So, lately i've been having some chemistry issues which have related to some minor RTN in some of my SPS, leaving others unaffected, and completely wiping out a few more. I may or may not have this issue just about resolved, but it comes and goes so any input is welcome.
Chemistry:
NO3: 1
PO4: .15
PH: 8.1
ALK: 8.3
CA: 475
MG: 1380
Salinity: 1.024
80 Gallon rimless
30 Gallon sump
Skimz monster DC 163 skimmer
Jebao 800 GPH RP
ATI 6 bulb
Obviously the anomaly there is the PO4, which believe it or not peaked at 1. I've had issues in the past with striping my system of nutrients and since i was already running pellets, I decided to throw some GFO in a mesh bag and test 24 hours later vs adding a large amount to my reactor.
Within 24 hours the PO4 dropped to .50, still crazy high, but a fair change. So, I added more GFO and waited. My NO3 was actually as high as 25, but after kicking up the agitation in my pellet reactor, incorporating a nitrate reducer by instant ocean (did not want to do, but did anyway), and added a small amount of additional pellets for good measure, the nitrates dropped pretty quickly. However, the PO4 wouldn't budge; even after mixing more GFO with my carbon in my BRS reactor, it held strong. I started out with 1/2 cup in a mesh bag, and each week moved up by 1/2 cup. I'm currently running 2 cups, changing weekly.
Eventually I gave in and gravel vacuumed the sand bed and cleaned the sump. I'm always resistant to water changes during chemistry issues because i've always found i've altered the chemistry too much and done more harm than good, but with the PO4 holding strong I really didn't see any other option. At this point the PO4 dropped to between .25 and .50, Salifert test kit not easy to read.
Stranger yet... Not all corals were affected. Specifically, only my acros and montis. My stylos look amazing, LPS and softies happy as can be. Chalices are definitely angry, but my Cyphastrea aren't affected. I do have a hulk lepto that's pretty ticked though. This is what made this kind of hard to figure out, half of my SPS were affected while the others were not. One minute my birdnest were happy, and then they weren't. I was nervous of pests, but so far i've yet to identify any.
Currently i'm running 2 cups of carbon mixed with 2 cups of GFO in a BRS reactor. Cranked my skimmer up to as wet as i can get it, and changing both filter socks, more frequently (every other day). I had read in another forum that someone had a similar issue and discovered they had a copper contamination. I have tested and this is not the case. I've also noticed that prior to the RTN and loss issues, specifically with my SPS, my demand for ALK increased and my demand for CA decreased. I can only assume this is due to the stoppage of growth in my corals.
Side note. I had recently moved and got lazy with changing socks and making frozen food and just fed large amounts of flakes. So, i'm guessing this might be the culprit and it's just taking this long for the PO4 to be exhausted. Also, i have no algae what so ever in my display. My sump does grow some hair algae, but nothing crazy. I do have chaeto that gross like a beast which I have been trimming, but that's pretty much it.
I'm sure i'm missing something, so feel free to ask questions. Any and all input is appreciated. Like i said, i may have this thing just about beat, but it's by no means over.
Chemistry:
NO3: 1
PO4: .15
PH: 8.1
ALK: 8.3
CA: 475
MG: 1380
Salinity: 1.024
80 Gallon rimless
30 Gallon sump
Skimz monster DC 163 skimmer
Jebao 800 GPH RP
ATI 6 bulb
Obviously the anomaly there is the PO4, which believe it or not peaked at 1. I've had issues in the past with striping my system of nutrients and since i was already running pellets, I decided to throw some GFO in a mesh bag and test 24 hours later vs adding a large amount to my reactor.
Within 24 hours the PO4 dropped to .50, still crazy high, but a fair change. So, I added more GFO and waited. My NO3 was actually as high as 25, but after kicking up the agitation in my pellet reactor, incorporating a nitrate reducer by instant ocean (did not want to do, but did anyway), and added a small amount of additional pellets for good measure, the nitrates dropped pretty quickly. However, the PO4 wouldn't budge; even after mixing more GFO with my carbon in my BRS reactor, it held strong. I started out with 1/2 cup in a mesh bag, and each week moved up by 1/2 cup. I'm currently running 2 cups, changing weekly.
Eventually I gave in and gravel vacuumed the sand bed and cleaned the sump. I'm always resistant to water changes during chemistry issues because i've always found i've altered the chemistry too much and done more harm than good, but with the PO4 holding strong I really didn't see any other option. At this point the PO4 dropped to between .25 and .50, Salifert test kit not easy to read.
Stranger yet... Not all corals were affected. Specifically, only my acros and montis. My stylos look amazing, LPS and softies happy as can be. Chalices are definitely angry, but my Cyphastrea aren't affected. I do have a hulk lepto that's pretty ticked though. This is what made this kind of hard to figure out, half of my SPS were affected while the others were not. One minute my birdnest were happy, and then they weren't. I was nervous of pests, but so far i've yet to identify any.
Currently i'm running 2 cups of carbon mixed with 2 cups of GFO in a BRS reactor. Cranked my skimmer up to as wet as i can get it, and changing both filter socks, more frequently (every other day). I had read in another forum that someone had a similar issue and discovered they had a copper contamination. I have tested and this is not the case. I've also noticed that prior to the RTN and loss issues, specifically with my SPS, my demand for ALK increased and my demand for CA decreased. I can only assume this is due to the stoppage of growth in my corals.
Side note. I had recently moved and got lazy with changing socks and making frozen food and just fed large amounts of flakes. So, i'm guessing this might be the culprit and it's just taking this long for the PO4 to be exhausted. Also, i have no algae what so ever in my display. My sump does grow some hair algae, but nothing crazy. I do have chaeto that gross like a beast which I have been trimming, but that's pretty much it.
I'm sure i'm missing something, so feel free to ask questions. Any and all input is appreciated. Like i said, i may have this thing just about beat, but it's by no means over.