My NoPOX Experiment

arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#1
Oct 22, 2002
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#1
as mentioned in some posts i've had issues keeping fishes and corals alive. being stubborn i didn't get a test kit until i finally had it and decided to see what was going on.

turns out my nitrates were OFF THE CHART. doing water changes didn't seem to help as much as i thought (but which i'll continue to do). had recommendations from various people to try noPox to reduce my nitrates so i will be giving that a try and thought i would document it here.

So I'll be using the following:

API Reef Master Test Kit: http://amzn.to/21siRmf
Red Sea Fish Pharm ARE22203 NO3 : PO4-X: http://amzn.to/20W1DeN

My nitrate levels...are off the chart so let's just start with SUPER HIGH in the red zone according to the chart. I'll be measuring tonight.

based on the dosage chart, my tank is approximately 60 gallons or so so i'll start off with 6ML (3ML per 25 gallon).
 

arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#5
Oct 22, 2002
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#5
last test was on 2/29 and took a test yesterday on 3/12

test-wise not much of a difference.
skimmer...was pulling out wet skimmate for a week+ and then suddenly it stopped and started to get more dried foam. but that was a few days and it started up again
tank seems to be more clear to me visually. less algae.
fish color on my purple tang is brighter. that or my tank water is clearer. ha.

i'll be doing a 15% water change this week to see if i can get the levels to drop and stay more consistent.
 

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phOOey

phOOey

Superstar Fish
#6
Oct 31, 2003
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Nottingham, UK
#6
Woah that's certainly off the chart! I wonder if you diluted your test sample with 50% RO water you'd get a measurement that fell within the readable range, you could then double it to know exactly what you're dealing with? I have no idea if that is a valid method but its just a thought I had.
 

arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#7
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
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#7
yea. it's really off the charts. and i'm still pissed at myself for losing all the corals i've bought throughout the year and it was just b/c i was stubborn to not test the water.

i had to stop the nopox for a few days as i was out of town but back on it. will be changing out water to see if that'll lower it and if nopox will keep it at that level. and then repeat it again.
 

arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#9
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
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Sunny Southern California
#9
tonight's test...still red...but it seems to be a tad be less. or just my imagination.

tank however..algae growth has slowed quite a bit. could also be the algae dying off and creating more nitrate? still want to do a water change but haven't had time to go to the LFS.
 

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CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#10
Jul 19, 2004
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Cape Cod
#10
If the algae is starting not to grow, it might also just not be taking up nitrates as nutrients. So it takes out a chunk of your export capabilities, the same as removing all the chaeto from a fuge - removes one of the nitrate reducing factors in your tank (thus your other nitrate reducing options (skimmer) have to pick up the slack). You want to physically remove as much algae as possible to remove those bound up nutrients from the tank (like harvesting chaeto as it grows- export the nutrients).
 

Likes: arcab4
arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#11
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
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#11
CAPSLOCK said:
If the algae is starting not to grow, it might also just not be taking up nitrates as nutrients. So it takes out a chunk of your export capabilities, the same as removing all the chaeto from a fuge - removes one of the nitrate reducing factors in your tank (thus your other nitrate reducing options (skimmer) have to pick up the slack). You want to physically remove as much algae as possible to remove those bound up nutrients from the tank (like harvesting chaeto as it grows- export the nutrients).
Click to expand...
i agree....one prob is i don't have anymore chaeto. :( it got so mixed up with some slime algae growth so i took it all out. another reason to go to the LFS and get a new batch..and some water too.
 

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#12
Jul 19, 2004
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Cape Cod
#12
What state are you in? Do you have a local reef / SW club? People are always giving away chaeto clumps in my local club. Or swapping it for extra biodiversity.
 

arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#14
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
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#14
forgot to update here...

so things were looking great...visually. algae was disappearing and tank water was cleaner. so i stopped by my LFS....and the mistake i made was getting catalina water....

tank went to heck after that. massive algae bloom and basically all the progress i made was gone. should've realized that ocean water has a higher nitrate level than like mixed saltwater. sigh.

so did another water change with mixed saltwater and continuing on with the nopox. much improvement in just a few days.
 

arcab4

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
#16
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
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Sunny Southern California
#16
ended up mixing my own salt. it was a bit hard to find time to go to the LFS to buy water so to keep up on the water changes, i bought some salt and have been doing 15-20gallon water changes every few days. i also cleared up alot of algae growth in the sump and in the tank.

having issues with red slime algae on my rocks.

will continue with nopox and water changes for the next few weeks.
 

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