Help with reefing (Im about to quit everything)

[xLUGUBRIOUSx]

Your nutrients and alkalinity is all over the place all the time. Find your daily dosage for AFR which is probably super extra low since nothing is really consuming it. AFR is supposed to be dosed based on calcium. You need to worry about calcium more for now.

Phosphates are crazy high

You just need to be more consistent it seems.

 

[Faurek]

Your nutrients and alkalinity is all over the place all the time. Find your daily dosage for AFR which is probably super extra low since nothing is really consuming it. AFR is supposed to be dosed based on calcium. You need to worry about calcium more for now.

Phosphates are crazy high

You just need to be more consistent it seems.

If there is no consumption there is no need to dose, you said it yourself. STOP TELLING THE OP TO DOSE. Geez, why are people so obsessed with dosing?
You can run a soft coral aquarium for years without ever dosing, GSP doesn't need dosing.

 

[xLUGUBRIOUSx]

If there is no consumption there is no need to dose, you said it yourself. STOP TELLING THE OP TO DOSE. Geez, why are people so obsessed with dosing?
You can run a soft coral aquarium for years without ever dosing, GSP doesn't need dosing.

Well according to their alkalinity timeline he needs to do something. Either more frequent water changes or dosing. Dosing isn't the devil. Maybe almost nothing is being consumed, but there are corals in the tank and it needs to be monitored one way or another. Can't just forget about it.

 

[Faurek]

Well according to their alkalinity timeline he needs to do something. Either more frequent water changes or dosing. Dosing isn't the devil. Maybe almost nothing is being consumed, but there are corals in the tank and it needs to be monitored one way or another. Can't just forget about it.

Well, according to the timeline it's consistently getting too high, how high you think is the alk in the ocean and you think it's GSP that is taking alk from 10 to 7.2 and back up?
Alk is not only for coral, when chemical reactions occur they use up alk, bacteria uses alk to stabilize. The OP has a foggy aquarium, I would say probably bacteria bloom, wouldn't you think that once bacteria settles alk would be stable without dosing?
And GSP caring that much about alk? I neglected a tank for months on alk CA and mag, it had zoas, one goni and one piece of stylo, alk was 4 when I tested, guess the only piece that was struggling but still alive, yes it was the Stylo, the soft corals couldn't care less, yeah GSP will be fine even if bacteria get the KH down.

 

[stE25wy14]

If there is no consumption there is no need to dose, you said it yourself. STOP TELLING THE OP TO DOSE. Geez, why are people so obsessed with dosing?
You can run a soft coral aquarium for years without ever dosing, GSP doesn't need dosing.

cause he needs to dose XD
if people r telling u are wrong, then u are wrong

 

[redseaenroute]

I'm in the "stop dosing for now" camp here too... Way to much going on. If there is not a large enough coral load to justify it, why do it? Back to basics. Get basic parameters (Nitrate & Phosphate) stabilized. Get a WC routine established. And probably need to address the bio load (again, I see 4 clowns, 10 total fish and a bunch of shrimp) and THEN come back to dosing.

Whatever the path chosen on dosing may be, it is apparent that the current dosing plan is not working. So hit pause. Get the above mentioned areas in check. Then come back to it (dosing) if necessary.

 

[leo_martin]

Well, Alk does seem to be consumed from week to week.
Truth be told, I don't care about corals at all. But since I added them, its frustrating to not see colors. I only started with those bc they are easy and doesnt hurt my eyes. I'm an extremely busy worker and I'm not looking to add too much on my schedule, that's why I tried to DIY automate most of the things I can in the tank.
At first, even with that many fish, my refugium would keep phosphates and nitrates at zero. Clear water, clear glass, no dosing, nothing, and overall, happy, active fishies. I have a thick sandbed, more rocks under the sandbed and seachem matrix / fluval little tubes in the sump, so plenty of surfaces. I also have a 200 gal air pump in my sump, before just running inside air (outside air when hot) and now pumping thru an Co2 media, so yes, I don't have my powerhead pointed up bc with the fish guard, the Nero 5 won't tilt.
I was happy with the fish-only aquarium, precisely because I could keep the thing running smooth without messing too much on it. I lost count of how many times I tested the water at the LFS to see 0 nitrates/phosphates, tests that cost 15 a pop. I lost count after 150 bucks.
I started testing weekly when I started with Gsps. Everyone said that they grow like weeds and even grow in the "toilet". Then my LFS told me to keep my nutrients around 5-20 nitrates, 0.03 phosphates, around 1300 magnesium. I went and bought all Hannah checkers: Alk, Nitrates, phosphates, magnesium, PH, and salinity. Salinity I won't put it on the spreadsheet, it's always between 1.023 -1.027 and I think that's ok, even if stays in the low or high for a few days. I only do top-offs on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Not one individual told me that I have to maintain salinity at 1.026 all the time, otherwise nothing would grow.

