2 old tank set up and can’t grow/keep easiest corals ???

[mdb_talon]

Tried growing cheato but cant get that to grow either, just dies off, even invested in a kessil for my sump, no difference?
Had a home made reactor with two little fishes NPX in for a while but it didn’t touch the nitrate levels?

If phosphates are really sustained at that low of a level you are going to have a hard time with a refugium growing anything in my experience.

 

[TheDragonsReef]

You definitely gotta figure out the nitrate problem. Thats for sure the reason. How many gallons is the tank, how big are your water changes and how often?

 

[Pistondog]

Get icp test

 

[dhnguyen]

I suspect your source water to be honest.

Invest in a TDS meter and test the water you're getting from LFS. Who knows when the last time they changed their filters?

 

[Andy Bliss]

UPDATED TEST RESULTS

KH 11 / Po 4 .10 / nitrate 120 / PH 8.2

 

[Andy Bliss]

You definitely gotta figure out the nitrate problem. Thats for sure the reason. How many gallons is the tank, how big are your water changes and how often?

500 litres inc sump, 100litres changed every 2-3 weeks

 

[Andy Bliss]

I suspect your source water to be honest.

Invest in a TDS meter and test the water you're getting from LFS. Who knows when the last time they changed their filters?

I have had water from 2 different lfs but not regularly from the 2nd as they a bit unreliable and still never seem a difference

 

[Garf]

UPDATED TEST RESULTS

KH 11 / Po 4 .10 / nitrate 120 / PH 8.2

You’ve changed water and your nitrates have increased 50% ?

 

[Andy Bliss]

You’ve changed water and your nitrates have increased 50%

lol, no, in fairness I haven’t done a water change for some time now as I have been battling Dino and GHA and the original nitrate reading was from about 6 weeks ago so decided to do some up to date readings

 

[Andy Bliss]

Get icp test

I’ll keep that in reserve for now but there are people that keep corals from 1 month after setup and don’t have issues, my LFS have a coral tank setup (show &sale) that is high nitrate too but it never seems to hurt their stock!
i’ve just run out of ideas and am getting desperate.

 

[Greg P]

With your size system consider investing in your own RO or RODI system and in inline TDS meter or 2. It'll pay for itself vs buying unknown LFS water.
What filters you buy will depend on what your house has for TDS, and either chlorine or chloramines.

 

[Greg P]

Did you have your LFS test your DT water for copper?

 

[Tamberav]

Nitrates are too high and PO4 too low. The .01 PO4 is probably the cause of your dino. You can't grow macro algae if you don't have phosphate. Dosing PO4 and trying a easier macro like Caulerpa Prolifera or even better may be a home made scrubber to give the GHA a better place to grow. It should take nitrate up along with phosphate but you can't grow macro if you are phosphate limited.

Another thing to consider instead is large water changes to get nitrate down and dosing a little PO4 to make sure it doesn't bottom out. Mix your own water.

I am guessing there may be a dirty sand bed or rock or too many fish or something contributing to the Nitrate issue. Need to find the cause so it doesn't come right back.

80-120 Nitrate and 0.01 PO4 is wildly unbalanced.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

lol, no, in fairness I haven’t done a water change for some time now as I have been battling Dino and GHA and the original nitrate reading was from about 6 weeks ago so decided to do some up to date readings

If your battling those things you should be doing weekly WC and manual removal of GHA. It's the only way your going to drop the nitrates and Po

 

[Laddair]

What are you using to feed? If your using pellets or dry food, try switching to frozen food. Takes longer for it to break down in the tank. This could help with your Nitrates issue.

 

[Andy Bliss]

Did you have your LFS test your DT water for copper?

Yep, zero.

 

[Andy Bliss]

What are you using to feed? If your using pellets or dry food, try switching to frozen food. Takes longer for it to break down in the tank. This could help with your Nitrates issue.

I usually feed once every 2-3 days, mostly frozen brine shrimp but occasionally (1in3?) with flake/pellets.

 

[Greg P]

Whatever changes you decide to perform, pick one and stick with it while testing/monitoring.
Aside from the other input, I'd suggest;
Dose PO4. It will increase NO3 usage.

 

[Andy Bliss]

Nitrates are too high and PO4 too low. The .01 PO4 is probably the cause of your dino. You can't grow macro algae if you don't have phosphate. Dosing PO4 and trying a easier macro like Caulerpa Prolifera or even better may be a home made scrubber to give the GHA a better place to grow. It should take nitrate up along with phosphate but you can't grow macro if you are phosphate limited.

Another thing to consider instead is large water changes to get nitrate down and dosing a little PO4 to make sure it doesn't bottom out. Mix your own water.

I am guessing there may be a dirty sand bed or rock or too many fish or something contributing to the Nitrate issue. Need to find the cause so it doesn't come right back.

80-120 Nitrate and 0.01 PO4 is wildly unbalanced.

Tanks Tam,

my sand bed could be a little dirty but the goby does a great job of turning it over, looks like I need to at least dose Po4, can the lack of this cause the demise of the corals listed?

 

[dhnguyen]

As an aside, you shouldn't be feeding brine shrimp as a staple. There really isn't much in terms of nutrients in BS so it's more of a snack/filler.

Better off feeding frozen mysis shrimp/ frozen Formula 1 or 2