My suspicions are it's a bacterial bloom. I normally only test Alk daily and then other parameters intermittently. pH had been running 8.2-8.4 as of the last check two days ago. Today it's between 7.8-8.0 and nitrites actually read at 0.25 so I'm suspecting a bloom. The ammonia test actually turned neon green/yellow and chunky after the elapsed time (API).
I bought a cheap UV sterilizer to use temporarily and placed it in the sump. I also grabbed a slightly undersized canister filter. Canister contains carbon and a water polisher. I've added a bag of carbon and a bag of purigen to the sump. And I am using RODI for ATO (TDS is at 1).
Anything else I can do? I have one clown i think is not going to make it but that's a separate issue (Haven't seen it eat since i got a pair a week and a half ago, stomach looks pinched).
I read water changes only exacerbate the bloom.
Today I checked everything:
Alk 8.0 (Hanna)
Ca 475 (Red Sea)
Mg 1380 (Salifert)
Ammonia 0? This is the API test and it was neon green and looked to dissociate after the 5 minutes, or rather not homogenous.
Nitrite ~0.25 (API)
Nitrate 10 (API)
pH 7.8-8.0 (API)
I bought a cheap UV sterilizer to use temporarily and placed it in the sump. I also grabbed a slightly undersized canister filter. Canister contains carbon and a water polisher. I've added a bag of carbon and a bag of purigen to the sump. And I am using RODI for ATO (TDS is at 1).
Anything else I can do? I have one clown i think is not going to make it but that's a separate issue (Haven't seen it eat since i got a pair a week and a half ago, stomach looks pinched).
I read water changes only exacerbate the bloom.
Today I checked everything:
Alk 8.0 (Hanna)
Ca 475 (Red Sea)
Mg 1380 (Salifert)
Ammonia 0? This is the API test and it was neon green and looked to dissociate after the 5 minutes, or rather not homogenous.
Nitrite ~0.25 (API)
Nitrate 10 (API)
pH 7.8-8.0 (API)