Automated Parameter Meters

[Clinton]

Hey all, I've been bi-weekly using API tests on my tank. I never seem to catch any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate, but have some ***** bad algae problems. If my parameters keep coming back with 0 am I wasting my time with a water change?
Are there any affordable automated testers that could catch it the day of a spike before the algae utilizes the nutrients I want to export?

 

[Waters]

Algae are normally caused by excess nutrients consisting of Nitrates and Phosphates. I assume this is a newer tank? If so, it is normal to go through some early issues with diatoms and algae. Can you post some pics? To answer your question though, even if you could detect those elements automatically, it still wouldn't allow you to "catch it" before the algae utilizes it. I would continue to do your water changes.....water changes do things besides remove nutrients. They also replenish missing elements that have been consumed by the tank.

 

[JoshH]

What type of algae are you dealing with? To my knowledge there isn't a tester for nitrates that automatically tests. There are however much more accurate test kits out there besides API that might pick up levels you're missing. I would like to know what you have for a CUC and nutrient export aside from doing WCs??? FWIW your nutrients probably aren't spiking as you described, your nutrient export might have been lacking in areas and the algae is making up for that gap.

 

[Clinton]

Tank is 1.5 years old. 155g bowfront with ~40 gallon sump
I have:
Filter pad rinsed daily in RoDi water
My fuge was full of hair and bubble algae that out competed my chaeto so I recently removed everything and will be adding fresh chaeto and maybe some other macros
Simplicity skimmer rated for 300 gallons
1 sea cucumber
1 carpet blenny
~20 hermit crabs
3 emerald crabs
A prick of a coral banded shrimp
1 tiger fighting conch
1 serpent bristle starfish
A dozen or so trochus snails
3 pencil rock urchins

The tiger conch down was just recently added. I also started dosing with vibrant. I'm catching up but parameter testing is such a pain lol looking for something more stream lined. I'm going to post 3 weeks progress on the tank
2 weeks* I'll post a 3 week tonight

 

[Clinton]

I had a rough patch at work where the tank was all but abandoned for 2 months so I've really dug myself a hole. All I did was feed the fish and make sure I wasn't poisoning them. Even in it's worse state I never had an ammonia or nitrite nitrate spike.
Also added a media reactor filled with active carbon this week.

 

[JoshH]

Looks like 10 orso turbo snails would have a field day on thst GHA

 

[Clinton]

Looks like 10 orso turbo snails would have a field day on thst GHA

I'm not familiar with the orsos... I know the Mexican and astreas

 

[Waters]

Have you tried a product like Vibrant? A lot of people have had good luck with it. I had good luck in one tank but another tank it did nothing. I would just concentrate on keeping phosphates (Hanna checker is good for low range) and Nitrates (Salifert and Red Sea are both good) in check....continue to do water changes, feed lightly, and maybe try Vibrant or some other bacterial additive.