My tanks is about 1.5 months old after completing its cycle and is a 60 gal tank. I have a pair of clownfish, 1 royal gramma and a cleaner shrimp. I am running chaeto under 10.5 hour period and Skimmer is an Octopus INT110S running 24/7. Feeding is twice a day, mainly pellets and occasionally frozen mysis. I have filter floss which I change about every 3 days and a couple of days ago put Carbonit-P (50gms) to clear water. I once got to raise my Nitrates to 4.5ppm / Phosphates to 0.18ppm, but I think those were the highest I was able to get. Right now I am at 0.00ppm Nitrates and 0.00ppm Phosphates, which I want to avoid a bacteria bloom if these numbers continue and also that I can't introduce any corals until I get them up.
Question is what can I do to consistently up my nutrients? Here are some thoughts:
- Overfeeding, maybe by doubling the food the fish consumes and increase mysis feedings.
- Not sure if I can lower the chaeto photoperiod even further, as now Fuge lights stays only for 10.5 hours
- Stopping or hold skimmer to just a few hours a day?
- Chemicals such as Neo-Nitro and Neo-Phos? This is the only product for this purpose I can get around here. But not sure, how long the effects will last before bottom up if continue with current tank operation. Feels like it would be too costly if need to keep adding this indefinitely to keep up.
- Do water changes every month instead of bi-weekly. Not too concerned on trace elements as I don't have corals yet.
Which would be the most effective way to increase my nutrients.
Question is what can I do to consistently up my nutrients? Here are some thoughts:
- Overfeeding, maybe by doubling the food the fish consumes and increase mysis feedings.
- Not sure if I can lower the chaeto photoperiod even further, as now Fuge lights stays only for 10.5 hours
- Stopping or hold skimmer to just a few hours a day?
- Chemicals such as Neo-Nitro and Neo-Phos? This is the only product for this purpose I can get around here. But not sure, how long the effects will last before bottom up if continue with current tank operation. Feels like it would be too costly if need to keep adding this indefinitely to keep up.
- Do water changes every month instead of bi-weekly. Not too concerned on trace elements as I don't have corals yet.
Which would be the most effective way to increase my nutrients.