Best way to reduce nutrient export?

[Dave-T]

After struggling to control nutrients for a while, my nutrients have been steadily dropping to the point where I'm thinking I might want to do something about it. I have a 350 gallon system, it's about 9 months old. For nutrient export, I have a skimmer and algae scrubber. I also have a fleece roller. I'm doing 10%/week water changes through daily changes using a dosing pump. My nitrates have been dropping about 2% a week for the last month, phosphates have been dropping also, but not as dramatically.

I'm thinking I either want to do one or more of the following, or a combination, but I'm open to suggestions:
1) Feed more heavily
2) Cut back on water changes
3) Run the skimmer less
4) Run the algae scrubber less.

Thanks.

 

[CrunchyBananas]

I would just start with feeding more heavily. If that doesn’t help, try every other week water changes.

I’m not really a fan of shutting a skimmer off because of the gas exchange value alone. I don’t really use algae scrubbers, so I don’t know how well they can be “tweaked” effectively

 

[Epic Aquaculture]

After struggling to control nutrients for a while, my nutrients have been steadily dropping to the point where I'm thinking I might want to do something about it. I have a 350 gallon system, it's about 9 months old. For nutrient export, I have a skimmer and algae scrubber. I also have a fleece roller. I'm doing 10%/week water changes through daily changes using a dosing pump. My nitrates have been dropping about 2% a week for the last month, phosphates have been dropping also, but not as dramatically.

I'm thinking I either want to do one or more of the following, or a combination, but I'm open to suggestions:
1) Feed more heavily
2) Cut back on water changes
3) Run the skimmer less
4) Run the algae scrubber less.

Thanks.

Adjusting the length of the photoperiod for the ATS is the easiest way to manipulate your nutrients. Make it shorter if you want higher nutrients, or make it longer if you want to lower nutrients. I have used Algae Turf Scrubbers for years and this works perfectly for me.

 

[Dave-T]

Thanks for the replies. Adjusting the ATS photoperiod does seem easiest. Right now I’m running it 24/7. Any suggestions as to what to change it to?

 

[CrunchyBananas]

Adjusting the length of the photoperiod for the ATS is the easiest way to manipulate your nutrients. Make it shorter if you want higher nutrients, or make it longer if you want to lower nutrients. I have used Algae Turf Scrubbers for years and this works perfectly for me.

Thanks for the explanation! I’ve always stuck with refugiums on mine and customers tanks. Might have to play around with one.

 

[bushdoc]

You partially answered your question.
Algae scrubber removes more phosphates then nitrates, so cutting down photoperiod, will not necessarily have an input on nitrates.
If you have bio- bricks, remove them. You can also remove some rock.You can run skimmer mostly at night only.

 

[Dave-T]

Oh, I didn’t know that the turf scrubber had less of an effect on nitrates than phosphates.

 

[Spare time]

Have the skimmer on at night and off during the day.