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Have you considered getting a new nitrate test. Maybe a different brand as well? Two 30 gallon water changes in two weeks and no change in nitrates? That seems strange.
I did consider it but I had a lfs test it months ago who uses salifert and we pretty much had similar numbers granted once it was over 80 ppm he stopped. The api kit hasn't expired yet but it could be a possibility.
Fish are good softies are good lps is happy but not thrilled and the few sps I have are all browning from the nutrients but they still seem okay. I would like to switch over to a sps dominant tank that's why I'm trying to achieve good parameters.
So one week ago I took my biopellet reactor offline and started dosing diy nopox. After the first week nitrates have stayed the same. I know it's still early and can take a few weeks till I start seeing reduction. I am manually dosing 10 ml at the current moment figuring I have under 100g and over 75.
I have noticed these White cottony flimish growth on my heater and in low ligh/flow areas. From what I read, I think this would be a bacteria or algea bloom. I never saw it with the biopellets. Does any one feel the same way should I remove it or leave it be?
I switched from bio pellets to diy nopox, and just saw this today wasn't there a week ago, I could see where it could be sponges and not a bloom, Google is my favorite teacher lol, I'll be doing research now.
After 2nd week of the diy v/v/ro mix nitrates same 50ppm salifert and phosphates went up from .03 to .25. Everything still looks happy. I would like to think it is having a better effect then the biopellets I was using.
Keep testing every couple of days. For reference I dose 2ml/day for my 200g system. So don't dose more because the number is not coming down. A member here @saltkreep88 suggested microbacter7. You might want to give that a try as well.
I do test twice a week and log one of the two tests. I don't plan on more I know this takes time. I do use micro lift special blend (45ml) every other week for additional bacteria. As I said I am results my rbta looks the best it has and my few sps have shown better polyp extension. There still pretty brown but I understand that's from nutrients.
Monday I'll be starting my fourth week of the vvro dosing, nitrates still holding at around 50ppm but phosphates have bounce up and down from .25 to .03. I'm currently at .03 which is good. I think I am going to switch out the special blend for microbater 7 and see if that helps, other wise fish and corals are still happy.
So I'm 4 days into my 6th week of the diy nopox. My nitrates are still holding at 50ppm and phosphates are currently at.1. Everything is still looking happy, my hammer colony that I thought was wiped out by kenya trees has been showing great recovery the past two weeks.
Finally came to conclusion that my bio load is where I get my nitrate issues, started cutting down on feedings two weeks ago and starting to see a difference. I have some fat fish.