phosphates and nitrates in my reef tank

[ml708]

I'm having a problem with my phosphate level, a really big problem. Its at 4.5 and it was my fault that I never did regular checks. I quickly changed some rowaphos in my reactor and am doing water changes. Does phosphate naturally decompose in an aquarium? How long will rowaphos take to reduce the levels to an acceptable one?

My nitrates are at 24, which is ridiculously high too. And it seems that nitrifying bacteria and water changes aren't lowering it fast enough. Any advice?

[youdontnowm]

Dose vinegar and mb7. Will help alot in bringing down nitrate. I brought down my nitrate from 80 to 40 in 2 weeks by carbon dosing.

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[ml708]

did you dose daily?

[youdontnowm]

Yyup

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[Aquareef123]

Rowa is quite effective. My po4 was at 0.94 before, after replacing a new bottle, it dropped to 0.55 in one day. This is assuming you don't have anything in the tank that generate phosphate (e.g. something decaying, or old DSB that is leaching phosphate).

As for nitrate, i would suggest to go for Bio pellet or bio sphere. They are safest way to lower your nitrate compare to vinegar dosing.

[brojj]

Try polylab reef resh. Another option is biofuel from brightwell, combined with their MB7.

[brojj]

Or, try building & running a Algae scrubber.

[Quas111]

Find the source. 24ppm nitrate doesn't occur for no reason. Rowaphos will only speed up the decrease of nitrates. Not prevent the buildup

[ml708]

Or, try building & running a Algae scrubber.

how do you build an algae scrubber and how much algae do you need?

[ml708]

Find the source. 24ppm nitrate doesn't occur for no reason. Rowaphos will only speed up the decrease of nitrates. Not prevent the buildup

from what I understand, nitrates are generally from uneaten food. am I right to say that that is likely to be the single largest contributor?

[Aquareef123]

Find the source. 24ppm nitrate doesn't occur for no reason. Rowaphos will only speed up the decrease of nitrates. Not prevent the buildup

Rowaphos only reduce phosphate not nitrate.