Too Low Nutrient Tank...ugh

Adkins · Feb 8, 2015

Well the new tank has been up and running great. Been tweaking in things here and there. Then a couple weeks ago my stag started to brown and my Acros and Montis started to pale out. So, I have been watching my levels and everything is great. Still though...pale coral.

So I decided to do a ridiculous amount of reading. Since I'm fairly new to an entire setup based around SPS. Also new to having this much water volume and the room to keep some proper, effective equipment.

Turns out my I have been running my tank a bit too clean! Figures. I base my whole setup around trying to keep the system as clean as I can and I over do it. Live and learn I suppose. However, I'm happy to know at this point I can keep my tank overly clean instead of struggling to keep up with high phosphate and nitrates.

I light of this new information I have adjusted my feeding schedule of both fish and coral. I'm feeding my fish heavily once a day as well as broadcast feeding my sps everyday for this week. Then I will recheck for NO3 and PO4. Going to aim for around .005-.01 of both for the time being and see how that effects everything.

I'll post back here with updates on the progress.

HoaglandDiver · Feb 9, 2015

Following... I can just give you a cpl gallons a wk of my low PO4 and high NO3 water if you wish

wangspeed · Feb 9, 2015

Reducing your lighting period will also help.

Pete polyp · Feb 9, 2015

I have the same issue with two tanks and at one point was feeding 6-8 times a day. For me the only result was high phosphates. I ended up dosing nitrate as an alternative.

Adkins · Feb 9, 2015

HoaglandDiver said:
Following... I can just give you a cpl gallons a wk of my low PO4 and high NO3 water if you wish

Haha! That sounds great Lee. I could just add new add new salt to it until I get the desired amount and then change it into my water lol.

wangspeed said:
Reducing your lighting period will also help.

Yeah I considered that. But, if I want to maximize my growth don't I need to make my added nutrients match my intake that is required by a "maximum" photo period?

Pete polyp said:
I have the same issue with two tanks and at one point was feeding 6-8 times a day. For me the only result was high phosphates. I ended up dosing nitrate as an alternative.

How did that work out for you? What did you does for nitrate?

LornaS · Mar 5, 2015

Check out www.reefgrow.com their products are specifically targeted at the beginner sps keeper with excellent results. Worth the read and then if you have questions I have the owners contact numbers I am sure they can and will answer any of your questions.

Adkins · Mar 12, 2015

I am totally am going to check that out. Thanks Lorna!

An update...I ended up getting a ridiculous algae break out and I kinda ruin almost everything....boo

Pete polyp · Mar 12, 2015

I apologize, I didn't see your question until now. I used potassium nitrate ( Spectracide stump remover ) and I had great results. I had a strong algae outbreak at first because there was plenty of phosphate in the tank. My macroalgae grew 5x the size in about a month. Once that settled my tank quit killing every acro I put in there and started coloring them up.

LornaS · Mar 17, 2015

Reefgrow has an algae control called Algaeoust. It attacks algae at a cellular level and is not an antibiotic or other snake oil.....I dosed my tank with it and it is slowly getting rid of any algae that I had growing......works great. I am going to start dosing their Amino Ignition this week and will advise how it goes. I do know that after a week my tank has never looked so clear and the colors are getting brighter.

Adkins · Jun 7, 2015

Pete polyp said:
I apologize, I didn't see your question until now. I used potassium nitrate ( Spectracide stump remover ) and I had great results. I had a strong algae outbreak at first because there was plenty of phosphate in the tank. My macroalgae grew 5x the size in about a month. Once that settled my tank quit killing every acro I put in there and started coloring them up.

Since I currently have have algae, would it be a bad idea to dose potassium nitrate? I have been manually removing via siphon at water change. Just wondered about your thoughts on this. I was wondering if I started to dose if if it would start helping me clear this up. I have be dosing hydrogen peroxide. I got better but I still can't kick it.

LornaS said:
Reefgrow has an algae control called Algaeoust. It attacks algae at a cellular level and is not an antibiotic or other snake oil.....I dosed my tank with it and it is slowly getting rid of any algae that I had growing......works great. I am going to start dosing their Amino Ignition this week and will advise how it goes. I do know that after a week my tank has never looked so clear and the colors are getting brighter.

Lorna do you think its time for Algaeoust?

Everything is back to growing really well but I still have some recurring stringy brown stuff. I had a thick patch on my overflow that I have been scraping off at ever WC and it doesn't seem to try and grow back at all. I have brown stringy stuff growing on my macro algae in my sump as well. I'm honestly considering upping my fuge light wattage some. Any thoughts from everyone would be greatly appreciated!

Adkins · Jun 7, 2015

Oh and I stopped dosing hydrogen peroxide yesterday because for the first time my sunset monti is half ticked off. I don't know it its the H2O2 or the brown algae getting to it.

Another observation is that I am starting to carry more film on the top of my surface that before. I am doing a at least 5 gallons of WC a week.