The Old 0 N and 0 P after cycling

[crabgrass]

P have gone up and a little and Nitrate has been < 5. Todays reading an are 0.0 for both (Hanna tests).

85 Dry rock - 45 days old
90 lb Carib Sea Sand - 15 days old
15 lb live rock
Some bio bricks in sump + chaeto

Handful of fish and have been feeding heavy. First case of Diatoms came and went.

Suggestions on course of action:
1) skip weekly 10% WC?
2) feed even heavier
3) dose P and N?
4) ???

 

[Quietman]

You could reduce the chaeto size or effectiveness by reducing lighting times. I like 10% water changes at least for the first several months especially if you're feeding heavy. Not a fan of feeding for N/P as food contains many more trace elements that could become problematic in high volumes. I've also put my skimmer on a timer (didn't mention if you have one). Did some dosing with NP but didn't see much improvement (that's unusual and I'm not sure I dosed enough). Also if possible might get a UV filter, really helps with controlling dinos (which is primary concern with low nutrients early on). Better to prevent than deal with outbreak. I of course, waited and dealt with tank killing outbreak - but have run near zero since with UV and have no issues with toxic algae. Good luck!

 

[Tired]

Skip water changes until they're actually needed, either to lower nutrients or add minerals, and remove some of your chaeto. Don't overfeed, just feed your fish well, and feed any LPS you have.

Diatoms are pretty much inevitable, and nothing to worry about.

 

[crabgrass]

You could reduce the chaeto size or effectiveness by reducing lighting times. I like 10% water changes at least for the first several months especially if you're feeding heavy. Not a fan of feeding for N/P as food contains many more trace elements that could become problematic in high volumes. I've also put my skimmer on a timer (didn't mention if you have one). Did some dosing with NP but didn't see much improvement (that's unusual and I'm not sure I dosed enough). Also if possible might get a UV filter, really helps with controlling dinos (which is primary concern with low nutrients early on). Better to prevent than deal with outbreak. I of course, waited and dealt with tank killing outbreak - but have run near zero since with UV and have no issues with toxic algae. Good luck!

Thanks - I am running an oversized skimmer at moment for my bioload, so good idea on running it maybe 50% of the time. I do have a AquaUV 25 W (have 85 net gallons of water), running on Dino and parasite kill mode 24x7.

My thought was similar to yours - I’d like to keep doing weekly WC the first 6 months or so, and then make a decision if I can scale back.

Maybe test nutrients every 3.5 days and with small actions I don’t see an improvement I’ll start some light dosing of P and N

 

[jda]

You do likely have N and P. You might no have no3 and po4, which is what you are testing for. Nitrogen can be in other form than just nitrate, like in ammonia, for example.

None of this matters in a new tank. The cycle is not done - it is never done, hence the word cycle or cyclical. Let the ecosystem develop and you will get plenty of no3 and po4, which are waste products from the various systems and cycling.

 

[Quietman]

Thanks - I am running an oversized skimmer at moment for my bioload, so good idea on running it maybe 50% of the time. I do have a AquaUV 25 W (have 85 net gallons of water), running on Dino and parasite kill mode 24x7.

My thought was similar to yours - I’d like to keep doing weekly WC the first 6 months or so, and then make a decision if I can scale back.

Maybe test nutrients every 3.5 days and with small actions I don’t see an improvement I’ll start some light dosing of P and N

Sounds like me...had way to big of skimmer (it was DC so kept way dialed back) but with no UV. So after a few months of 3/.01 N/P dinos popped and pretty much ruined my life for 6 months. I got rid of the skimmer and went to an ATS. I don't think that's necessary - I just didn't want to buy a new skimmer. Worked great. But the skimmer is still in my closet after 2 years waiting for the inevitable upgrade.