V low nutrients but...high nutrient critters?!

[ReefRookie22]

My 27gal nano has maintained nitrates between 0-2.5ppm and phosphate 0.03 for some time now.
I'd like my nitrate levels to be higher and have been increasing feeding but it doesn't seem to be have much impact on NO3 levels. I have a lot of spirorbid snails, pineapple sponges and increasingly more vermetid snails.
How do I have so many nutrient "pests" when my nutrients are so low?
Are all of the "pests" taking up all the nutrients? I've got 6 small fish and about 20 frags/small colonies in the tank and dose all for reef a couple of times a week.
Using ATI test kit for nitrate (I know they are not the best, I'll probably pick up a salifert one tomorrow in case it's not accurately measuring) and use salifert for P04.
Tank has been running about a year.

 

[mh0ward]

If overfeeding isn’t working out, you can mix up an ammonium bicarbonate solution and start dosing that: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/diy-ammonia-dosing-for-low-nitrate-systems.987087/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The pests you mention do not, I think, take up nitrate and phosphate from the water. That is mostly limited to photosynthetic organisms.

 

[Cthulukelele]

The worms and pineapple sponges are very good things for the tank. The pineapple sponges will stick to low light areas, and the worm tubes take 10 seconds to scrape, and they're both very likely contributing to why you have low stable nutrients (they eliminate waste before it breaks down into nitrate and phosphate). For the vermentid snails, a bumblebee snail or 2 will eradicate them, or you can use some needle nose pliers (but be careful on glass)

 

[rtparty]

Low nutrients will not starve out vermetid snails. They capture food out of the water. You need a predator to eat them

 

[rishma]

Low nutrients will not starve out vermetid snails. They capture food out of the water. You need a predator to eat them

What predators do you recommend? I bought bumblebee snails, not sure they are helping?

 

[rtparty]

What predators do you recommend? I bought bumblebee snails, not sure they are helping?

Usually the hobbyist

I’ve seen bumblebee snails work but it is slow and usually best if you smash the tubes for them to get to the vermetid

 

[Cthulukelele]

Low nutrients will not starve out vermetid snails. They capture food out of the water. You need a predator to eat them

What predators do you recommend? I bought bumblebee snails, not sure they are helping?

Do you still see the bumblebee snails? I find them notoriously unhealthy in fish stores. Took 10 to get 1 that survived, and the 1 has eaten vermentids and small meaty foods in my tank for 6 or so years now since.

They also won't eat the tubes. They eat the worm inside so the tubes remain but won't throw their snot blankets anymore.

 

[rtparty]

Do you still see the bumblebee snails? I find them notoriously unhealthy in fish stores. Took 10 to get 1 that survived, and the 1 has eaten vermentids and small meaty foods in my tank for 6 or so years now since.

They also won't eat the tubes. They eat the worm inside so the tubes remain but won't throw their snot blankets anymore.

Last time I ordered them was a couple years back for my 250. I got them from reefcleaners and they came in great

 

[Cthulukelele]

Do you still see the bumblebee snails? I find them notoriously unhealthy in fish stores. Took 10 to get 1 that survived, and the 1 has eaten vermentids and small meaty foods in my tank for 6 or so years now since.

They also won't eat the tubes. They eat the worm inside so the tubes remain but won't throw their snot blankets anymore.

Last time I ordered them was a couple years back for my 250. I got them from reefcleaners and they came in great

Yet another reason to love reefcleaners. I order every few years from there and am always wildly impressed with survival. Don't want to digress too hard from the post topic, but there's a quick shameless plug.

 

[rishma]

Do you still see the bumblebee snails? I find them notoriously unhealthy in fish stores. Took 10 to get 1 that survived, and the 1 has eaten vermentids and small meaty foods in my tank for 6 or so years now since.

They also won't eat the tubes. They eat the worm inside so the tubes remain but won't throw their snot blankets anymore.

Oh mine have been thriving. I collected a few limpets from the beach to see how they did and the bumblebees annihilated them in 48 hours!

I’ve had mine for months. Maybe my vermitids are actually all preyed upon but I still see the tubes. I’ll have to look to see if they are spreading their snot anymore