Red Sea NOPOX & KH Test Kit Review

[nalusachito]

Recently, I changed my light schedule to a more intense setting with longer white light. If you are using AI, I would recommend you to try this schedule, it's quite famous - Jamaican Reef. 

However, longer white light means more algae, which lead to higher KH consumption. I've always had high nutrition level, my NO3 was 10, PO4 was 0.1. I had to clean the glass every two days, so I decided to take some action.

 

 I was trying to set up a chaeto reactor at first. Turns out it's quite expensive here in Australia. LFS recommonded NOPOX as a much affordable alternative. I've been using this for one week now. Getting great result, NO3 is 5, PO4 is 0.03 now. It is a very effective product to control algae and lower nutrition. You just need to have an efficient skimmer.

 

 

 

I've been using Red Sea KH test kits recently to monitor my KH level. I will have to say, worth every penny. Comparing to my old Salifert test kits. The packaging is more decent. It's very easy to use( one less step vs Salifert). Also comes with a bottle of free KH buffer. 

 

My KH is now 7, I will keep dosing to bring it back to 8.

 

Here's a top view of my tank now. It's a Red Sea Max Nano and it's been running for 8 month now.

 

[seabass]

Your nutrient levels are pretty decent as is.  I assume that you've adjusted the dosage to prevent further drops.  It's fairly easy to drop levels much lower when carbon dosing (which can require additional support products to help keep your corals happy).

 

While alkalinity swings tend to be more dramatic, corals consume alkalinity and calcium in set ratio.  If dosing alkalinity, there is often a need to dose calcium (and magnesium) too.  Keep an eye on these parameters as well.

[nalusachito]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Your nutrient levels are pretty decent as is.  I assume that you've adjusted the dosage to prevent further drops.  It's fairly easy to drop levels much lower when carbon dosing (which can require additional support products to help keep your corals happy).

 

While alkalinity swings tend to be more dramatic, corals consume alkalinity and calcium in set ratio.  If dosing alkalinity, there is often a need to dose calcium (and magnesium) too.  Keep an eye on these parameters as well.

I thought nutrient is a bit high for anemone? I added a BTA last week.

[seabass]

Not at all.  It will likely benefit from some nutrients in the water (most photosynthetic organisms do).  With a decent light, weekly feedings, and stable parameters, it should do alright.

 

I feel that people recommend "pristine" water to warn people away from getting one for a neglected tank.  And it shouldn't have to battle pests like cyano, dinos, flatworms, etc.

[Clown79]

Is there a reason you increased the whites so high?

 

Your nutrient levels are pretty spot on at this point, any lower, often leads to bigger problems.

 

I have a tank of bta's, my phos goes between 0.17- 0.25, no algae in tank, no problems with bta's. 

[mcarroll]

Some excellent advice so far!!! 

 

On 8/18/2019 at 1:49 AM, nalusachito said:

I've always had high nutrition level, my NO3 was 10, PO4 was 0.1. I had to clean the glass every two days, so I decided to take some action.

Do you have any other algae aside from the film on the glass?  (hair algae, cyanobacteria, or hopefully coralline?)

 

What is your herbivore population like?

 

Is your tank the 130 or 250 model? (or other?)

 

BTW, I agree your nutrient levels were just about right before you started.  Anemones LOVE lots of nutrients in the water.   And I'm not specifically familiar with that product you picked, but carbon dosing in general should be avoided whenever possible.  It's a crutch that you shouldn't need (corals and algae produce all the organic carbon a reef needs and more) which also has some under-publicized downsides.   (Extraneous carbon sources lead reefs to bad ends.  Check this out for reference on the carbon topic: Global microbialization of coral reefs)