Chaeto, NO3 & PO4

[reeferfoxx]

That's true, but the problem with that program is fish grow. With one system that had the 10 ppm got to 60+. My eel started at 7" and now is 20". It's way easier to manipulate a tank with it understocked then over stocked.

But isn't that why they recommend a larger than normal cheato/macro algae refugium?

 

[Brian W]

Is this correct? 16 hours? Ia gree also the marine pure is most likely reducing your nitrates.

Yes it's correct. My t5's turn on at 2pm and cut off at 10pm. I run the lights from 10pm to 2pm. Should I reduce the on time if my fuge lights?

 

[reeferfoxx]

Yes it's correct. My t5's turn on at 2pm and cut off at 10pm. I run the lights from 10pm to 2pm. Should I reduce the on time if my fuge lights?

Yes. When adding cheato for the first time it's best to start at 4-6 hours then up it everyday(1 hour increments) to a full 8-12 hours. I wouldn't go any longer than that. If the cheato is turning yellow its because of too much light or photoperiod.

 

[Brian W]

N03 @ zero is a longterm disaster for SPS.
I kept a non-fish SPS nano-cube @ zero N03 for 12 months and colors paled with moderate bleaching. Since I raised the N03, SPS is very slowly recovering. Playing around between 5 to 10 ppm. Short term observation seems like closer to 10 ppm is showing better results.

I agree with you 100%
I had 20 or so sps frasgs that started becoming a dull color and bleachingbat the top. Which is the reason I've been feeding 2m3-4 times a day to raise my NO3...but it has only raised my PO4. I may take the fuge offline forva month and see where my NO3 level is at.

 

[Brian W]

Especially with triton and no water changes you may want to remove that marine pure unless it's a year old or you have a lot of water volume. No better time then running zero nitrates, as your tank doesn't really need it anyway.

Before I started dosing no3 (I do with a dos 2 x a day) I tried the over feeding method. It takes too long doing it that way and makes a mess that brings other issues. But when you do add it, make sure you go slow, even if it takes a few days to be recognizable. It will appear, then the tank will suck it out. It gets frustrating believe me. Then you OD and burn some tips. Just keep your po4 where it is, as you'll find when you start dosing no3 the po4 will lower anyway when it starts to balance. If you don't have undesirable algae in the display I'd leave that po4 there anyway.

With not adding fresh saltwater via water changes, you'll find that macro (and corals). will suck iron clean out of the water. Iron dissipates anyway in salt water on its own. NSW has very low levels but your tank needs it. Randy is right. They can't test accurately at those levels, but I do add iron to my tanks weekly, as well as no3 and po4 daily. You'll figure these things out as far as what your tank consumes without water changes after a few months and tests. To keep the macro (and other things) healthy you have to add some of those things without water changes. That light is great, I have one. It's not the problem. Everything needs nutrients, including macro.

you'll find the core 7 to most likely lack sr and a few other things. I'll attach what I have to add weekly on my two systems to keep up. Both are 100 gal twv. ("Up" stairs, "down" stairs)

Thank you so much for this explination..what exactly are you dosingbfir N03? Tree stump remover?

 

[Brian W]

The tank may not need nitrates but the corals do. That is what fish are for. I used to dose nitrates, now I just add fish.

I only have 2 clowns, 1 sixline wrasse andv1 damsel in 50 gal. I have a Yellow Tang and fix face in QT's. I am almost finished with my 104 gal build. (Hope to be done by tomorrow) I will slowly add all fish to the new tank. May have to add a couple more fish to easise nitrates more. Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

While Spectracide stump remover has shown itself acceptable, it could change impurities without notice, and I’d pick to dose food grade sodium or potassium nitrate, preferably sodium.

 

[Brian W]

While Spectracide stump remover has shown itself acceptable, it could change impurities without notice, and I’d pick to dose food grade sodium or potassium nitrate, preferably sodium.

