my tank is maybe too clean?

[machome79]

hey everyone,

here are some parameters of my reef tank and stock list. I have been tossing around solutions and ill tell you what I'm thinking but ..please let me pick your brains!
120 gallon mixed reef + crystal trigger sump with cheato , live rock
salinity 1.025
nitrate 0.5
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
calc 500+
mag cant get reading -too high
alk 7.5-8 (back and forth)
phosphates too low to read on test

all test done using salifert, hanna checker, redsea

stock list
leopard wrasse
frosted eye clarkii clownfish
starry blenny
2 striped obnoxious mean chromis
inverts
2 decorator urchins
30 various hermits and snails
strawberry conch

so, for some reason after three months ( after cycle and ugly phases) I have low nutrients and cant seem to get calc and alk and mag to level out.
I feed twice a day and coral food ( ab +, reef chili, ocean magik) three times a week. I would think I would have higher nutrients but not at all. corals are alive but not really growing at all. I have an idea that the cheato is working too well, due to its size (filled the sump chamber). I think I may harvest it 50%. do you think this will totally throw everything off too quickly? I have heard a massive water change can level out mag and the other parameters. what would you do?

 

[sfin52]

Yes you need to get phosphates and nitrates up 10-20 for nitrates 0.1-.0.2 for phosphates

If not you will starve cheato and possibly cause a dinoflagellates bloom

Cut down the light period for cheato. Did you start with dry rock?

 

[tdyrkacz]

i've not been able to get no3 of phosphates to detectable levels. My tank is one year old now. Even when i dosed NP+ i just got an algae bloom and still no detectable levels of no3 or phosphates. I feed a little more than a cube a day. I used to run a roller mat filter, but for the last few months i just run a skimmer. I have a fuge, but nothing grows there... as if there are not enough nutrients in the system. My skimmer is undersized... the tank just seems to be processing everything.

 

[machome79]

Yes you need to get phosphates and nitrates up 10-20 for nitrates 0.1-.0.2 for phosphates

If not you will starve cheato and possibly cause a dinoflagellates bloom

Cut down the light period for cheato. Did you start with dry rock?

I started new light cycle for cheato this morning. light for refuge comes on when dt tank lighting goes off. started with live rock.