Then I went to buy some stuff from a reefer, and he showed me all 3 of his tanks, growing, nice colors, and zero water changes. We believed that if my water parameters were within range, I just needed to dose what was lacking and change my water when something goes to **** or monthly or 2-3 months, just for some peace of mind.

I will be honest: I always went that route. I never tested doing water changes weekly in my life. I dont see myself doing water changes weekly for only a few corals - and corals that "grow like weeds". However, based on this post I will try for a few months to see what happens. If it helps great, if not, I rather give them away. If it doesn't work out I take the corals off and stay fish only or just give my whole setup away to my niece, who already has a FW system.

 

[Faurek]

With that size system you could get away with once a month WC once you get it right.
Also you can go full macroalgae with the fish, macros are not only for filtration they are decorative, with that bioload I would definitely would take that route and have a lot of fish with clean water. Don't throw the towel yet.

 

[Faurek]

cause he needs to dose XD
if people r telling u are wrong, then u are wrong

You are the only one telling me I'm wrong, he definitely doesn't need to dose, then explain me how a lot of noobs are popping out with softies tanks and no dosing. Please explain. I can tell you some freshwater channels with new reef tanks who don't even know what dosing is. What they have on common? They have soft corals, and the corals don't die.

 

[stE25wy14]

Truth be told, I don't care about corals at all. But since I added them, its frustrating to not see colors.

so u dont care, yet u are confused on why they are dying/not showing colors?
exactly that
corals are live animals, not plants, ANIMALS!! they have mouths, and polyps, and have stress response, some even have feet!!! how cool!!(thats actually pretty cool imo )
u should cut off the refugium, run a sump with just carbon, filter sock, and nothing that will remove params, keep dosing, get rodi system, get salt, and get yo a$5 to work man
a lot of people on here work A LOT!! like @VintageReefer , dont u work a lot? but look at his tank!! its amazing!! and is kept well, if u dont care about the corals, then u basically dont care about the fish, fish need the same params as corals!!! like animals need the same air quality as us. or they cant breathe well!!! same dang thing
so if u cant put in the effort for a little water change each week, then this hobby aint right for u

 

[stE25wy14]

You are the only one telling me I'm wrong, he definitely doesn't need to dose, then explain me how a lot of noobs are popping out with softies tanks and no dosing. Please explain. I can tell you some freshwater channels with new reef tanks who don't even know what dosing is. What they have on common? They have soft corals, and the corals don't die.

people aren't directly telling you that u are wrong, but they are telling him to dose, please tell me why he shouldn't dose?
and please link those noobs!!!

u say the corals dont die,
yet my frogspawn scui bombed the tank with toxin, killing all softies except 1
all u are doing is giving him misinformation that could be dangerous to his coral

but plz, explain why he shouldn't dose
and rmbr, he doesn't do water changes

 

[Faurek]

people aren't directly telling you that u are wrong, but they are telling him to dose, please tell me why he shouldn't dose?
and please link those noobs!!!

u say the corals dont die,
yet my frogspawn scui bombed the tank with toxin, killing all softies except 1
all u are doing is giving him misinformation that could be dangerous to his coral

but plz, explain why he shouldn't dose
and show me the "noobs"
and rmbr, he doesn't do water changes

Starting to see a pattern here, there is nothing wrong with it, but you are very challenged.

u say the corals dont die,
yet my frogspawn scui bombed the tank with toxin, killing all softies except 1
all u are doing is giving him misinformation that could be dangerous to his coral

Tell my what that has to do with dosing pls.

people aren't directly telling you that u are wrong, but they are telling him to dose, please tell me why he shouldn't dose?

Quote the people who are directly telling to dose. Two YouTube channels that come to mind are MJAquascaping and MD Fish tanks.

And explain why would he dose, what do you want to raise with dosing? The already too high alk or the calcium GSP uses for it's non existent calcium skeleton?
Also why would he take the refugium out? Has enough nitrate and high phosphate as is, wouldn't no macroalgae raise the nutrients?

 

[stE25wy14]

Starting to see a pattern here, there is nothing wrong with it, but you are very challenged.

u say the corals dont die,
yet my frogspawn scui bombed the tank with toxin, killing all softies except 1
all u are doing is giving him misinformation that could be dangerous to his coral

Tell my what that has to do with dosing pls.

people aren't directly telling you that u are wrong, but they are telling him to dose, please tell me why he shouldn't dose?
and please link those noobs!!!

Quote the people who are directly telling to dose. Two YouTube channels that come to mind are MJAquascaping and MD Fish tanks.

