Nutrient rollercoaster help - not sure what to do/lost

[Futuretotm]

Hello all,
I have a 139 gallon 8 month old tank started with gulf LR. Everything else is stable ie Alk, Ca, Mg etc.
I have small amounts of GHA here and there.
I have a problem, I am riding the NO3/PO4 roller coaster still and can't seem to tame the beast. I've thought about just quitting.

1) I check NO3 and PO4 2-3x a week
2) ATS - whenever I clean it, it doesn't soak up much, and then when it gets going it soaks up quite a bit
3) Skimmer - whenever maintained, it gets the nitrate out quickly, then slows down
4) I keep adjusting my dosing in regards to vodka(no3) and LaCl(Po4)
5) In terms of feeding, I feed pellets and frozen daily, feed corals pellets (LPS) and reefroids/phyto/reef energy (SPS) once a week


What should I change so that I am not juggling 50 different things...

Readings:
NO3 Highs 25+, Low 0 (have STN due to this event which is continuing), Currently 12 and increasing
PO4 High 0.2, Low 0, Currently 0.1

 

[Jekyl]

What are your readings fluctuating between? I've started using NoPox lately, too soon for results as it takes a few weeks but heard good things.

 

[Futuretotm]

What are your readings fluctuating between? I've started using NoPox lately, too soon for results as it takes a few weeks but heard good things.

Readings:
NO3 Highs 25+, Low 0 (have STN due to this event), Currently 12 and increasing
PO4 High 0.2, Low 0, Currently 0.1

 

[SPR1968]

Well the tank looks good from those pictures so you must be doing something right

You could cut down on the feeding and also with levels like that stop using the coral food for the time being, there is plenty in the water already.

If you can get the phosphate locked down at less than 0.03 that should prevent many issues including the GHA you mention. I use rowaphos (GFO) and heavy to keep it locked down but you may need to change it frequently to start as it gets spent.

From the levels you mention you could have a lot tied up in the rocks which will leach back out as the level in the water reduces.

To reduce nitrates you could increase the vodka dosing, increase biological filtration with things like Seachem Matrix, or just increased water change frequency but try and stick to around 10% at a time so you don’t upset the water parameters to much.

You only need to test once a week really for those parameters as well, but it’s personal preference of course

 

[ZoWhat]

First off, no one can expect to have the near-perfect tank at 8mos old

Second, dosing vodka in variable qtys is throwing off your stability.

Third, I have fought GHA for 14yrs. In the 15th yr I've discovered the benefits of dosing tetraselmis phytoplankton. If you search keywords "tetraselmis phytoplankton" within R2R you'll find many write ups ive done in the last 6-9mos.

.

 

[Uncle99]

I make changes in Nopox dose very infrequently and in small amounts.
It took me 3 months to drop from 55ppm to 5ppm.
It has stayed at 5ppm for 4 years.

 

[Dkmoo]

IMHO, stop dosing vodka and LaCL and give your tank's microfauna and ATS to stablize the nutrients on their own. depending on your tank size, available nutrient, and current state of microfauna, it can take 3-6 months to stabilize. every time you try to introduce a new external control/treatment or tweak dosage, you are actually setting back the natural stabilization process.

 

[Futuretotm]

Well the tank looks good from those pictures so you must be doing something right

You could cut down on the feeding and also with levels like that stop using the coral food for the time being, there is plenty in the water already.

If you can get the phosphate locked down at less than 0.03 that should prevent many issues including the GHA you mention. I use rowaphos (GFO) and heavy to keep it locked down but you may need to change it frequently to start as it gets spent.

From the levels you mention you could have a lot tied up in the rocks which will leach back out as the level in the water reduces.

To reduce nitrates you could increase the vodka dosing, increase biological filtration with things like Seachem Matrix, or just increased water change frequency but try and stick to around 10% at a time so you don’t upset the water parameters to much.

You only need to test once a week really for those parameters as well, but it’s personal preference of course

Thank you for your detailed reply. Believe it or not I used high cap GFO, which caused my PO4 to go to zero overnight = started the STN (I think).

You mention once a week testing, what if nitrate/phosphates bottom out?
Less feeding! got it!

 

[Futuretotm]

First off, no one can expect to have the near-perfect tank at 8mos old

Second, dosing vodka in variable qtys is throwing off your stability.

Third, I have fought GHA for 14yrs. In the 15th yr I've discovered the benefits of dosing tetraselmis phytoplankton. If you search keywords "tetraselmis phytoplankton" within R2R you'll find many write ups ive done in the last 6-9mos.

.

Thank you, yes I dose MOM's phyto. I culture theres as well. How much do you dose/gallon? Thanks!

 

[Futuretotm]

IMHO, stop dosing vodka and LaCL and give your tank's microfauna and ATS to stablize the nutrients on their own. depending on your tank size, available nutrient, and current state of microfauna, it can take 3-6 months to stabilize. every time you try to introduce a new external control/treatment or tweak dosage, you are actually setting back the natural stabilization process.

oh man, that sounds risky. I agree simplicity = better, but I feel my nutrients will sky rocket if I take LaCl and Vodka offline. Perhaps something in the future.

 

[Futuretotm]

Don’t let the FTS fool you
Candy cane that won’t inflate for

Dead birds nest and random

stn from base up

birds nest dying in the middle/not inflated like it used to be

Stn base up

 

[mdb_talon]

3) Skimmer - whenever maintained, it gets the nitrate out quickly, then slows down
4) I keep adjusting my dosing in regards to vodka(no3) and LaCl(Po4)

For starters I would say keep the skimmer maintained. It does not really remove nitrates itself it removes the organic matter than will turn into nitrates(including the bacteria you grow with carbon dosing). If you have irregular maintenance of skimmer and a roller coaster of how effective it works then it makes sense you will have a roller coaster of nitrates as well.

As for dosing vodka as others have said any changes should be infrequent and very small. It takes time for those changes to have an impact. If you "keep adjusting" your doses again you will have a roller coaster of results (though realize it may be a delayed roller coaster)