My first RTN in acro dominated nano tank - learning and experience sharing

[Neko]

I got my first RTN with my acro dominated nano tank yesterday. I would like to update the progress for experience sharing and my record.

Tank Spec
- Red Sea Reefer XL200 (53gal)
- Age: 1 year old (parameters got stable after 8 month)
- Bacteria Plankton System - Manage Nutrients by Tropic Marin carbon dosing, No GFO
- Bare bottom, TBS rock in Sump
- Protein Skimmer: Ultra Reef Borie UKB-120
- Lighting: Radion G5 XR30 + Reefbrite XHO
- Flow: Four AI Nero 3s
- Return: Reef Octopus VariosS-4
- Dosing: ESV B-ionic for managing alkalinity by ReefDose, Manual dosing of NP bacto balance and NeoNitro
- Stable salinity by ReefATO
- Stable water temperature by IM HELIO

Retrospective - Reason for RTN
Before the RTN, many things happened in my tank.
1. Nutrients (NO3, PO4) is significantly reduced after protain skimmer upgrade (From Bubble Magus Z6 to Ultra Reef Borie UKB-120)
Nov 22, 2023 (Before upgrade): NO3: 2.4, PO4: 0.06
Dec 9, 2023 (After upgrade): NO3: 1.6, PO4: 0.02
Dec 25, 2023: PO4: 0.01
2. Dinoflagellates bloom - NO3 is reached to 0.0
Jan 2, 2024: NO3: 0.0, PO4: 0.03
3. Rapid NO3 swing after Dinoflagellates Treatments
- Reduced light intensity significantly - Turn off Radion G5, Keep Reefbrite XHO on
- Significantly increased dosing for NeoNitro
- Increased fish feeding
- Stop dosing amino acid
Jan 4, 2024: NO3: 8.6, PO4: 0.01
4. RTN
Jan 5, 2024: NO3: 10.0, PO4: 0.05

No big Alkalinity jumps in these days thought there were slow up-downs.

RTN Day 1 - Bad Smells
- Stopped dosing ESV B-ionic
- Half dose of DrTim's ECO-BALANCE
- Add activated carbon

RTN Day 2 - Bad Smells
- Sample water for ICP test
- Clean Glass for visibility improve
- 15% water change
- Half dose of DrTim's ECO-BALANCE after water change

 

[ryanjohn1]

Holy cow. You lost them all!?

 

[Neko]

RTN Day 14 - My tank is crashed, only two acros are survived with weak color
- Bad smell is gone
- Water change did not help
- Adding bacteria product (DrTim's ECO-BALANCE) did not help
- ICP test result is ok though Zinc is too high

Conclusion:
Root cause is multiple parameter swing in short period. Zero Nitrate caused Dinoflagellates bloom. That was ok. But, the treatment I did was not ok. (1) Rapid increase of Nitrate by adding Brightwell NeoNitro and (2) Significantly reduced light intensity. I learned Slowly and Patient.

It's been two weeks. So I think it's hopeless.

Tomorrow, I will remove dead corals and half of Rock, clean the bare bottom.
Then, wait survived two acros back to normal color and PE.

 

[loyalsockreefer]

Sorry this happened.