Ugly Stage Questions

[Texas_Ranger]

Just removed Dino’s from 3 month tank with neophos dosing. Looks like this initiated the ugly stage in my tank. The algae is mostly green on rocks assuming it’s early coralline and diatoms on sand. Is it normal for my nitrates to bottom out again in the ugly stage? Also, should I be cleaning tank and doing water changes or just let it ride out? Struggling to understand what is consuming my nitrates as it was reading 15ppm after dinos.

15gl aio
nitrates 0
phosphates .05

 

[Saltyreef]

You are likely over exporting your nutrients. More importing of food and poop!

 

[Nate Chalk]

Yes , keep nutrients up!

Or the dinos will likely come back.

As the great @StatelineReefer said. Nutrients will always come down. Unless you are him. At 100N ;)

 

[Propane]

The algae might be consuming your nutrients as well. For me it’s been a lot of juggling not to bottom out my phosphates. I’m almost over the brown uglies I think but now there’s a green situation going on lol.

 

[littlefoxx]

What clean up

Just removed Dino’s from 3 month tank with neophos dosing. Looks like this initiated the ugly stage in my tank. The algae is mostly green on rocks assuming it’s early coralline and diatoms on sand. Is it normal for my nitrates to bottom out again in the ugly stage? Also, should I be cleaning tank and doing water changes or just let it ride out? Struggling to understand what is consuming my nitrates as it was reading 15ppm after dinos.

15gl aio
nitrates 0
phosphates .05

What clean up crew inverts do you have?

 

[Texas_Ranger]

What clean up

What clean up crew inverts do you have?

4 trochus snails, 2 hermits, 1 scarlet

 

[Uncle99]

Nitrate should never be zero.
This starves everything.
Bump that up and maintain a stable level of both.

 

[littlefoxx]

4 trochus snails, 2 hermits, 1 scarlet

Maybe put a turbo snail in there. They are big but eat lots of algae

 

[littlefoxx]

Maybe put a turbo snail in there. They are big but eat lots of algae

Nassurus (probably butchered the spelling) are sand snail, they are good too

 

[REEFRIED!]

Nitrate should never be zero.
This starves everything.
Bump that up and maintain a stable level of both.

Nitrate can often be zero during different stages of new tank set up. It may simply be that the nitrate is not registering on the test as it is being consumed by the algae instantly

 

[pepper89]

4 trochus snails, 2 hermits, 1 scarlet

I would say, def add a turbo snail or two. I got 3, and in 2 nights they have eaten more than 10% of the GHA algae in my little 10gal refugium. And they went to town IMMEDIATELY in the tank. Didn't move a muscle in the drip acclimation bucket for 5 hours, but as soon as I put them in the tank they were scooting around. Hungry little buggers. :face-with-tears-of-joy: They even seem to wake up every 4ish hours to eat a little near them before tucking themselves into a new corner. Though the large lawnmower-like streaks are mostly made once the lights go out.