Need help, low nitrates high phosphates...

[ReefnQueens]

If i was you, i will try to control Nitrate first, my magic # is less then 4 ppm , but NOT less then 2.5 ppm, then you deal with PO4 , after you got some Nitrate , they gone balance , Chaetto will be a way to aggressive , will take everything , NO3 and PO4 and the MOST what corals need, you will lose color for sure, i use to grow Chatoo , one or two 5 Gal. bucket in 90 gal. refuge.
Very, very gentle dose ( add. Potassium Nitrate, pharmaceutics stuff , i got in e-bay).
Those blocks u mention, lots of ppl. complain , release Aluminum , NOT to mention got full of DETRITUS.
4 x PO4 remover, is a great product, wont release iron , like 99% of GFO, ROWA is good also , but aggressive.
First and first, make sure your NO3 test , is just fine, i use list 2-3 dif. tests. compare.
Every tank is dif.
Try to read the health of corals by eye, i know is NOT easy.

Now I wonder if the raised aluminum is from the bio blocks lol dammit! I still have 3 bio blocks in my tank under my live rock, do you think removing one a week would be too fast?

 

[vio]

Now I wonder if the raised aluminum is from the bio blocks lol dammit! I still have 3 bio blocks in my tank under my live rock, do you think removing one a week would be too fast?

I try those blocks , google about, i remove soon i search, will be safe take one at the time , monitor NO3 , dose live bacteria and may start dose Vinegar use the chart on line.

 

[vio]

Hey thanks for the info Vio, I hit a bit of a speed bump for like two weeks, my tank was suffering while my readings were ok, a few days ago I decided to remove my sand bed from my sump, I noticed it getting very black fast and my skimmer was producing more of a sulfer smell than anything, what happened? I had put my seahare in my sump after he got my tank pretty clean, he was great In my dt but not in my sump , unfortunately it died and released all sorts of toxins , all my torches and softies are fine , but about 65-70 percent of sps died , the sps didn’t lose color or start fading away , it’s skin just fell off while looking healthy it was wierd! Anyway, I shut the tank down and wet dry vacced everything out and replaced with new saltwater and been running tons of carbon, I did 3 44 gallon wc. The tank is looking better today , Nitrates were slightly above 2.5 according to Hanna and salifert , phosphorus was at 15/po4 0.046, alk 9.2 cal 430 mag 1300 , I have brs po4 remover I was going to run ....... it’s crazy how fast you can lose everything! But I am grateful I didn’t lose everything! Oh and I did remove one bio block , I plan on removing the others slowly

Do NOT add any sand inside sump, will damage the pumps also is like magnet for Detritus , must be free of anything may help Detritus to precipitate instead to be export it OUT, use some Berlin sucks , add slow Active Carbon , run air pump in sump to release gas exchange , in future run a pump take water from bottom of the tank the release output to tap, help to remove excess of CO2 in water column . Lower the Alk. i prefer low Alk. help bacteria to stay alive. I keep less then 8 ppm.

 

[vio]

Alkalinity
2.5-4 meq/L 7-11 dKH 125-200 ppm some reef tanks
2.5 meq/L 7 dKH 125 ppm natural sea water
My # close to 134 ppm.