So what's the preferred methods of nutrient reduction these days?

[Av8Bluewater]

I've been running biopellets since last spring and although they do what they are suppose to do I do get some occasional bacteria bloom problems. Maybe some dinos in there too.
I'm thinking about pulling the pellets as my polyp extension doesn't seem to be very good either. I have a recirc reactor but seem like it's hard for me to find the sweet spot. I'm always up and down.
A lot of internet threads seem old so I wonder where people are today.

 

[dallasg]

I use orca labs bio cubes

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

A couple of issues with the poll.

It doesn't have macroalgae, ATS, deep sand beds, live rock, porous denitrification media, or denitrators as choices, but worse, it doesn't allow multiple choices. I use many at the same time.

 

[Av8Bluewater]

Yeah, not sure how many poll options the forum allows. The question for the poll is for carbon source. Every thing can't be covered so there is the "other" option. I've never heard of orca bio cubes so there's one for the other category.

 

[beaslbob]

A couple of issues with the poll.

It doesn't have macroalgae, ATS, deep sand beds, live rock, porous denitrification media, or denitrators as choices, but worse, it doesn't allow multiple choices. I use many at the same time.

A big timey +1
what I find especially amazing is how many people and people in the industry don't even consider recycling wastes with macro (and turf) algaes. I had nothing and I mean literally nothing (not even water changes) in my old mixed reef and unmeasureable nitrates and phosphates for 9 years with a heavy bioload. And a wet/dry to boot (creating all those evil nitrates). Sure I dosed the diy 2 part but nitrates and phosphates were easily and fully consume by the macro algaes.
But that's just my old school .02 (which back in the day might of been .002)

 

[scardall]

I use GFO/carbon reactors and no skimmer

I use two Carbon/GFO reactors. The carbon is Lignite from Bulk Reef Supply and GFO/Rowa from BRS as well. NO Skimmer. Phosphate .2ppm

 

[tat2z_21]

I am currently running a bio-pellet reactor, a remote refugium, with macro algae, and I dose 7.5 mil of Vodka daily.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If we are only talking organic carbon dosing, I use vinegar.

 

[AdamNC]

double post

 

[AdamNC]

I use water changes, Chemipure Elite, Seachem De*Nitrate, vinegar and a skimmer. Need this poll to be a multiple choice.

 

[mc-cro]

siphon hose, skimmer, and ATS

 

[Vmacisback]

Vinegar, ATS and a skimmer

 

[reefndude]

Macro, ats, carbon, and deep sand bed.
No skimmer here.

 

[Pny]

I selected vinegar since that is closest to what I use... In sweden the vinegar are 12% acetic acid (or 24%).

 

[DFW]

ATS, lime water, chaeto, live rock, deep sand bed with plenum, minimal feeding of fish, occasional carbon use, purigen, manual removal of detritus, occasional chemiclean treatment with 20% water change, cryptic zone

 

[reefjunkie53]

I have a 180 gallon reef Haven't changed my water in over a year and I have 5 mangroves and a bunch of macro algae and run a protein skimmer carbon and gfo and my water quality is amazing couldn't get any better !

 

[3Twinklets]

I'm with Randy on this!

 

[zemuss]

hooking the ATS and carbon reactor up.. Plus I run a skimmer 24/7. Which I will turn off for the first few weeks of running the ATS to help seed the screen faster.

 

[ksanfranfan]

For me, water changes, skimmer, gfo and chaeto. Using kalkwasser probably helps out as well.

 

[blacktippr]

Hi , Ive had a bas case of Nitrates & Phosphates, I have been dosing NO3o4x for about 2 months, im about done with my second 500ml Nopox bottle, Tank is 460, gallons plus sump. My nitrates are around 16 with about .5 ppm phosphates. Im running A sump with Chaettomorpha, and a reactor with about 2,000ml of Biopellets. Orca Pro II Skimmer. 2- 40 watts UV. My stocking is one large green Moray eel close to 4 feet ( Been fed lightly hope it does not eat my fish, like onece every couple of weeks) California stingray, Blond Nasso Show size. Show sise yellow tang, 2 Big eye Red Skirrels, Yelloy Eye White tail, 2 Green Chromis, Medium Desjardini, Medium Large Vlamingi, Medium Large Unicorn Tang, Purple Tang, Blu Face Angel Large, Another Small Angel. Hope i got my count right, Clean up crew consisting of Blue Legs and nassarius. Bottom does not get siphoned because of height of tank plus cannopy, Thick sand bed bottom on the tank, some areas as high as 4 inches. Seachem matrix media on bottom of tank, coarse sand, not crush coral.a cople of soft corals and a monty cap. Will love to introduce SPS soon, soon to be added KAlkwaser. Stopped Ozone injectoion to skimmer a couple of days ago to see if it helps produce more skimmate due to restriction of air draw on skimmer. Water changes, two 150 gallon changes in the past month, going to be automatically changing 5 gallons daily for the next month.

Currently dosing 80ml Nopox daily

Alk 9
Salinity 1.24
Ph around 7.95-8.1
Calcium 440-460

Im I doing something wrong, was hoping to taper off on the dosing of NOPOX when levels started dropping and using a maintenance dose along with Biopellets but nothing seems to work.

Im using 2 Red sea kits to measure parameters. One with the new reagents and a old one with the all liquid ones, next week a test with triton will be sent just to confirm my testing is accurate, No hair algae but not too much coralline growth either.

Opposed lightning on tank to refugium.

Please help.