I am just going to remove macro algae and add more fish and minutes NO3.
I do not want to dose stump remover.

 

[Scott.h]

But isn't that why they recommend a larger than normal cheato/macro algae refugium?

yes, but in fact I am running a 50% of my water volume fuge section and I'm still dosing 55 ml of vinegar to keep the nitrates about 25 in this particular system. The method still needs a little bit of out-of-the-box thinking.

I am just going to remove macro algae and add more fish and minutes NO3.
I do not want to dose stump remover.

many use stump remover but for reasons Randy mentioned, I use food grade potassium nitrate, and have for quite some time now.

 

[pecan2phat]

http://greenleafaquariums.com/aquarium-fertilizer.html

 

[ThunderGoose]

I wonder if your water lacks iron. I add a little iron (and I2/KI) when my ulva fuge looks a little pale.

Sorry to tell you this but I is not the chemical symbol for iron, I stand for Iodine. Fe is the chemical abbreviation for iron (from the "original" Latin ferrum).

 

[sghera64]

Sorry to tell you this but I is not the chemical symbol for iron, I stand for Iodine. Fe is the chemical abbreviation for iron (from the "original" Latin ferrum).

;-) Not to worry. I'm well well versed in Periodic ToE nomenclature. Perhaps I should not have tried to be so pithy by combining two thoughts into one. What I meant to say was:

1.) I add a little iron [chelated and other forms using Kent's Fe and Mn (manganese) product].
2.) I ALSO add iodine using DIY Lugol's solution by combining elemental iodine (I2) and potassium iodide KI with water and some EtOH.

 

[ThunderGoose]

;-) Not to worry. I'm well well versed in Periodic ToE nomenclature. Perhaps I should not have tried to be so pithy by combining two thoughts into one. What I meant to say was:

1.) I add a little iron [chelated and other forms using Kent's Fe and Mn (manganese) product].
2.) I ALSO add iodine using DIY Lugol's solution by combining elemental iodine (I2) and potassium iodide KI with water and some EtOH.

Good. I was picturing you dosing I while intending to dose iron. I teach mostly Freshman college students and that is the sort of thing they'd do in lab.

 

[sghera64]

Good. I was picturing you dosing I while intending to dose iron. I teach mostly Freshman college students and that is the sort of thing they'd do in lab.

You know, at first black iron and iodine crystals look similar. But if one waits long enough, the iron reveals itself. . Isn’t that “IRONic”. Sorry for the sublime humor. ;-)

 

[Streetcred]

[... ] The reason I'm asking is because my NO3 is 0 & my PO4 is very high. According to the Hanna Phosphorus checker it is 0.045

0.045 ppm is not "very high" ... in fact, it is probably close to optimal, you just need a little bit of N to feed the sps and macro and bring the N | P ratio closer to the Redfield Ration.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You know, at first black iron and iodine crystals look similar. But if one waits long enough, the iron reveals itself. . Isn’t that “IRONic”. Sorry for the sublime humor. ;-)

lol

 

[Victoria M]

We are all geeks at heart...

 

[Reef of Fillory]

My Chaeto starts to turn white and real flimsy. I thought it was due to the fact that I put a K essil H380 on my fuge but in the past 6 months I have never been able to grow Chaeto and keep it a dark green healthy color.

Thanks.

This is happening to my chaeto under the H380 [12 hrs/night] as well. I took it off and put on a lower powered light [24hrs/day] and the chaeto took off again. I just now put the H380 back onto the chaeto two days ago @ 6hrs/night and the chaeto looks to be thinning out again.

I also have undetectable Nitrate and Phosphate @ .018-.025. I've been trying to overfeed to avoid dosing nitrate/phosphate but no success so far.

Also been thinking about another fish but I feel my tank might be getting overstocked as it is. [32G 20G sump, 2 clowns-blenny-coral beauty-mandarin]

I'm also running Triton method Core7

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