Tank Help! IDK whats going on??

[Chickenfrog]

I agree it definitely looks like STN to me as well. Sometimes it's hard to stop STN once it gets started but things may recover if you keep your parameters stable. Sudden changes in tank parameters may bring on STN, in particular alkalinity. A nitrate level of 2.5 to 5 and phosphate of 0.07, if accurate, are perfectly fine. For low nutrient tanks, it is suggested that dkh should be on the lower side, probably less than around 8. At this point, I would keep everything as stable as possible and gradually reduce your dkh to below 8 where you had it before.

So...
These are the changes
No water changes
decrease light intensity whites from 27% to 15%
not dosing alk or ca

But I should keep?
Feeding 2 times a day
And dosing NO3, PO4 and Bio Enhance

 

[vetteguy53081]

Should I stop dosing everything and do more water changes? Bc I'm still maintaining NO3 and trying to get PO4 detectable.

Stop dosing for now yes until you have concrete results from testing

 

[Chickenfrog]

Stop dosing for now yes until you have concrete results from testing

Okay, I'll stop dosing NO3,PO4 and Bio Enhance. Btw thanks for the help. Hopefully, I can get this under control.

 

[VJC]

I would test your alk, NO3, and PO4 daily for now until the readings are stable and heading gradually to where you want. Feed and add nitrate and phosphate depending on where your levels are and where they are heading. I think it's important to do everything gradually.

 

[Chickenfrog]

I would test your alk, NO3, and PO4 daily for now until the readings are stable and heading gradually to where you want. Feed and add nitrate and phosphate depending on where your levels are and where they are heading. I think it's important to do everything gradually.

I thought I was changing things slowly, but I guess not slow enough. Or maybe it wasnt mixing all that great in my sump.

 

[VJC]

There are many tanks doing well with your latest parameters. I think you just have to keep them stable and there's a good chance many of your corals will recover. Probably the best way to increase the nutrients in your tank is with fish poop rather than adding nitrates and phosphates. Not sure how many fish you have in there but you can probably get more fish. Also, with very low nutrients, you might try coral additives like amino acids, reef roids, reef chili, coral vitalizer, etc. By the way, if you have GFO, I would take that off line.

 

[Chickenfrog]

There are many tanks doing well with your latest parameters. I think you just have to keep them stable and there's a good chance many of your corals will recover. Probably the best way to increase the nutrients in your tank is with fish poop rather than adding nitrates and phosphates. Not sure how many fish you have in there but you can probably get more fish. Also, with very low nutrients, you might try coral additives like amino acids, reef roids, reef chili, coral vitalizer, etc. By the way, if you have GFO, I would take that off line.

I have two fish a midas blenny and a malnuras wrasse. I do dose quantum Bio Enhance. I used benepets but my coral doesnt seem to react very well to it so I stopped a long time ago. Also, I dont have a gfo reactor.

 

[VJC]

You definitely have room to add more fish eventually. And definitely keep an eye on your parameters. I had zero nitrates and phosphates for a while too so I was dosing nitrates and phosphates in my 20g. I added some livestock and started feeding more. It remained 0 for a while so I was checking parameters every 2 weeks and the next thing I knew, my nitrates were >30 and phosphates were like .2! I gradually brought everything back down and none of my corals were the worse for wear except for some slight temporary browning.

 

[Chickenfrog]

You definitely have room to add more fish eventually. And definitely keep an eye on your parameters. I had zero nitrates and phosphates for a while too so I was dosing nitrates and phosphates in my 20g. I added some livestock and started feeding more. It remained 0 for a while so I was checking parameters every 2 weeks and the next thing I knew, my nitrates were >30 and phosphates were like .2! I gradually brought everything back down and none of my corals were the worse for wear except for some slight temporary browning.

Yea I've been testing about everyday or every other day and I keep the information logged on a spreadsheet so I can see the gradual change but dang the alk shot up. It is pretty irritating bc of the time and money invested to just see everything do gown hill.