Yep! Only way it works with phosphates at zero, my tank is 120 gallons and (for now, hopefully not for much longer) fishless. LPS dominant system, I feed 4 cubes of Hikari coral gumbo nightly, I have my refeugium running to keep the phosphates low
I was running phosphates over 1ppm since May and recently dropped it to around .5 and have not noticed much difference in my corals. I am still waiting to see if there are any changes. The frozen food I make for my fish has a ton of particulate food that is broadcast as they eat.
Wich method you use?
How long did you have those in the zero PO4 environment for?
The feeding response in last night's feeding
Refeugium and Daily filter sock changes
The Lobo? For about 1 1/2 months, I do nightly feedings so he's getting the nutrients he needsHow long did you have those in the zero PO4 environment for?
Mine did this when I experimented with zero PO4:
Few fish and some feeding was done. Not fun to look at.
Same coral with PO4 in the 0.1 range:
Another one:
Lot more fish and lot more feeding as well.
From my experience Favia can take a long time to show starvation. If they start to be deflated and the mouth are gaping open you should increase the feeding . From my experience Fauna Marin coral dust works well but reef roids should work as well.The Lobo? For about 1 1/2 months, I do nightly feedings so he's getting the nutrients he needs
Lobo tonight
Right before the lights turn off
Yep, looks newish because the lights are positioned behind the rockwork which keeps that side shaped, for the LPS. I do feed reef-roids every 1-2 weeks, I feed nightly 4 cubes of particulate-frozen meaty foods to provide said nutrients, and by the frequency and amount of waste my corals produce its pretty clear that they're getting enough nutrients. Currently I actually don't have favia as I killed the last one, but I am looking to get one soon
Why so high again? I thought you had a good, easy method to keep them lower (lanthanum). Lazy? Lol
I think the discussion of algae growth hindering or killing corals in this discussion isn’t about the growth of algae causing a detrimental effect, but that algae growth in the DT can smother, shade, or otherwise impact the corals health, while growing a macro algae in a refugium or other place does not have the same results as it doesn’t block the corals light source.
Off to mix more water…This was a good read. I have the two different stories here, but I am fairly certain I am causing or have caused the issue.
Before the tang police come, I am consolidating both of these tanks into a 375G (display) new peninsula in about 2 months.
Both tanks run roughly the same: dkh 8.4, ca 440, mg 1450, 79 degrees and 35 sal.
Tank 1 (larger tank Max s500):
- Tank has been pretty stable for a while now. In the past:
Chaeto would go to this tank to die.
- Had GHA issues on and off for ages. Got a handle on a few things, but the tides swung hard the other way.
- Struggled FOREVER to get nutrients detectable, then a while more to be detectable outside of margin of error. Then I accidentally left my roller mat unplugged for a month while I was out of town (with lots of husbandry enhancement's in play from knowledge gained over time) and now the tank is sitting around .15 and 15-20. Not sure if nutrients, MS or what, but tank is looking good. Interestingly in the rear return chamber, since the lift in nutrients I am noticing more aiptasia in spots where I don't have natural predators.
- No water changes in nearly 3 months, doing MS. Turf scrubber light on 12 hours a day. I am dosing NO3 (20ml) everyday.
- Yellow, Powder Blue, Fox, Purple and clowns in the tank. Auto feed 4 times a day with two rotations and frozen at night. Tons of CUC.
Reefer 250 - No MS only water changes on this tank
- This tank is a little concerning to me right now.
- Historical nutrients have been higher in this tank around .15-.20 / 20+
- SPS dom
- 1 gallon a day AWC = about 10% a week
- Hippo, fox, scopus, lawn mower and 2 clowns
- Auto feeder was 4 times a day (2 rotations, less coming out then big tank though) and frozen at night.
- Algae scrubber light is on 18 hours a day produces lots of algae.
- While I was out of town my AWC system pooped the bed. Nutrients spiked .35 and around 50 no3. Not sure how long it was that high. I lost 7 coral and 3 montis and a couple millies lost their color.
- I did a series of large water changes over 5 days. Nutrients went back to .20 / 20-25.
- Test last Sat and I noticed an uptick on nutrients. So I did two things to start to bring this tank's nutrients down.
- Doubled my awc to 2 gallons a day and started Nopox (4 ml) a day.
- Yesterday I tested nutrients and HOLY POOP BATMAN - .81 and >100. I know. So I did these tests 4 times. All virtually exactly the same!
- I am about to test again when the family gets up. BUT -
- I hope I didn't cause any further issues, I harvested 50% of the algae from my scrubber, it was thick like a Kardashian, much like a Kardashian, all at the bottom and the average on the sides.
- I changed about 60% of the water. I'd like to do 50-75% water changes a few days in a row.
- I have increased my photo period for my scrubber to 23 hours a day.
- I think this recent spike has the coralline algae on my rock dying off, I can start to see white spots in many places. 90% of the rocks in this tank are completely covered in coralline. To explain the level of nutrients, something in the tank broke a coral yesterday. In a matter of 24 hours, the tip is a really dark color. I've not seen it happen this quickly before.
I would say both systems have about the same "fish load". But, one tank is half the size of the other. Now, is the load proper on the smaller and under on the larger, my gut tells me no/yes. I think you could have the fish count in the smaller system, but these guys are growing and eating a poop ton. The frozen food I feed them is gone in 5-6 minutes in both tanks.
I say all this that - I am thinking that in a smaller tank with a heavier bioload, small daily water changes are not getting the job done. Weekly more aggressive water changes may be required. I have had this tank on AWC for about 6-8 months now and I do feel that this is a major contributor. It's like the tank is riding the razor's nutrient edge. I am not getting enough out, and just a little hiccup pushes the nutrients into the danger zone. About to go in the dragon's lair (tank in question is in bedroom - wife and youngest sleeping in bed, wish me luck.)
Pictures of both tanks (Max first):
For salifert nitrate you should be looking from the top, not the side.
