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I have another thread that started to become focused on this. Thought I’d make a specific thead however to hone in on what’s going.
The situation:
Phosphates are zeroing out every day in both my display and frag tanks. I’m currently running skimmerless, no GFO, no carbon, no photoperiod at all on fuge, removed 95% of my macro fauna, feeding corals aminos every day, feeding fish 3 times a day, and dosing .02ppm of phosphate every day.
My goal:
Have some measurable level of phosphate and to determine the baseline daily phosphate addition required to keep something in there.
My concerns:
I’ve had Dino once and it was by far the worst thing I’ve experienced in this hobby. I really want there to be some phosphates in the tank for my biodiversity to stay on top of the food chain to prevent another Dino bloom. I refuse to allow my tank to go extended periods of time without phosphates and won’t “let it ride out”.
However, since going skimmerless, the water has started to look disgusting in my display. It is starting to become murky and has a brown tint to it.
My questions:
1.) My predominant theory is that the rock and sand are soaking up the phosphates. There was a study where rock and sand could bind up to 52ppm of phosphates per lb. Has anyone experienced this specific situation? How did you handle it?
2.) If #1 is true, is that phosphate accessible by the dioversity in my tank? Whatever is sucking up my phosphates, it’s doing so very fast, to the tune of ~.005ppm every two hours.
3.) How would you approach this situation with everything I’ve outlined and also keeping in mind my current regiment? Should I continue to dose phosphates and running skimmerless?
4.) What are some other things that could soak up the phosphates to this degree other than my rock?
I would really appreciate ANY help, this whole situation is pretty frustrating. I’m just really scared of getting Dino again and crashing the diversity in my tank.
The situation:
Phosphates are zeroing out every day in both my display and frag tanks. I’m currently running skimmerless, no GFO, no carbon, no photoperiod at all on fuge, removed 95% of my macro fauna, feeding corals aminos every day, feeding fish 3 times a day, and dosing .02ppm of phosphate every day.
My goal:
Have some measurable level of phosphate and to determine the baseline daily phosphate addition required to keep something in there.
My concerns:
I’ve had Dino once and it was by far the worst thing I’ve experienced in this hobby. I really want there to be some phosphates in the tank for my biodiversity to stay on top of the food chain to prevent another Dino bloom. I refuse to allow my tank to go extended periods of time without phosphates and won’t “let it ride out”.
However, since going skimmerless, the water has started to look disgusting in my display. It is starting to become murky and has a brown tint to it.
My questions:
1.) My predominant theory is that the rock and sand are soaking up the phosphates. There was a study where rock and sand could bind up to 52ppm of phosphates per lb. Has anyone experienced this specific situation? How did you handle it?
2.) If #1 is true, is that phosphate accessible by the dioversity in my tank? Whatever is sucking up my phosphates, it’s doing so very fast, to the tune of ~.005ppm every two hours.
3.) How would you approach this situation with everything I’ve outlined and also keeping in mind my current regiment? Should I continue to dose phosphates and running skimmerless?
4.) What are some other things that could soak up the phosphates to this degree other than my rock?
I would really appreciate ANY help, this whole situation is pretty frustrating. I’m just really scared of getting Dino again and crashing the diversity in my tank.
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