Dosing neonitro with algae scrubber

[somethingfishyny]

I started dosing nenitro about 2 weeks ago to fine tune nutrients and all of a sudden my algae scrubber turf is turning white. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Garf]

I started dosing nenitro about 2 weeks ago to fine tune nutrients and all of a sudden my algae scrubber turf is turning white. Anyone have experience with this?

Perhaps your phosphate has gone through the floor.

 

[somethingfishyny]

 

[Garf]

Next suspects would be iron deficiency or now there’s plenty of nitrate, the scrubber lights may need dimming down. You got a pic of the scrubber?

 

[somethingfishyny]

 

[somethingfishyny]

I really appreciate you taking the time on this btw

 

[Garf]

Looks to be centred at maximum light intensity. I would scrub it all off, rinse it with tap, reduce light intensity somehow. Then give it another fortnight. Can you keep us updated? This thread is right up my ally.

 

[somethingfishyny]

I'll drop photo period down for tonight's schedule and let you know more as it develops

How long should I reduce it by?
Currently it runs 8pm to 8am for both scrubbers

 

[Garf]

If you can’t dim the lights I would try 9 hrs instead of 12 but it’s total guess work on my part.

Edit - so both scrubbers have the exact same problem?

 

[somethingfishyny]

Correct but they are on the same schedule

 

[Jon_W79]

If dosing Neonitro is the only change you made, my guess is that the added nitrate increased the growth of certain bacteria(or possibly some other organism), and the bacteria(or other organism) consumed more ammonia and caused the algae scrubber not to have enough ammonia. If I were you I would dose ammonium chloride at least while the algae scrubber light is on. I think the ammonium will stimulate the algae to grow a lot(if you add enough and at the right times), and also consume nitrate and phosphate, obviously. If you had very low nitrate before you added the Neonitro, I believe that adding it could have definitely stimulated the growth of some organisms, and caused a reduction in ammonia.

 

[somethingfishyny]

Thanks jon_w79 I adjusted the light schedule and will see how it goes. 1 thing at a time in this house but I greatly appreciate your feedback and if photoperiod doesn't work we can revist

 

[somethingfishyny]

He guys sorry I haven't reposted but I decreased the photo period and I did the trick!!

 

[kcinnick]

He guys sorry I haven't reposted but I decreased the photo period and I did the trick!!

You can probably ditch dosing the nitrates and just use a reduced photoperiod to balance your tank, maybe even take a scrubber off line.