High Nutrients

Fragzilla · Nov 13, 2017

I'm after a bit of advice from high nutrient system keepers.

I've got a frag tank that's been running a while now but I've never been happy with it if I'm honest.

I'm trying to keep the tank simple by just using live rock and a small bag of gfo.

Currently my nitrates are about 75ppm (between 50 and 100).

My phosphates are 0.01 - 0.05, usually 0.05 but shoot down to 0.01 if I go a day without feeding. I'm testing with Hanna ULR so it's possible the reading could be slightly incorrect some days but still it's measuring low.

Am I being too zealous with regards to phosphate removal? Should I let it rise a bit?

Some zoas have grown and tbh the zoas seem ok but some of my palys are not happy at all.

My phycosis is completely shut, I've got a couple of others that are looking pale at the foot/base and any single head frags looks like their about to blow off the plugs at any point, like their not able to base out and spread across the plugs.

The colours aren't great, pale faded washed out pastel colours.

I'm a bit warry of just pulling the rowa in case the phos makes them light intollerant and bleach.

Any advice on this would be great as I feel I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place at the moment.

wattson · Nov 13, 2017

high flow and I dose Iodide/Iodate weekly..half strength dose...keep Alk SUPER stable,,youll hear many,many variables that work..lighting is always a key factor too..lower your NO3 to 10 at the highest

Fragzilla · Nov 13, 2017

wattson said:
high flow and I dose Iodide/Iodate weekly..half strength dose...keep Alk SUPER stable,,youll hear many,many variables that work..lighting is always a key factor too..lower your NO3 to 10 at the highest

Hi thanks but that doesn't actually address the subject which is nutrients and more namely phosphate.

I dose iodine and autodose 2 part, got loads of flow and t5 lighting that worked in the same system before.

I'm just not getting any growth or colour. I'm questioning whether the lack of phosphate (or low in ratio) is inhibiting photosynthesis and also causing colour loss.

Some look white at the base and aren't attaching firmly to the plugs and spreading on the plug like you'd expect. The heads are dull and dark, my daisy duke palys are prodominatly black, they should be pink/red and iridescent.