Lets Discuss the Nutrient Balance

[SteveZ15]

This red sea nopox can you use it just to remove phosphate . The video don't really say if you can dose this starting with 0 nitrates and higher than desired phos.

 

[duke62]

I wouldn't use the nopox. I had problems with STN when I used it 3 years ago. Yeah it lowers your po4 but it does it in such a quick way even using half the recommended dose.

 

[Mattl22]

Ok I've used special blend on and off but just started using both will see how it goes

 

[SteveZ15]

I wonder why some phos removers lead to stn. That's why I'm not messing with rowa .I think the green film will stop when I get some nitrates . I did notice when the nitrate goes 0 and there is higher phos film starts. I'll change like 2 gals a day to keep under control. I did notice more growth from my caps since the reef energy. This thread and some help from people has me understanding what needs to go on in my tank. I am learning a lot. I need to learn how to keep the balance . I like the idea if the Triton method. I know when I don't do WC so often the corals look better . if I can get to the point where nutrients are in check with just small WC every week. But from seeing all the changes my tank went through I saw first hand how stability was more important than perfect numbers. I think the challenge is what makes this hobby .. Just when you wanna quit things start to go good enough to keep me trying to get it right.

 

[frag apple]

hardest thing for most people to do is leaving the tank alone and to let it do it's thing! if you can keep essentials: alk ca and mag stable then your half way there! the nutrients is next finding out how much food is bad for the tank is always tricky but if rinse frozen foods or find a high quality pellet food you fish will eat then you in the right direction! you need to learn about your tank and change your habits along with it! the first 12 months are always stressful but after things settle out and things start to adapt to your routines is when it becomes easier! I've through this process 5 times and now as of today doing it all over again but with experience I've learnt to slow down, wait and leave things alone!

 

[SteveZ15]

That is definately true, the tank is gonna be two years The tank was doing great for the first year. I had a massive bubble algae outbreak, I had mh and t5 lights everything was growing colors were good. I tried rowa to get the algae to stop but I way over did it. That was the down hill trend pale coral then eventually slow stn. First pic is when it was good second is now. If I didnt mess up with the rowa the tank would have been grown packed. I know the tank is capable to be that good again. I wish I had the mh again. I added some stuff since that pic and have better colors but just the algae part is bad

 

[SteveZ15]

Hate the aquascape too,once I dial it in and can get over the bumps as things come and know how to properly handel things. this thing is comming down and ill start a bigger one. It sucks it went bad I was really excited to see that tank grow. I wanna like my tank again once the aptasia and algae is under controll I can see how it grows in .Its like reef collage the tuition is expensive.

 

[duke62]

Dude run rowa. If used correctly it's the best way to reduce po4. Many great reefers run it and professionals. I use it and started at 1/4 what is recommended and over 4 months I'm up to the correct amount. No ill effect to the tank other then low po4 and no algae growth

 

[duke62]

Also I don't use a measuring cup when I add it into the reactor I use a scale for exact amount recommended

 

[SteveZ15]

I have tried since then once before 20grams on a digital scale in 3 days saw stn, it only stopped since I took any type of phos remover off. I got advice not to run gfo with 0 nitrates. My alk is good at 9 . I put a tiny bag of chemipure elite a few weeks ago and rtn on a Millie frag next day. My plan of action is to keep under .12 phos till I can at least get 5-10 ppm nitrate then see how much the tank can balance the phos and nitrate before I even attempt any type of media. My tank seems unique when it comes to the way it handels nutrients. That's the tricky part what seems to be the norm has I'll effects on my system.I been doing a lot of reading on bacteria driven systems. The best tanks I seen including riches seem to have the best looking and healthy corals and from what I read and see have the most likely odds for long term success. I have faith I can lean my system in that direction.. But I am learning a ton which is a good thing. It amazes me how many ways a system can be run successfully .and how a tank can reject what worked for some.. This is definitely a interesting bobby

 

[frag apple]

first you need get your alk between 7- 7.5dkh any higher you run into dramas! I follow and try to emulate gbr parameters and alk out on the reef is 7.2dkh! I think this is where you are running into dramas with rowa!

 

[Nandez13]

Can you elaborate on how an Alkalinity level above 7.5 dKH causes issues? I often read of people keeping it in the range of 7-11 with many seeing better growth and color at a dKH closer to 9. Mine hovers around 8 but I've been thinking of raising it a little. What troubles did you encounter previously?

 

[duke62]

Low alk at a low nutrient system. I keep my alk at 8.5 and my po4 at .06 to .10 my nitrates I keep between 5 and 10 but they have been real low the last 3 weeks almost undetectable which I'm trying to fix now. I personally would not go over 9

 

[SteveZ15]

I guess the coral uses the nitrate? Why did yours drop? For the alk question people tend to see more stn with high all and low nutrients i think it has to do with the coral not having enough energy to grow tissue faster than the skeleton grows at higher alk. Someone correct me if I am wrong please. Duke do you see similar effects when your nitrates go low. Do you dose amino or feed differently to compensate low nitrates ?

 

[SteveZ15]

I'm gonna re par my tank I moved the light a few times just to make sure I have enough light nothing is brown but just to make sure. I think it was 400 at the top and like 150 at the bottom maybe less. 6bulb ati about 12-13 inches above the tank tank is 16 deep

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

Steve didn't bring the egg but I'll try to compare with another egg

Thought it was interesting and although only 1 of each test was conducted my Hanna egg tester read PO4 .17. Rich thought this seemed high and unlikely. We tested a sample from my tank with his Hanna meter and it read .16. This was only one test with each meter. I am interested to see if readings remain consistent. I was ready to toss my egg like many others, but after the results above I am remaining cautiously optimistic.

 

[Mattl22]

Idk didn't notice any difference between rowa and brs Gfo guess my po4 just too high idk I change it once a week but I think with all the fish I have tough to keep them down

 

[SteveZ15]

I did 3 test the other day .25 .17 .05 I know I have phos because I have algae but how much. With the difference in price and the size difference in the two machines one must be better. I found a site that sells test viles for Hanna with 1.0 and .05 to test the checker I never ordered because I was mad at my tank at the time . I'll order them before I drop the money on the big unit.not mad at the tank any more

 

[mbg75]

I'm gonna re par my tank I moved the light a few times just to make sure I have enough light nothing is brown but just to make sure. I think it was 400 at the top and like 150 at the bottom maybe less. 6bulb ati about 12-13 inches above the tank tank is 16 deep

Steve. I run my ATI 6" from the actual water level.

 

[BKLYNREEF123]

Steve I would also think the larger Hanna checker would be better than the egg. The info I posted was for 1 test with each unit only. I think Rich usually does 3 tests to get a more accurate reading. I didn't bring a large enough sample to test 3 times that day.