Hey guys,
Really weird situation on my Reefer 170. It's been up for around 7-8 months and is currently running fallow/invert only (had a disease outbreak). Eventually I'm planning on keeping a mandarin so I'm trying to raise the nutrients to establish a refugium with. Currently the tank is unlit. Wanted to see a little nutrient before adding a round of tester coral and lighting.
Anyways, my current stock list:
1 Halloween Hermit
1 Emerald Crab
1 Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Fire Shrimp
1 Peppermint Shrimp (sump)
Filtration:
1 filter sock
Surface Area:
About 35 lbs of marco dry rock that I cycled with the tank
2.5 packs of marine pure gems
20lbs special grade
Parameters:
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrate 0.0
Phosphate 0.0
For the life of me, I can't seem to raise the nutrients in this tank. I've never seen any nitrate/phosphate in this tank since starting. Currently I'm feeding about 25% of a cube of PE Mysis (frozen mini - Canadian) every evening. Also 15-20 of the small seaweed extreme pellets in the mornings and usually 2 or 3 of the large TDO pellets during my lunch hour. The tank currently isn't lit. There isn't any algae yet that I would assume was consuming all the nutrients. I do have a fair amount of pods for a newish unlit tank. There's some diatoms here and there in the rockwork, but nothing major.
I stopped doing water changes probably 2-3 months ago and increased feeding. I let my filter sock run until it overflows before changing. I feel like I'm feeding more than plenty considering there aren't any fish and I picked up all my inverts as small as I could find them. I'm at a loss. It's not like I have a huge amount of water volume, it's only a 34g tank with a 9g sump. I also use Hanna checkers and am confident they're working. I'm actually combatting a nutrient problem in my qt tank right now, lol.
Any ideas? I'm planning on upping feedings some more, but that's my only thought. This is frustrating because my fish are approaching the end of their qt protocol. Would really love to add some coral or start a refugium, but I bet this water would starve any macro.
Really weird situation on my Reefer 170. It's been up for around 7-8 months and is currently running fallow/invert only (had a disease outbreak). Eventually I'm planning on keeping a mandarin so I'm trying to raise the nutrients to establish a refugium with. Currently the tank is unlit. Wanted to see a little nutrient before adding a round of tester coral and lighting.
Anyways, my current stock list:
1 Halloween Hermit
1 Emerald Crab
1 Candy Cane Pistol Shrimp
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Fire Shrimp
1 Peppermint Shrimp (sump)
Filtration:
1 filter sock
Surface Area:
About 35 lbs of marco dry rock that I cycled with the tank
2.5 packs of marine pure gems
20lbs special grade
Parameters:
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrate 0.0
Phosphate 0.0
For the life of me, I can't seem to raise the nutrients in this tank. I've never seen any nitrate/phosphate in this tank since starting. Currently I'm feeding about 25% of a cube of PE Mysis (frozen mini - Canadian) every evening. Also 15-20 of the small seaweed extreme pellets in the mornings and usually 2 or 3 of the large TDO pellets during my lunch hour. The tank currently isn't lit. There isn't any algae yet that I would assume was consuming all the nutrients. I do have a fair amount of pods for a newish unlit tank. There's some diatoms here and there in the rockwork, but nothing major.
I stopped doing water changes probably 2-3 months ago and increased feeding. I let my filter sock run until it overflows before changing. I feel like I'm feeding more than plenty considering there aren't any fish and I picked up all my inverts as small as I could find them. I'm at a loss. It's not like I have a huge amount of water volume, it's only a 34g tank with a 9g sump. I also use Hanna checkers and am confident they're working. I'm actually combatting a nutrient problem in my qt tank right now, lol.
Any ideas? I'm planning on upping feedings some more, but that's my only thought. This is frustrating because my fish are approaching the end of their qt protocol. Would really love to add some coral or start a refugium, but I bet this water would starve any macro.