And explain why would he dose, what do you want to raise with dosing? The already too high alk or the calcium GSP uses for it's non existent calcium skeleton?
Also why would he take the refugium out? Has enough nitrate and high phosphate as is, wouldn't no macroalgae raise the nutrients?

Dude you are actually mentally challenged, the only good thing you said was carbon. You should expand your horizons and get out of that little bubble you in.

u dont need to friggin dose for softies, I watch those two not regular, mj said he didnt need to dose cause his nutrients are always correct, md has a macroalgae tank XD
the alk is fine, the good alk range is 8-11, 12 is okay, but its still good, he needs to dose cause he never does WC's, u kinda need to dose in a 30gal also, even for fish, im saying take the refugium out because its eating all the nutrients, its eating too much

dont call me mentally challenged, u dont know what I have gone through, maybe I am mentally challenged!!
I am... I have adhd, where part of my frontal lobe cortex didnt develop properly, and I cant see emotions and stuff well....
so yeah
I want to see your tank and what u have accomplished....
what's the hardest coral u keep???

 

[leo_martin]

Starting to see a pattern here, there is nothing wrong with it, but you are very challenged.

u say the corals dont die,
yet my frogspawn scui bombed the tank with toxin, killing all softies except 1
all u are doing is giving him misinformation that could be dangerous to his coral

Tell my what that has to do with dosing pls.

people aren't directly telling you that u are wrong, but they are telling him to dose, please tell me why he shouldn't dose?
and please link those noobs!!!

Quote the people who are directly telling to dose. Two YouTube channels that come to mind are MJAquascaping and MD Fish tanks.

And explain why would he dose, what do you want to raise with dosing? The already too high alk or the calcium GSP uses for it's non existent calcium skeleton?
Also why would he take the refugium out? Has enough nitrate and high phosphate as is, wouldn't no macroalgae raise the nutrients?

Dude you are actually mentally challenged, the only good thing you said was carbon. You should expand your horizons and get out of that little bubble you in.

Dont worry, that guy is waaay to angry over this post. Like I have to take as seriously as he does, otherwise, I'm not good enough for it.
I'm doing water changes because everyone kind of agreed on that, but someone telling me "You have to do this otherwise this hobby ain't for you", is textbook gatekeeping.
I do my hobbies for my pleasure, not the other way around. I'm already a slave to my work, no ******* way I'll be a slave to my hobbies. I'll do whatever I can, when I can, as much as I can, otherwise, I'll let it go and that's ok.
Thank you all for your input and help in figuring out my problem. I asked a mod to delete the post and my account with it.
Happy reefing everyone!

 

[Faurek]

u dont need to friggin dose for softies, I watch those two not regular, mj said he didnt need to dose cause his nutrients are always correct, md has a macroalgae tank XD
the alk is fine, the good alk range is 8-11, 12 is okay, but its still good, he needs to dose cause he never does WC's, u kinda need to dose in a 30gal also, even for fish, im saying take the refugium out because its eating all the nutrients, its eating too much

dont call me mentally challenged, u dont know what I have gone through, maybe I am mentally challenged!!
I am... I have adhd, where part of my frontal lobe cortex didnt develop properly, and I cant see emotions and stuff well....
so yeah
I want to see your tank and what u have accomplished....
what's the hardest coral u keep???

Talking about ADHD with an ADHD person, lol. ADHD is not being mentally challenged, will you start disease competition to say that you suffer more then others?
I will explain you what you don't experiment or research DKH 8-11 is for faster growth. A higher dkh will make your corals more sensitive to changes, you can't find natural reef with 8 dkh, it will be between 6-7 and you will tell me the ocean is wrong?
Funny how you will jump to hardest coral when I have kept macroalgae that is harder then acropora, I have also kept acropora and I will build this exact weekend my "dream nano" which long run will have acros, said macroalgae which is native to my country and stuff like native sea squirts and sponges. I can tell you this much, I am confident on putting SPS in this aquarium after 1/2 months, I am not confident it will be established enough for the native stuff by summer when I can go scavenge them.

 

[Faurek]

Dont worry, that guy is waaay to angry over this post. Like I have to take as seriously as he does, otherwise, I'm not good enough for it.
I'm doing water changes because everyone kind of agreed on that, but someone telling me "You have to do this otherwise this hobby ain't for you", is textbook gatekeeping.
I do my hobbies for my pleasure, not the other way around. I'm already a slave to my work, no ******* way I'll be a slave to my hobbies. I'll do whatever I can, when I can, as much as I can, otherwise, I'll let it go and that's ok.
Thank you all for your input and help in figuring out my problem. I asked a mod to delete the post and my account with it.
Happy reefing everyone!

Trust the people who tell you water changes, long run is easier and more cost effective, those are the experienced ones.
And find the happy balance between reefing and life