Going fallow effects

[pdxmonkeyboy]

well, I need to fallow my 300 due to ich that I believe came in on some acan colonies.

anyways.. my system is sps dominated DT and frag tank. about 450G total volume.

running carbon and GFO and dosing about .3ml vinegar per gallon. Also running chaeto in my fuge. Nitrates are at about 8, phos around .2. all other parameters are normal. I keep DKH around 8.2.

I have about 6 large adult fish and 18 smaller fish.. anythias,wrasses, hawk fish, etc.

So I am worried that if I keep running vinegar it will crash nitrates. And if I cut it off, it will cause a big bacteria die off.

So in addition to having to treat and QT over $2,000 in fish I have to worry about my rear chemistry.

what a great "hobby". If I ever give this up I think I am going to learn how to walk on a bed of nails.

 

[Fishfinder]

Start cutting back the carbon dosing now. It will probably take a week but your tank is going run out of nutrients fast. If the tank is not new and you don't have PO4 leeching from rocks you will have to stop the GFO also. Be prepared to cut back on your fuge light period and turning your skimmer off.

Your tank will suck up that 8ppm nitrate and you'll be pouring food in like crazy trying to keep up.

 

[juicemanatx]

You could dose Potassium nitrate? I’d just feed the juice from your fish food daily. But I definitely think you’ll need to cut back or stop vinegar.

When I did it, I ran bio Pellets the whole time. My coral started to lighten, but that’s all. I started putting all the juice my my fish food and they were good.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

With corals in it, you'll need to feed the tank somehow. Either foods or dosing will likely be needed, which you continue vinegar or not, but I would decrease the vinegar substantially.

 

[pickupman66]

That is a tough chore and road ahead. you should be sure to read up on nitrate and phosphate dosing so that you can keep enough nutrients for the corals in there. Yes, taper off the carbon dosing and the GFO.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

thanks everyone!

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

any guidance on vinegar reduction schedule?

 

[Fishfinder]

When do your fish come out?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

any guidance on vinegar reduction schedule?

If you take the fish out all at once (and stop feeding), I'd just stop the vinegar cold turkey at the same time.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

thanks randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck!