RTN issues

[Lovefish77]

I would advise you that every system is different. I used to run low N and P and when I tried raising nitrates by using sodium nitrate things started getting worse.
Let me ask you what level for N and P did you have before? Were you successful in keeping sps? If yes dont change a thing. The rule is for sps you need low residual N and P, it is true that some people break these rules and yet have exceptional tanks. But that is the exception rather than the rule. Just my 0.02

 

[PhantomHalo]

I would advise you that every system is different. I used to run low N and P and when I tried raising nitrates by using sodium nitrate things started getting worse.
Let me ask you what level for N and P did you have before? Were you successful in keeping sps? If yes dont change a thing. The rule is for sps you need low residual N and P, it is true that some people break these rules and yet have exceptional tanks. But that is the exception rather than the rule. Just my 0.02

My NO3 was undetectable before dosing. PO4 was extremely low too. Around 7ppb. No, this is my first real sps dominate tank. Trying to learn as much as I can but it’s like filling a cup with holes in it. Lol I fill one hole and another springs a leak. The colors for the corals and the growth that has been nonexistent were the reasons for bumping up my NO3 and PO4.

 

[Lovefish77]

My NO3 was undetectable before dosing. PO4 was extremely low too. Around 7ppb. No, this is my first real sps dominate tank. Trying to learn as much as I can but it’s like filling a cup with holes in it. Lol I fill one hole and another springs a leak. The colors for the corals and the growth that has been nonexistent were the reasons for bumping up my NO3 and PO4.

IF you had any success with very low nutrients, so be it. Go back to where you were. I am in the same boat and trying to take my tank to very low RESIDUAL N and P after failing when trying to raise this. Your choice at the end though

 

[PhantomHalo]

IF you had any success with very low nutrients, so be it. Go back to where you were. I am in the same boat and trying to take my tank to very low RESIDUAL N and P after failing when trying to raise this. Your choice at the end though

That’s the thing, I’ve had little to zero growth with most of my sps. I literally have a frag of Oregon tort that I got as a 1/4” frag a year ago and it’s barely at a 1/2” now. I have frags that I bought a month ago that haven’t encrusted the plus they were shipped on yet too. Plus lack of color makes me believe there is an underlying issue that is inhibiting this growth and color development. However, without going into a long story, I had two mass extinctions in my tank to put it mildly. One was a broken glass heater in my new saltwater that dumped 40 gallons of contaminated water in my tank. The other was a 600w led sump light that fell in and caused all sorts of electrical and who knows what other issues in the tank. Both of these killed off 1/2-3/4 of the corals in the tank. Just as I get it stable again an event happens. lol It hurts. Anyway, I’m hoping I’m running out of these bad luck scenarios and trying to stabilize everything. The lack of colors has always been there though. I’ve got things now to keep things stable such as a carx, Alkatronic, gyres, GHL doser, new lights, and multiple heaters. I’m waiting on the mastertronic to become available and I may get that too. Would stainless steel cause color and RTN issues? I am just thinking maybe some parts of the light may have gotten into the sump and sitting there rusting. Not sure, but that thought just popped into my head as I wrote this.

 

[Lovefish77]

That’s the thing, I’ve had little to zero growth with most of my sps. I literally have a frag of Oregon tort that I got as a 1/4” frag a year ago and it’s barely at a 1/2” now. I have frags that I bought a month ago that haven’t encrusted the plus they were shipped on yet too. Plus lack of color makes me believe there is an underlying issue that is inhibiting this growth and color development. However, without going into a long story, I had two mass extinctions in my tank to put it mildly. One was a broken glass heater in my new saltwater that dumped 40 gallons of contaminated water in my tank. The other was a 600w led sump light that fell in and caused all sorts of electrical and who knows what other issues in the tank. Both of these killed off 1/2-3/4 of the corals in the tank. Just as I get it stable again an event happens. lol It hurts. Anyway, I’m hoping I’m running out of these bad luck scenarios and trying to stabilize everything. The lack of colors has always been there though. I’ve got things now to keep things stable such as a carx, Alkatronic, gyres, GHL doser, new lights, and multiple heaters. I’m waiting on the mastertronic to become available and I may get that too. Would stainless steel cause color and RTN issues? I am just thinking maybe some parts of the light may have gotten into the sump and sitting there rusting. Not sure, but that thought just popped into my head as I wrote this.

I think any components of the light or the heater that fell in the tank could affect the tank, especially anything that is a metal component. But all of theses would go away with water changes, Unless you have a piece of metal from that heater or the led that are still around in the tank somewhere where you cannot see them.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Here are pics of the algae. Not really green. More of a greenish brown to tan. Water change is going to happen in the next day or two and I’ll scrub a lot of it off. Still having the RTN issues though. Going to dig through and see if I can find any metal pieces that may still be in the sump. Have done tons of water changes between those events and now. So it may be something left over.

 

[Cory]

Can you get pics with more white or flash on?

 

[PhantomHalo]

Here are some pics with the orange filter on. Looks pretty dang close to real eye color

 

[Cory]

Looks like hair algae to me. One of Sea urchins favorite foods.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Looks like hair algae to me. One of Sea urchins favorite foods.

Would love to put them in, but I have 3 triggers that will eat them in a min flat. Lol I have 4 tangs in there with two more on the way.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Big question is, how do I know how much PO4 and NO3 to dose if it is GHA and taking up nutrients?

