Acros in a higher nitrate system?

[Auquanut]

In a nutshell, my 16 month old 125 gallon mixed reef has a fairly high bioload. For me, it's as much about the fish as the coral. My parameters have been stable for a long time. I have many of the "beginner" SPS corals, and all are flourishing. I have:
Birdsnest
stylo
monti digi
monti cap
green slimer
pocillopora

Parameters:
Temp - 79ish
Alk - 8.6
Cal - 420
Mag - 1350
SG - 1.026
PO4 - about .03
Nitrate - 25 to 30

I have a fuge in the sump, and the chaeto is growing but not flourishing.
While my nitrates are high, they seem to stay fairly constant.
I've seen where some accomplished reefers have kept acros with much higher nitrates.
Not looking to go crazy or anything, just thought about trying a red planet or something.
Always trying to bring the nitrates down, but I don't think they'll ever be near zero. I love my tangs.

Any wisdom?
Thanks
Don

 

[acro-ed]

I try to keep mine around 20. Over time it will creep up to 30ish and then I do another water change. That range works well for me. Others keep it even higher. Many keep it lower. You’ll be able to see what works best with your lighting and alk range. Hope that helps.

 

[KrisReef]

Your numbers are not that high. Red planet is a good hardy sps that will likely survive in 30 nitrate. My nitrate is lower, but when I increase it I get more green in the base. GL

 

[Reefcowboy]

I think nitrate and po4 are the hidden key to success with sps, and reason many new hobbyists end up with unhealthy/pale corals running the so called “new school” of reefing with ultra clean,zero nutrients.

Heavy fish bioload with natural nutrient export has also given me good results. I run now an alage scrubber which is more consistent than chaeto in my experience. Chaeto used to go strong at times and at others cruble and die in my sump all other patterns equal.

I feed very heavy many times a day and no matter what I do my nitrate is always around 4-6ppm. I know many out there(WWC included) runs their systems with nitrate at around 20. Their tanks however have a very large coral biomass. Ive watched a Sanjay video where he stated his tank runs at 30+nitrate.

The only concern to me is a higher levels are pushing luck, and suddenly RTN and STN can come pay a visit.

 

[Auquanut]

Thanks. I've read where some folks keep elevated alk levels in higher nutrient tanks. 10 or even 12. Not sure if I should go that route or not. My coral seem happy as things are now.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Thanks. I've read where some folks keep elevated alk levels in higher nutrient tanks. 10 or even 12. Not sure if I should go that route or not. My coral seem happy as things are now.

I had set my tank like 5 months ago with mainly sps. Set the two part dosers and as corals took off and colored I never bothered to check alk. A week or so ago colonies started to have burnt tips and I checked fo find alk at 11.5dkh. It slowly creeped up through these past months. Many water changes later brought it down to 8.9. If I had higher nigrates(as you stated) my corals would keep up, but IMO like I stated before, this path of higher alk and nitrate can be fine for a while and one day you get a progressive RTN fest. When you keep things lower, you have time to react. Pushing things to the limit are very unforgiving at times.

Higher nutrients allow for longer lighting periods/higher par and require higher alk.

 

[Auquanut]

My thought exactly. Just wondered if there was any absolute advantage to increasing Alk. One more thing, and I'm sure I'll get beat down for this. I run a BRS dual reactor. With very low PO4, I haven't changed the high capacity GFO in months and months. I'd like to take it out completely, but I guess I'm just afraid of a sudden increase in PO4. Thinking the chaeto might take do better if I take out the GFO, and I'm afraid that I'm doing more harm than good leaving it there so long. Today is water change day.