Nitrate Help

[viorio]

My tank is three months old, and I am getting into the ugly phase. Hair algae, nothing crazy though. I cannot raise my nitrates. I think I might have too much bio filtration. I am currently running in my Fluval flex 32 AIO;

Phosban
Chemipure
2 bags of purigen
3 polyp lab genesis blocks
Tunze comeline DOC 9001 skimmer
And the stock foam from the flex

Livestock:
2 clowns
Blue Chromis
Six line wrasse
Diamond goby
Pj cardinal

I am also dosing 5ml daily of Brightwell neo nitro which raised my nitrates from 0-.04

Current Parameters:
Calcium 541
Alk 8.5
PH 7.8
Phos.08 - down from .18 2 days ago after a water change

Any insight or suggestions. Thanks!!

 

[Matt L]

Phosban
Chemipure
2 bags of purigen
3 polyp lab genesis blocks

Why are you running these?

 

[viorio]

Trying to reduce nitrates and minimize the ugly phase. Genesis rock, because I wanted to maximize bio filtration

 

[IceNein]

What does your cleanup crew look like? Cleanup crews turn algae into nutrients.

 

[viorio]

Mix of trochus, turbo. Nerite. About 6 total

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If you have hair algae why try to raise the nutrients? Algae consume nutrients so depending how bad the algae is, it might be contributing to false low readings.

 

[IceNein]

If you have hair algae why try to raise the nutrients? Algae consume nutrients so depending how bad the algae is, it might be contributing to false low readings.

Yeah, this. I have found that with a small system, the algae in the aquarium can keep your nitrate pegged low. It's literally using all of it to grow. I think in systems like these the nutrients are there, they just instantly get uptaken by algae/coral.

 

[Matt L]

Trying to reduce nitrates and minimize the ugly phase. Genesis rock, because I wanted to maximize bio filtration

Okay. It sounds like you overshot and threw the tank off balance. I’d take out the first three.

 

[viorio]

Thanks, I will try that!

 

[viorio]

If you have hair algae why try to raise the nutrients? Algae consume nutrients so depending how bad the algae is, it might be contributing to false low readings.

Yeah, this. I have found that with a small system, the algae in the aquarium can keep your nitrate pegged low. It's literally using all of it to grow. I think in systems like these the nutrients are there, they just instantly get uptaken by algae/coral.

The nitrates dropped to 0 before the algae started. There were diatoms, but nothing crazy though

 

[resortez]

Why are you running these?

Second this. In my personal experience, having too much chemical filtration at the start of a system does more harm. It robs your biological system from much needed nutrients to feed on, develop & thrive on. Otherwise it stunt its development, keeping your system stuck in the ugly phase until it’s allowed to push through & start flashing NO3. Once those N03 flash, thats when chemical filters are added to assist you biological. Again, my personal experience. Hope it’s of any help. Good luck