NO3 after three months, still high

[DusanII]

Dear All,

I am running according to the recommendation I got on this forum (see on post - green color is where I am now) – Zeovit 250 l tank (net water about 200l)

I only make small changes to recommendations:

1, I continue to doze the Coral snow plus every day (in low dosage), keeping the phosphate about 0,01-2. Without daily dozing, it went about 0,15. It scared me so I returned back from 2 x in the week (as recommended on the forum) J

2, I continue to have one week with stronger dozing of Zeo food as was recommended on KZ pages.

After two months, the NO3 went about 4-5 ppm – measured by Hanna checker. And all looks like a good way to reach a stable and low nutrient tank.

Other parameters seem to be OK:

Calcium 400 ppm
Magnesium: 1300 ppm
Potassium: 390 ppm
Salinity: 1,033
KH: 7,8
PH: 8,2

I had two clown fish, one fox face, and one small gobi. I introduced now one more - diamond gobi. That is all from fish.

I feed a small amount of granulated food for fish – no frozen. And my LPS twice a week by mini granules (about ¼ of the teaspoon) and Reef roits. (also about ¼ of the teaspoon)

I do a water change – about 10% every week.

The active coal was changed last time 18.5. and Zeovit filter medium 23.5.

I do it twice a day – reactor “shaking.”

The corals look fine. I have 80% LPS and soft; the rest are less difficult SPS – mostly Montiporas. I also have a few Acropora.

Nothing died in the tank. (at least something bigger as an anemone, e.g.). No big problem with dying algae.

Now last week, during measuring (do it daily) – I found out that the NO3 went on 15 ppm. The next day went about 8 ppm, and today again, about 18 ppm.

I am trying to find out the reason, but I am not able. The only suspicion I have is for diamond gobi which completely “plow” the sand.

Any ideas what can be the reason and how to fix it? Again, it seems that I am the only one who has a problem with it – as all corals, SPS and LPS seem to be OK…J But I fear.

I use no filter materials in my sump (I have there only the skimmer, Zeovit reactor, and active coal). What about adding some additional filter materials? Increase Zeobac dosing? Just wait?

Many thanks

Dušan

[jacky]

Your system, the amount of zeolite material is 0.5 liters, and the reactor flow is 200 liters per hour. (is your material quantity and hourly flow rate correct)

@ I found NO3 up to 15 ppm. About 8 ppm the next day and about 18 ppm today
Could such swinging nitrate levels be just a measurement error?

Some biofilter sponges seem to leach nutrients, are there any? (picture)

[G.Alexander]

Hello Dušan, I expect you already run the ZeoVit reactor with continuous flow, additional I would recommend you to vacuum the sand while each water change for a while to get out the sediments from the deeper sand layers step by step. The big changes of NO3 within such a short time is really unusual, could it be a problem with your test ?

The gobies are really great in cleaning the sand so a small increase of nutrients is common if they are added but this will get back to normal after some time.

G.Alexander

[DusanII]

Dear Jacky, thanks for your quick answer. I double-check the test by Salifert test. So there should be no mistake.

I have 0,5 l. I bought the aquarium from the previous owner, and he assured me that the flow is calculated and set up correctly. (about 200 l). I can try to measure it, but a few weeks ago, it worked well.

From the point of visibility, the flow is fine. (at least no more, no less than before)

But you bring me to the idea - do you think I should, during six weeks period, clean the pump on Zeovit (not the content of zeolites, just the mechanic pump?

Theoretically, it can be partly clocked, and flow could be reduced by 20-30%, which will not be visible for the eye but can be already a problem for the proper function of the zeovit reactor?

To your other question – no biofilter sponge in the tank.

And yeah, I forgot to write that a few days before I put an in the tank about three small dry real coral stones (but it was really small pcs – about 3 x children's fist size.
.

[jacky]

Let's actually do this, use a small container, collect the reactor outlet for 30 seconds, volume x120, so we have actual hourly flow. Let's post the actual measured results.

[DusanII]

OK! will do this evening. :-) many thanks

[DusanII]

So the flow was about only 140-150l per hour. I clean the pump and the flow s now about 190-200l. could be this reason of the problem?

[jacky]

You did a great job, I expect the nutrient concentration to drop over the next few weeks, which should be a slow process. Also as G. said, you vacuum for a period of time at each water change to gradually remove sediment from deeper layers of sand. Also don't forget to keep basal water parameters (including potassium) as stable as possible to NSW levels.

