Where are my nutrients going?

[Filipabp]

I run a 32g mixed reef very low tech. No skimmer, no refugium. Just a canister filter with biohome pure rocks, rowaphos and active coal.

All the SPS I added would lose their color, and after a check up I discovered that both nitrates and phosphates were unmeasurably low, to my surprise. I dont really have any noticeable algae, so its not falsely low. The biohome rocks are supposedly able to remove nitrates, but I didn't consider they'd be this efficient?

I then started feeding a lot more (discovered that I had been extremely sparse up till now), and the SPS actually started growing quite a bit, and colouring up. A few weeks later my nutrients are still the same, and slowly some of my SPS are getting STN :/ All other values seem to be in check.

Im thinking the nutrients might still be the cause, but where in the world are they all disappearing to? oO
There are two clowns and one coral beauty in the tank.

 

[Big G]

I pulled Marine Pure plates from my tank's sump for similar reasons. Nitrates and phosphates were zero.

 

[Filipabp]

I pulled Marine Pure plates from my tank's sump for similar reasons. Nitrates and phosphates were zero.

And then what happened afterwards?

 

[Big G]

A couple of months of the "tank uglies" followed. Lots of water changes, feeding the fish a bit more, brushing algae off the rocks and siphoning the algae out of the tank. Plus I added a Foxface that pecks at the algae. But in the end - now the tank is coming around nicely. Did have to change out my sand. Had Fiji Pink in there and it was a dirt/diatom magnet. Replace it with a bit coarser Special Grade and it looks much better.

For got to say "Welcome to R2R! Great to have you on board!

 

[Filipabp]

A couple of months of the "tank uglies" followed. Lots of water changes, feeding the fish a bit more, brushing algae off the rocks and siphoning the algae out of the tank. Plus I added a Foxface that pecks at the algae. But in the end - now the tank is coming around nicely. Did have to change out my sand. Had Fiji Pink in there and it was a dirt/diatom magnet. Replace it with a bit coarser Special Grade and it looks much better.

For got to say "Welcome to R2R! Great to have you on board!

Oh interesting, I hope I can avoid that though . I pulled 70% of the biohome stuff to see if that has any impact to begin with


And thanks bud :-D Its great to be here!

 

[Chris Villalobos]

I run a 32g mixed reef very low tech. No skimmer, no refugium. Just a canister filter with biohome pure rocks, rowaphos and active coal.

All the SPS I added would lose their color, and after a check up I discovered that both nitrates and phosphates were unmeasurably low, to my surprise. I dont really have any noticeable algae, so its not falsely low. The biohome rocks are supposedly able to remove nitrates, but I didn't consider they'd be this efficient?

I then started feeding a lot more (discovered that I had been extremely sparse up till now), and the SPS actually started growing quite a bit, and colouring up. A few weeks later my nutrients are still the same, and slowly some of my SPS are getting STN :/ All other values seem to be in check.

Im thinking the nutrients might still be the cause, but where in the world are they all disappearing to? oO
There are two clowns and one coral beauty in the tank.

These days our tanks are very efficient at exporting NO3 and PO4. You may need to start dosing those inorganic nutrients to keep your corals happy. You can try to keep adding more and more fish and fish food but if you start seeing Cyano or Dinos you have gone too far.

 

[Filipabp]

These days our tanks are very efficient at exporting NO3 and PO4. You may need to start dosing those inorganic nutrients to keep your corals happy. You can try to keep adding more and more fish and fish food but if you start seeing Cyano or Dinos you have gone too far.

Yeah adding more fish is my current plan. A royal gramma joined the party today, and Im planning on one more at least - any suggestions?

 

[Chris Villalobos]

I love blue green chromis! They are alway active and give my tank a lot of life. Should be fed multiple times a day. So pellets on a timer is a good choice.

 

[Big G]

blue green chromis

If you are considering any chromis, seriously consider quarantining the fish and prophylactically treating them for uronema. It's a bad news disease to get in your display tank as you can't starve them out like ich or velvet by going "fallow." It's deadly and fast killing, and rampant in the fish supply chain these days. Caution is advised.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/uronema-marinum.247940/#post-2913295