I see, I thought you only had a few acros from your friends flatworm tank that you have tested since your new re-boot.
I fully understand your thought process as I have done the same at times. I've used Nopox/ vinegar-vodka and GFO to get levels back in line short term.
In general, I always think it's best to be very simple in a new set up/reboot to limit variables. Seeded rock, Skimmer and water changes, good fish population. All the other things are add ons or changes you can do as the tank matures and has success.
I had a lot of up and downs early on with my frag tank the first year I set it up. I had everything as it is above except not enough fish. Once I upped the fish population it was clear sailing.
I think a lot of issues with Sps tanks dying unexplained is at a microbial level. Certain bad bacteria take hold or explode in population levels. Without getting too much into this I think UV and ozone are going to get popular in the future. They reduce bacteria and also toxin levels in the water column and as we know most of the useful bacteria reside in a symbiotic relation on an acro or are inside or on the surface of live rock, so they won't be affected in a negative way by keeping a more sterile water column. In other words we may all have bad microbes but they aren't a problem unless they get to plague proportions where they can attack/out compete good bacteria..........who knows why this may happen, but I think it's real.
Thank you for your insight, and I could not agree more. Let me state clearly, that while I do think programs that work on bacteria/c-source do work, and worked well on previous tanks I had before, my intentions are to create a system that can self regulate, that leans more on natural methodology. The left side of the reef has a 6" depth sandbed of crushed coral, which tapers to 2" deep sandbed on lagoon side of the tank. At some point, I believe it will aid in n03 removal, as will the sump fuge. This is the long-term goal. The short-term goal is to use NP Pro and Pro Bio S to slowly reduce n&p, something that the skimmer, fuge, and deep sandbed cannot, at least yet. I don't use an apex, alk monitor, and really try and use my eyes to help guide my decision making, of course learned experience as well. This tank has been tricky, but hopefully the uncomfortable phase is nearing it's end. I have 11 well fed fish, so I know that at some point, coral supplements will also become unnecessary. Side note, my fuge is exploding with micro life, it too should provide additional live food sources at some point. I have really been humbled by this tank, nothing is taken for granted.
Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts and insight!
Cheers