternatively: Keep tweaking my biopellet/gfo use to match my tank and continue use of CaRX and amino acid dosing = no water changes for 3 years (at least that's what happened with my old tank). This was only an imagined scenario. No backs were broken in real life and the only salty taste in my mouth was from the vermicelli bowl I ate yesterday. I know I am just being goofy but realistically, water changes to suppress lower concentrations of nitrates work on a smaller scale tank but once you get to a bigger tank and higher nitrate concentrations, the logistics get overwhelming to do, not to mention expensive. Since nitrate removal is directly proportional to the percentage of water removed (i.e. 90% volume removed, 90% decrease of nitrate concentration), and my nitrates would hit 50 ppm in 2 weeks time, I would in no doubt officially be a slave to my tank, and that doesn't seem enjoyable to me or my back. Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 Fascinating! Sometimes I feel like I'm on an episode of RSI (Reef Scene Investigation). I dosed the potassium nitrate and my target 5ppm ended up being 15 ppm. No cause for concern there though a little higher than I wanted. Interestingly though, the number hasn't budged even with my biopellets still online. That makes me conclude that now my system is once again phosphate limited due to the bacteria feeding off the carbon of the biopellets needing both nitrates and phosphates to reproduce. I gave them all the nitrates (15 ppm) and carbon (biopellets) they could want but they ran out of phosphate. My next experiment may be adding some phosphates to the system and watching it drive down the nitrate concentration. Again, I need to pick up a higher resolution nitrate kit so I can track the progress better. The aim as always is to maintain both my phosphates and my nitrates via biopellets only and keep a concentration of 5ppm nitrates and 0.03 phosphates. Let's see if I can achieve that... if so, my maintenance routine will exclude GFO which means the only thing I'll need to do to my system for maintenance is wipe down the glass weekly, add media to my biopellet reactor and CARX every 6 months, and dose aminos 2x a week. No more water changes and no more monthly GFO changes. Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I would almost rather just stick with water changes but then again, I have never had my tank on cruise control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 lol manny did you miss the 50ppm a week nitrate increase in his tank, indicating he would need to do 150-200 gallon water changes every two weeks. That's over $100 a month in water changes alone. And a lot of space to store that much water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I didn't miss it. But hey, the back breaking part makes it worth it. Obviously I didn't make it sound sarcastic enough on my previous post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 I wish they would invent a sarcasm button already! Sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 As I read the thread about Ty's large beautiful tank..................I'm reminded 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share Posted August 23, 2014 NoTYrious B.I.G! I don't want to be a big tank reefer no more! I'm not a reefer, I just frag a lot. Sent via Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Ty you will never qualify as B.I.G. Maybe his leg... Ty be like, 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 Well surprise, surprise... add a little more nutrients to the tank and all of a sudden everything is looking a little happier again! I'm aiming for the nutrient level to hold where it is right now but we'll see how it looks tomorrow. I removed even more biopellets, got a better nitrate test, and added potassium phosphate to the system. My latest numbers are 0.03 ppm phosphate and 4 ppm nitrates. Lets hope it stays that same concentration by tomorrow evening. If so, I think I will have finally fine-tuned my tank nutrient levels. In other news, my new maxima clam made himself at home in the zoa garden. My new chocolate tang is making himself right at home in his new tank. I added 20 saltwater glass shrimp to my sump to help keep it clean down there. Check out the sweet photoshop job I did on the light reflection! Sent via Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robb in Austin Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 50 ppm nitrates - 234 gal water change (90% volume) = 5 ppm nitrates. <---- repeat everytime my nitrates climb up to 50 ppm which was probably about every 2 weeks with my bioload and feeding pattern 234 gal water change = 8 brute trash cans of saltwater 8 brute trash cans of saltwater = 1 and 1/3 salt buckets = poor Ty = broken back = salty mouth taste from siphoning tube = dead salty grass in backyard Alternatively: Keep tweaking my biopellet/gfo use to match my tank and continue use of CaRX and amino acid dosing = no water changes for 3 years (at least that's what happened with my old tank). This was only an imagined scenario. No backs were broken in real life and the only salty taste in my mouth was from the vermicelli bowl I ate yesterday. I know I am just being goofy but realistically, water changes to suppress lower concentrations of nitrates work on a smaller scale tank but once you get to a bigger tank and higher nitrate concentrations, the logistics get overwhelming to do, not to mention expensive. Since nitrate removal is directly proportional to the percentage of water removed (i.e. 90% volume removed, 90% decrease of nitrate concentration), and my nitrates would hit 50 ppm in 2 weeks time, I would in no doubt officially be a slave to my tank, and that doesn't seem enjoyable to me or my back. Sent via Tapatalk So what you're saying is you are going to sell the big tank and setup a 40. Can I have first crack at the livestock?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted August 28, 2014 Author Share Posted August 28, 2014 I got a 5-gallon nano that is looking more tempting each day as a softie tank. GSP and xenia... here i come! Sent via Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Pedretti Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Noooooo!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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