 

[Cory]

Big question is, how do I know how much PO4 and NO3 to dose if it is GHA and taking up nutrients?

I usually overdose. That way everything gets some.. but not reccomend universally. Or small micro doses throughout the day can help.

 

[PhantomHalo]

I usually overdose. That way everything gets some.. but not reccomend universally. Or small micro doses throughout the day can help.

Once I get my GHL up, that is the plan. Just small doses throughout the day. Just don’t want to overdue it.

 

[MnFish1]

Fish list is:
3xTriggers (blue throat, black trigger, and pink tail)
4xTangs (blue hippo, PBT, yellow, and desjardini)
4xWrasses (Hawaiian cleaner, melanurus, christmas, yellow corris)
2xPerculas
2xChromis

I feed pellets twice a day via auto feeder that only drops a tiny bit of food at a time. All gone in less than a minute. Seaweed every other day. Frozen mysis and rods food mix 2-3 times a week. AB+ once a week. Acropower once a week as well. (Sorry, should have added that in the initial post.) RTN was happening before I started Acropower.

I would consider an doser for Ca and all (I assume AB+ 1/ week is alkalinity/Ca?). For me - this has happened because of one of 2 things - changing things too fast - or an accident. The natural instinct is to jump and do 5 things at once - Though I don't disagree with anyone's individual suggestion here - Trying to do all these things at once - may very well cause more problems than they solve. I would make sure - you're salinity, alkalinity, Ca are stable first. Nitrate and PO4 problems (In my experience) - relate to more chronic problems and do not really cause 'RTN'. I would start with 1 thing - and give it time - or maybe 2. Those would be 1) dose your alkalinity and Ca and 2. Borrow a PAR meter - to make sure you're not under or overdoing your lights - but again - I might not 'rush' to change this drastically either. PS - Check and double check your tests. I hope you get the problem solved!!

 

[PhantomHalo]

I would consider an doser for Ca and all (I assume AB+ 1/ week is alkalinity/Ca?). For me - this has happened because of one of 2 things - changing things too fast - or an accident. The natural instinct is to jump and do 5 things at once - Though I don't disagree with anyone's individual suggestion here - Trying to do all these things at once - may very well cause more problems than they solve. I would make sure - you're salinity, alkalinity, Ca are stable first. Nitrate and PO4 problems (In my experience) - relate to more chronic problems and do not really cause 'RTN'. I would start with 1 thing - and give it time - or maybe 2. Those would be 1) dose your alkalinity and Ca and 2. Borrow a PAR meter - to make sure you're not under or overdoing your lights - but again - I might not 'rush' to change this drastically either. PS - Check and double check your tests. I hope you get the problem solved!!

I have a carx, Alkatronic, and GHL doser along with my ATO topping off kalkwasser. My alk stays about 8.6-8.9 pretty steady. Calcium I need to check. Haven’t checked that in a while. I do have a PAR meter and have checked my entire tank. Highest I have is 375 on my top rocks. Most of the fading and color loss is happening all over the tank. Bottom, middle and top. That’s why I think it’s a nutrient or contamination issue. Just nit sure which. Was reading about iodine too the other day and I’m intrigued with the results. I bought a test kit and it’s on its way to check that. I agree though. Too much, too fast is never a good thing in this hobby!

 

[MnFish1]

I have a carx, Alkatronic, and GHL doser along with my ATO topping off kalkwasser. My alk stays about 8.6-8.9 pretty steady. Calcium I need to check. Haven’t checked that in a while. I do have a PAR meter and have checked my entire tank. Highest I have is 375 on my top rocks. Most of the fading and color loss is happening all over the tank. Bottom, middle and top. That’s why I think it’s a nutrient or contamination issue. Just nit sure which. Was reading about iodine too the other day and I’m intrigued with the results. I bought a test kit and it’s on its way to check that. I agree though. Too much, too fast is never a good thing in this hobby!

OH OK for some reason I thought that AB+ was an alkalinity/CA dosing system ( I believe one product is A and the other B - I cant remember. Here is another couple comments - the hair algae means you have enough nutrients, IMHO. And - IMHO the hair algae in the tank is out competing the corals - leading to low nutrients (note these may not be nutrients we can measure). I might suggest that you send an ICP test? I guess I haven't seen Ca causing that much of an issue - but you're dosing Kalk, have a Ca reactor - I would be checking it more often. Hope this helps

 

[PhantomHalo]

OH OK for some reason I thought that AB+ was an alkalinity/CA dosing system ( I believe one product is A and the other B - I cant remember. Here is another couple comments - the hair algae means you have enough nutrients, IMHO. And - IMHO the hair algae in the tank is out competing the corals - leading to low nutrients (note these may not be nutrients we can measure). I might suggest that you send an ICP test? I guess I haven't seen Ca causing that much of an issue - but you're dosing Kalk, have a Ca reactor - I would be checking it more often. Hope this helps

I have the ICP test I’ll be sending in tomorrow. I agree about it outcompeting the corals. I just can’t get rid of the stuff. I’ve tried Fluconazole and other stuff. Just never worked. Now I’m trying all natural as much as I can. (I.e. more tangs and other algae eating organisms that can be housed with triggers.) The AB+ is the Red Sea coral food stuff. Lol