# Nitrates



## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Hi Guys
About a week ago I had nitrates at 50ppm. I started dosing Nopox at 3ml/25 gal dosage. It's been a week since i started dosing Nopox. My issue is I am having hard time in reading my nitrate tests colour charts. I am using API and Salifert both..below are the pics I took yesterday after my water change. I would appreciate if you guys could advise where my nitrates are at based on these pics. Thanks a ton.






































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## bruno129 (May 13, 2009)

You're reading the Salifert kit wrong. Looking through the top only applies when the test reads >10 ppm. Since your results look like they are right on the edge, use the low range method. Look at the test through side and then compare it to the chart. Divide the results by 10.


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Looking thru the sides the colour resembled to 100 which divided by 10 comes to 10ppm...so what do you think about the Api test result.


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## bruno129 (May 13, 2009)

Makes sense, because like I said, the colour looks like it's right on the edge of being medium range/low range.

As far as the API "results".....Pfffft.

Save yourself the headache and toss those test kits in the trash.


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

bruno129 said:


> Makes sense, because like I said, the colour looks like it's right on the edge of being medium range/low range.
> 
> As far as the API "results".....Pfffft.
> 
> Save yourself the headache and toss those test kits in the trash.


OK got it..thanks...I will keep up with my nopox regimen until I see the pink hue clearing up further...


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Ok here is the pic from the low range side...is it matching to 50 or 100..of course than I will divide by 10...

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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Is it fair to say I am at 5ppm nitrates

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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

Yes I would agree it looks like 5. A tip I found to help is whenever your doing tests always do it in the exact same lighting conditions. 

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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

im thinking of dosing it as well. How do you find it? Works good?


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

nc208082 said:


> Yes I would agree it looks like 5. A tip I found to help is whenever your doing tests always do it in the exact same lighting conditions.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk


Thanks..that makes sense...

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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

do_0b said:


> im thinking of dosing it as well. How do you find it? Works good?


It definetly works. When I started 2 weeks ago my nitrates were at 50ppm and today it is at 5ppm so that is proven. You have to make sure you test water regularly and keep an eye on your corals...

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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

Rookie2013 said:


> It definetly works. When I started 2 weeks ago my nitrates were at 50ppm and today it is at 5ppm so that is proven. You have to make sure you test water regularly and keep an eye on your corals...
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


did you do the recommended dosage ? and also did you notice an improvement on the colours of your corals since your nitrates got lowered?


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

do_0b said:


> did you do the recommended dosage ? and also did you notice an improvement on the colours of your corals since your nitrates got lowered?


Yes I started with the recommended dosage but than I had to cut a little after first week. My system is 150G and I was dosing 18ml per day (recommended dose above 10ppm nitrates is 3ml/25g). In my second week my nitrates went down to 25G but corals did not looked happy because my phosphates went to 0 (Henna checker ULR). So...I decreased my dosage from 18 to 10ml and increased a little bit of feeding which bought up my phosphates by the end of 2nd week. Seems like my phosphates and nitrates synced eventually and hence I saw the nitrates going down to 5ppm. While I decreased the dosage in the second week with increased feeding corals started to look better..My sunset monti frag which was almost dead started to come back and I have not see a dark orange colour with yellow polyps over it ever so it tells me they care happy..Clam is catching up good coloration as well...

My suggestion again would be to go slow...increase your dosage gradually as this product is very strong...hope this helps.

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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

Rookie2013 said:


> Yes I started with the recommended dosage but than I had to cut a little after first week. My system is 150G and I was dosing 18ml per day (recommended dose above 10ppm nitrates is 3ml/25g). In my second week my nitrates went down to 25G but corals did not looked happy because my phosphates went to 0 (Henna checker ULR). So...I decreased my dosage from 18 to 10ml and increased a little bit of feeding which bought up my phosphates by the end of 2nd week. Seems like my phosphates and nitrates synced eventually and hence I saw the nitrates going down to 5ppm. While I decreased the dosage in the second week with increased feeding corals started to look better..My sunset monti frag which was almost dead started to come back and I have not see a dark orange colour with yellow polyps over it ever so it tells me they care happy..Clam is catching up good coloration as well...
> 
> My suggestion again would be to go slow...increase your dosage gradually as this product is very strong...hope this helps.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


cool im gonna dose the recommended for the first week and test my water
thanks!


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

do_0b said:


> cool im gonna dose the recommended for the first week and test my water
> thanks!


What are your nitrates at right now if you don't mind me asking?


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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

Rookie2013 said:


> What are your nitrates at right now if you don't mind me asking?


