Poseidon03
Well-Known Member
Tldr: what have you done long term to keep your nitrates and phosphates balanced? ULNS or elevated levels? (240 SPS dominant)
Ok, so as the title says, my phosphates are at .2 and my nitrates are unreadable, both are from hanna testers. I was wondering what others have done given this situation. I know it isn't bad now, but with having sps, I know it is a ticking time bomb since my phosphates are creeping up. I know there is an imbalance in the food. I've cut down my fuge light to 2 hours per day and the chaeto is still very weak and the nitrates are still 0. I want to keep the chaeto and a refugium due to how many pods it can hold. I have both GFO and neonitro coming and have use both, but more as short term solutions.
I feed frozen mysis, frozen brine, frozen LRS and high quality flakes and high quality algae pellets with the bacterial added to them. I rotate my food every day and also give an occasional quarter sheet of nori. I have crysos in my tank, but they are slowly going away. My SPS have great PE, and they are newer, so the colors are not the most vibrant yet.
So what has worked for you guys and gals? I'd prefer to not have a not nutrient system, so I am leaning towards dosing the neonitro, but willing to change my view.
More about my tank/habits:
Alk 7
Cal 420
Mg 1460
240 Gal Display (200 gal water volume)
60 gal sump (40 gal water volume)
Refugium, Reef Octo Skimmer (rated 300 gal)
2500gph return pump
2x 2000 gph powerhead
2x 1000 gph powerhead
Very strong grow light
1yr old tank (lights on 6 months ago, dry rock that was cycled and ghost fed for 6 months, dry sand, corals added 3 months ago)
I have been in the hobby for 6ish years, so have a decent amount of experience under my belt. I have the trident and apex, and test nitrate/phosphate weekly.
Mimic tang, Scopas tang, foxface, 2 clowns, 1 pajama cardinal (still have a lot more to buy, QT, and add)
Ok, so as the title says, my phosphates are at .2 and my nitrates are unreadable, both are from hanna testers. I was wondering what others have done given this situation. I know it isn't bad now, but with having sps, I know it is a ticking time bomb since my phosphates are creeping up. I know there is an imbalance in the food. I've cut down my fuge light to 2 hours per day and the chaeto is still very weak and the nitrates are still 0. I want to keep the chaeto and a refugium due to how many pods it can hold. I have both GFO and neonitro coming and have use both, but more as short term solutions.
I feed frozen mysis, frozen brine, frozen LRS and high quality flakes and high quality algae pellets with the bacterial added to them. I rotate my food every day and also give an occasional quarter sheet of nori. I have crysos in my tank, but they are slowly going away. My SPS have great PE, and they are newer, so the colors are not the most vibrant yet.
So what has worked for you guys and gals? I'd prefer to not have a not nutrient system, so I am leaning towards dosing the neonitro, but willing to change my view.
More about my tank/habits:
Alk 7
Cal 420
Mg 1460
240 Gal Display (200 gal water volume)
60 gal sump (40 gal water volume)
Refugium, Reef Octo Skimmer (rated 300 gal)
2500gph return pump
2x 2000 gph powerhead
2x 1000 gph powerhead
Very strong grow light
1yr old tank (lights on 6 months ago, dry rock that was cycled and ghost fed for 6 months, dry sand, corals added 3 months ago)
I have been in the hobby for 6ish years, so have a decent amount of experience under my belt. I have the trident and apex, and test nitrate/phosphate weekly.
Mimic tang, Scopas tang, foxface, 2 clowns, 1 pajama cardinal (still have a lot more to buy, QT, and add)
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