Not sure if I posted in the correct forum.

[plc001]

Please advice. Thanks.

Phosphate / Nitrates / Algae

Hello All, I have a 40b that its on its 7 month. My nitrates and phosphates were zero so I started trying to increase. Now I have my phosphate at .05-.07ppm and nitrates are just at 1 or at best 1.5, not 3 using Nyos test. My plan was to try to get to nitrates 5-10 and phosphates .03 - .06...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Many forums here are suitable for such a discussion. Where you did is OK, but has more new people in it. The main Reef Discussion forum is a fine place, and this forum is more focused in detailed chemistry, so it is fine here too.

 

[Waters]

Did you start with dry rock? I would keep the numbers where you have them, raising nitrates slightly. The algae will be there whether you have phosphates and nitrates or not unfortunately. I have made the mistake of bottoming out those numbers several times in the hopes to eliminate GHA only to kill coral, while the algae flourishes. I would increase your CUC and manual removal until everything balances out. Worse case there are chemical methods to control algae (like Vibrant) but use at your own risk.

 

[plc001]

Did you start with dry rock? I would keep the numbers where you have them, raising nitrates slightly. The algae will be there whether you have phosphates and nitrates or not unfortunately. I have made the mistake of bottoming out those numbers several times in the hopes to eliminate GHA only to kill coral, while the algae flourishes. I would increase your CUC and manual removal until everything balances out. Worse case there are chemical methods to control algae (like Vibrant) but use at your own risk.

Thanks, yes dry rock and sand.

 

[Waters]

Thanks, yes dry rock and sand.

Yeah, unfortunately starting with dry rock poses some additional challenges......the bacterial diversity takes some time before things balance and algae starts to be outcompeted by things more desirable.