2 days ago i was at 10ppm


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## Sea MunnKey (Oct 2, 2014)

On a side note ... how effective is the Nopox dosing in "curbing" nitrates & phosphate? Read elsewhere it's some positive & negative results .. ??


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

do_0b said:


> 2 days ago i was at 10ppm


ok thts not bad but you can always bring it down to 5 and under...


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Sea MunnKey said:


> On a side note ... how effective is the Nopox dosing in "curbing" nitrates & phosphate? Read elsewhere it's some positive & negative results .. ??


I would say its extremely effective based on my experience. So much so that I am thinking of discontinuing Aqua Forest Pro Bio S. I used Nopox for 2 weeks and it brought down my nitrates from 50-5ppm so you can imagine..but patience is the key with multiple testing in between..always look at the corals..


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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

Rookie2013 said:


> ok thts not bad but you can always bring it down to 5 and under...


thats the goal. hopefully it will keep it below that.


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

do_0b said:


> thats the goal. hopefully it will keep it below that.


good luck.. Reduced feeding would help as well.


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## Sea MunnKey (Oct 2, 2014)

I'm always on the lookout for less "work" eg. GFO, carbon dosing, etc. & if this Red Sea's Nopox cuts down all the Nitrates & Phosphate ... I hope it works on my system although multiple testing is a chore.

Always busy at work & home ... sigh


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Sea MunnKey said:


> I'm always on the lookout for less "work" eg. GFO, carbon dosing, etc. & if this Red Sea's Nopox cuts down all the Nitrates & Phosphate ... I hope it works on my system although multiple testing is a chore.
> 
> Always busy at work & home ... sigh


I am sure it will...I checked my phosphates again today and it showed 0 on the Henna Checker ULR...seems like it's doing the job..I have switched off my GFO reactor now for a week..this is second week without GFO and phosphates at 0, nitrates at 5...it probably has some phosphates as my chaeto is looking nice green, healthy and growing but it's undectable which tells me it's very very low...I am actually feeding heavy now to bring it up a little bit lol...but I agree with you we all love less work so we can enjoy more...

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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

im on day 3 of dosing..will check my params on day 7. One of my monti used to be bright orange/yellow but browned out....i see a bit of colour coming back now. So hopefully its because the nitrates and phosphates are going down.


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## Sea MunnKey (Oct 2, 2014)

What if I'm on vacation (2 or 4 weeks) what's gonna happen when no one takes any reading cuz I know my sister in-law can't do it other than making sure nothing goes really (visually) wrong in the tank itself.


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## nc208082 (Jun 27, 2013)

Once you get to your optimal levels you usually would cut dosage in half and that would be your maintenance amount which could be hooked up to a doser. If worried you can always reduce the amount being dosed while on vacation.

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## Sea MunnKey (Oct 2, 2014)

Hey Nick ... I was thinking the same re: half dosages while away. Thanks


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Yes you can hook up to a doser and you are set..actually as per one of vivid aquariums video they suggest to use doser and spread out dosing. I am going to do that soon just busy with home Reno...


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

do_0b said:


> im on day 3 of dosing..will check my params on day 7. One of my monti used to be bright orange/yellow but browned out....i see a bit of colour coming back now. So hopefully its because the nitrates and phosphates are going down.


Yeah just take slowly...

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## Sea MunnKey (Oct 2, 2014)

Some reefers say to dose one time instead of spreading it out dosage ...


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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

Sea MunnKey said:


> Some reefers say to dose one time instead of spreading it out dosage ...


the manual says its best used with a doser....


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Sea MunnKey said:


> Some reefers say to dose one time instead of spreading it out dosage ...


You can do it both ways but I prefer doing it manually as much as I can. This gives you a better control rather than relying on doser. You could use doser when you are going out of town on vacation etc. I think its ones personal preference.


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## Sea MunnKey (Oct 2, 2014)

My apology for these questions ... I just thought it would explain and educate all of us who's thinking or contemplating on using the Nopox approach in the near future.

Which I'm more incline to try out the soonest ... hhmmm need to add another doser unit

Thanks guys!


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## do_0b (Mar 3, 2008)

Did you get any white film build up when using nopox? i think i overdosed. My skimmer is going crazy and i have all this bacterial build up....im gonna cut my doses in half and see if it goes away....


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## Rookie2013 (Jan 17, 2013)

Yes just a little and was gone in a day. This stuff is very strong and when it starts working the nitrates come down really fast. Corals may not like it so just take it slow and increase it gradually. Keep an eye on the skimmate it will change colour from green to tea colour in the end. Run it on wet skim although it still not necessary but recommended.


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