[DusanII]

Great - many thanks for guiding. I will let you know how it develops. :-)

[DusanII]

Dear Jacky, Alexander,

Update:

Two weeks passed, I followed all instructions, but the NO3 still kept plus-minus unchanged at the level of about 15 ppm.

As it is hard to calculate exactly the volume of net water, maybe I should increase a bit dosing of zeobac, zeofood,zeostart?

Now I am dosing as for net 200l (total volume of tank is 250l) :

Zeobac – 2 drops every second day
Zeofood – 4 drops every second day (same day as Zeobac)
Zeostart – 0,4 ml – every day split to two portions – morning/evening.
Coral snow plus – 1,2 ml every day morning

I was thinking about the change:

Zeobac – 3 drops every second day
Zeofood – 6 drops every second day (same day as Zeobac)
Zeostart – 0,6 ml – every day split to two portions – morning/evening.
Coral snow plus – 1,2 ml every day morning

Or

Zeobac – 2 drops every day
Zeofood – 4 drops every day (same day as Zeobac)
Zeostart – 0,4 ml – every day split to two portions – morning/evening.
Coral snow plus – 1,2 ml every day morning

What do you think – can this helps? If you agree – which version would you recommend – increase amount per day or doze every day?

Many thanks

Dušan

[jacky]

Zeostart - 0,4 ml - divided into two portions daily - morning/evening.

If my understanding is right, let's take 0.2ml of Zeo Start each time x2 times a day (morning and evening) for a total of 0.4ml a day.

If possible, drop Zeo Bac and Zeo Start before the inlet of the zeolite reactor, which can better reflect the process, pull the lever twice a day to clean the material several times, adjust the skimmer to wet for a period of time and sand the sand at each water change Vacuum to gradually remove sediment from deeper layers of sand

[DusanII]

Dear Jacky, many thanks. Here i my comments:

Zeostart - you understand this well - I give in total 0,4 ml per day (split into two dosings 0,2 ml in the morning and 0,2 ml in the evening)

I will start to dose before the inlet – good tip.

I already pull twice, so I will continue. And I already clean sand by Vaccum.

But please, what do you mean by “adjust the skimmer to wet”? I increased the “bubbling” a week ago, so my chamber is usually full in about four days.

Many thanks

Dušan

[jacky]

Thank you for letting me understand, it turns out that I misunderstood what you meant. I mean - clean skimmer collection cup clean to make it more mud outlet (adjust skimmer to wet, more water outlet)

Basically, reducing NO3 in the system is actually not a very difficult thing compared to PO4, and the system has been running for 3 months. l would hope that the amount of zeolite material with the continuous flow is correct

Will it rise again in NO3 concentration levels? Do you personally have any other thoughts on NO3 nutrition?

[G.Alexander]

Hi Dušan, do you have running your system since three month or is this the time when you have started to use ZeoVit on your system ? Was the NO3 level high before also or has the level constantly increased since you run ZeoVit ?

Please also share a full tank and a sump picture, do you run any kind of mechanical filtration material ?

Please also update the actual PO4 level of your system.

Have you already corrected to ZeoVit reactor flow to ~ 200 liters per hour ?

G.Alexander

[DusanII]

Thank you for letting me understand, it turns out that I misunderstood what you meant. I mean - clean skimmer collection cup clean to make it more mud outlet (adjust skimmer to wet, more water outlet)

Basically, reducing NO3 in the system is actually not a very difficult thing compared to PO4, and the system has been running for 3 months. l would hope that the amount of zeolite material with the continuous flow is correct

Will it rise again in NO3 concentration levels? Do you personally have any other thoughts on NO3 nutrition?

Many thanks for explaining - sometimes it is difficult that I am not a native speaker. I apologize a lot. So to be sure I understand well (again, I'm sorry to repeat my question, and many thanks for your patience). The bubbles go through the tube to the reservoir chamber of the skimmer. The tube gets on the muddy surface after some time, and I feel that this makes the bubbles come faster and more easy up and then pour to the skimmer chamber. (t is filled faster)

If I took the whole skimmer chamber out of the skimmer, I could clean two parts – the tubes or the reservoir chamber where dirty water is collected.

So your recommendation is not to clean the tube as this allows more water outlet comes out to the reservoir chamber, correct? J

I have no idea where is the source of NO3 – I added some fish as I wrote, but I feed very carefully. Yes the flow is measured carefully already twice and it is correct.

I will continue to update how it develop...:-)

Dušan