Afternoon all,
My tank is 3 years old and up until recently I have always had high nutrient issues, which I've thrown the kitchen sink at with no lasting success until recently. I apparently hit the magic recipe or my tank finally reached stability and my tank was looking really. For the first time I was successfully growing some acros and all corals were flourishing. Several weeks back I noticed everything getting a little pale. My tests for the big 3 were showing nothing unusual and I had not tested nitrates or phos for montttths because I wrongly assumed they were high as always.
Imagine my surprise when I purchased the new Hanna nitrate checker and my nitrates tested 0 - zoinks. I tested repeatedly. Also tested with a red sea nitrate test that I never felt confident using but also showed 0. Drug out the Hanna ulr phos checker, 0.016 ppm. So, reduced skimmer time and started feeding like crazy and adding more aminos (red sea ab+). Two weeks in and still cannot get a nitrate reading. Coral colors have slightly improved but not what they should be.
I had been using NP Bacto Balance daily but stopped because it is a nutrient reducer, but it also says on the bottle and website that it prevents nutrients from reaching zero - I'm confused? Should I resume it?? Or should I start dosing nitrates? If I need to dose nitrates what's the best way for a non technical person to achieve that safely lol? Thanks in advance for your help.
Tank parameters as of today:
60 gallons
Alk 9.6
Calc 460
Mag 1340
Nitrate 0
Phos 0.016 ppm
Growth is stalled and colors are washed out, zoas not happy. Only thing happy is toadstool, xenia and mushrooms - boo to all three . They were early inhabitants that refuse to die.
My tank is 3 years old and up until recently I have always had high nutrient issues, which I've thrown the kitchen sink at with no lasting success until recently. I apparently hit the magic recipe or my tank finally reached stability and my tank was looking really. For the first time I was successfully growing some acros and all corals were flourishing. Several weeks back I noticed everything getting a little pale. My tests for the big 3 were showing nothing unusual and I had not tested nitrates or phos for montttths because I wrongly assumed they were high as always.
Imagine my surprise when I purchased the new Hanna nitrate checker and my nitrates tested 0 - zoinks. I tested repeatedly. Also tested with a red sea nitrate test that I never felt confident using but also showed 0. Drug out the Hanna ulr phos checker, 0.016 ppm. So, reduced skimmer time and started feeding like crazy and adding more aminos (red sea ab+). Two weeks in and still cannot get a nitrate reading. Coral colors have slightly improved but not what they should be.
I had been using NP Bacto Balance daily but stopped because it is a nutrient reducer, but it also says on the bottle and website that it prevents nutrients from reaching zero - I'm confused? Should I resume it?? Or should I start dosing nitrates? If I need to dose nitrates what's the best way for a non technical person to achieve that safely lol? Thanks in advance for your help.
Tank parameters as of today:
60 gallons
Alk 9.6
Calc 460
Mag 1340
Nitrate 0
Phos 0.016 ppm
Growth is stalled and colors are washed out, zoas not happy. Only thing happy is toadstool, xenia and mushrooms - boo to all three . They were early inhabitants that refuse to die.
