Can't raise po4

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 11, 2016

Yesterday I noticed a couple sps that looked like they were slightly pale. I remembered I lowered my 2 250w radium's in lumenbright smalls so I measured them and raised them back up to where the bulbs where 16" of the water.

Lol this morning i ran test and no matter what I do I can't raise it off zero on my Hannah ultra low meter, nitrate was 5... I'm feeding the fish like crazy ( to me anyway). I'm dumping aminos in everyday. If I would of fed my other tank like this ( jbj 20l)the algae would of totally took over.
I run a 40b with a small sump that holds about 10g. I have an reef octopus ( classic 152-s) skimmer rated for 150g that always has a head on it. Fish load is 2 lyretails, clown fish, firefish, and slpendid dottyback.

Rocks are spotless but glass gets algae stands on it as well as overflow box and tube.

Edit
Forgot to mention it's barebottom

CodyRVA · Mar 11, 2016

Are you running pellets, or GFO?

luke33 · Mar 11, 2016

I'm sure you could do a few things to fix the po4 issue. How old is your tank? You could run your skimmer on a timer, stop running gfo if you do, feed heavier or feed lighter just a few times a day. My guess is your tank has just matured as this generally happens after a year or so.

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 11, 2016

Nothing but a skimmer.. No carbon or gfo, or carbon dosing of any kind

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 11, 2016

I thought about running my skimmer on a timer from my controller.. Maybe 12 on 12 off to see how that does

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 11, 2016

You can dose phosphate if you like. In addition to hobby brands, you can use a quality sodium or potassium phosphate, such as:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swan...=80480685127&gclid=CMCqp47WuMsCFUM8gQodNcMMrA

or

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222595...9640c50ce512&gclid=CNOkup_WuMsCFdcZgQodezwBeQ

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 11, 2016

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
You can dose phosphate if you like. In addition to hobby brands, you can use a quality sodium or potassium phosphate, such as:

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swan...=80480685127&gclid=CMCqp47WuMsCFUM8gQodNcMMrA

or

https://www.etsy.com/listing/222595...9640c50ce512&gclid=CNOkup_WuMsCFdcZgQodezwBeQ

Thank you Randy.... Could you tell me some hobby grade brands? I might look into that

luke33 · Mar 11, 2016

RedneckReefer68 said:
I thought about running my skimmer on a timer from my controller.. Maybe 12 on 12 off to see how that does

Only bad thing about doing this is the starting and stopping of your skimmer pump which will kill the life of it, not to mention the orp swing. That's why I never have bothered in doing this.

I'm sure Randy's dosing is a better idea, I've just always thought it was nuts to get your phos and trates under control only to dose them back in the tank : )

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 11, 2016

It is weird but when coral health declines because of it, I feel I need to do something to darken them back up. I feel like I'm feeding every time I walk by the tank and fish are nice and fat

Triggreef · Mar 11, 2016

Maybe the checker is off, can you verify results with another test?

Maybe kill the skimmer for several months until you begin to see po4. Or just run it very dry so your barely skimming.

hotnickz07 · Mar 11, 2016

Carefull with over feeding. I would dump a little skimmate back into your tank e.o d or so

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 11, 2016

hotnickz07 said:
Carefull with over feeding. I would dump a little skimmate back into your tank e.o d or so

I have been overfeeding for weeks and it's still nil... Nothing wrong with checker trust me, there's no algae in the tank except the back wall I don't clean but about twice a month

Big E · Mar 12, 2016

Feed Coral Frenzy and when you put it in leave your skimmer off for about 4 hours. This stuff is all natural foods and potent. Dose two to three times a week.

Feeding PE Mysis with all it's juices is another good option to feed twice on alternate days.

Amino acids are a nitrogen source.........they won't raise PO4.

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 12, 2016

@Big E Your response just made me remember I was feeding coral Vitalizer up until a week and a half ago when I ran out and after that is when I started noticing the paling in a couple sps. The Corals haven't been fed since and I think that's the reasoning for the paling in some. I'm going to order some more CV and while I'm at it I will get some coral frenzy or reef roids.

Kungpaoshizi · Mar 14, 2016

+1 to amino's don't raise po4, they don't contain any.
Otherwise pellets. Pellets always seem to be the crapiest source of food that raises po4 and yet still beneficial..
Have you considered feeding food from the market? When I had fish that could actually eat (now I have nano fish) that I never had issues with coloration and combatting po4..

RedneckReefer68 · Mar 19, 2016

Good news..p04 hit. 03 as of this morning..bad news is nitrate went from 5 last week to 10 this morning :mad:

Flameback Pair · Mar 21, 2016

I wouldn't worry about chasing basic nutrient levels around because I don't believe this is a good food source for corals. This is like junk food for them. There's a lot of evidence that shows phosphates at a certain level will impede calcium carbonate crystals from forming. I sure Randy has articles on this.