Should I add more Aminos?

[usfpaul82]

I have a growing collection of SPS in my predominantly SPS dominated 90 gallon. It’s a very well established tank, been running about 10 years. A few months ago I gave it a major overall and removed a lot of stuff and transformed it into the SPS heavy tank with a few LPS. I’m running 4 XR15 G5 Blues, a Nyos 160 skimmer, Clarisea SK5000 filter roller, and my sump has a well established fuge with a small amount of cheato I keep trimmed small.

I get very low nutrient levels due to my filtration even though I don’t carbon dose or anything. NO3 is constantly at 1, Po4 at .03. I keep Alk at 8.3, Ca at 420, and Mag at 1380 with 2 part on apex DOS and also a Trident.

I have been using Red Sea AB+ at 15ml a day as well as feeing Benereef 2x a week. All my frags are growing well and have decent color, but my question....should I also add a specific amino acid supplement to the mix? I have been going under the assumption that the RS AB+ was sufficient to provide the required amino acids. But now I’m not so sure.

I’ve heard of Acropower, Brightwells amino, KZ amino, and also the Easy Evo. What’s the consensus, good with what I am doing or should I add some additional aminos?

I’m terrible at pictures by the way.

 

[adtravels]

Just let everything settle on its own, feed the fish, maybe add another. leave the aminos. it can get you in trouble quickly

 

[Reefahholic]

Amino's are great if you don't over dose. Might be time to remove some of that filtration or let the skimmer overflow into the sump so that it doesn't pull out too much. Reduce the intensity and photo period for your cheato. Add a few more fish.

 

[Ike]

More fish and more food, the low PO4 is the more problematic of the levels. Amino acids aren't essential or needed in any way as an additive.

 

[jda]

Shorter answer: Residual N and P levels don't mean much. Mine are lower than yours at .1 and .005-.01 and everything is thriving. Ammonia/ammonium can help, so feed the fish more. You can dose ammonium if if makes you feel better. The availability of nitrogen in ammonia/ammonium is where the prize is, not in back-end residual levels. The aminos can get turned into ammonia/ammonium as a waste product, but you can do this in other ways that directly feed things that you might be more interested in.

Long answer: While smooth skinned acropora can assimilate aminos into their skins, they are not in shortage to any holobiont/host and don't really need supplemented. The essentials are there and a holobiont can make the others. You have no idea what aminos are in most products, but if they don't supplement all of them, then there is still a shortage if you believe that there ever was a shortage. It would be nearly impossible to get all of the essentials into the same bottle. Single cell algae, bacteria and other things living in the water column and on the surface can also absorb amino acids quickly and readily, so your acropora lose out on a simple math equation regarding surface area and water volume. In summary of the long answer, stuff in your tank might be able to use the aminos, but not likely your SPS.

 

[usfpaul82]

Thanks for the replies. Seems like the general consensus is I am fine with what I am currently using for additives, but I should focus on making sure not to bottom out PO4 and NO3. The filter roller really makes it tough to increase those with just food but I will up my feeding and look to add a couple more fish.

 

[HairyGary]

I would run the skimmer less to raise your nutrients a bit. I have know reefers to run filter roller and skimmer and removes nutrients so well you have to cut back on one. I would then add more fish and you can get to a point of running both with bigger fish population. Good luck

 

[usfpaul82]

If I were to turn off my skimmer for, say, 5 hours a day, is there any concern about the oxygen level dropping?

 

[HairyGary]

If I were to turn off my skimmer for, say, 5 hours a day, is there any concern about the oxygen level dropping?

May be some but not overly concerning especially if you have good water movement on the surface.

 

[jda]

Your residual levels of N and P are fine. More won't do anything. You can feed more and have more availability.

Residual levels are fools gold. Availability is the prize.