Cyano popped back up, nutrients are a bit weird

[laezur]

Seeing some cyano pop back up recently so did a test and seeing my nutrients are unbalanced quite heavily.

To add context:

Currently running a DIY Fuge (chaeto added to a small DIY made compartment in sump running 24/7 atm)

New skimmer just added yesterday, finally breaking in and has a lot of tea coloured skin mate being made

Few weeks old bag of carbon, and a 3 week-1 month old bag of GFO

April 30th Nutrients:

phosphate 0.1
Nitrate 30-50ppm

May 6th Nutrients:

Phosphate seems to be 0???
Nitrate 25-50ppm

 

[LiLinka]

I’m my honest opinion I recommend getting some Hanna checkers for you nitrates and phosphates. They’re very simple to use and I find them pretty accurate in my experience. Cyano is most likely due to an unbalance in nutrients. Recommended levels: nitrates (5-15). Phosphates: (0.03-0.08) it can be delt with by properly adjusting your nutrient levels. Manual removal is and option as well as chemiclean both work well. Hope this helps.

 

[Pod_01]

I think you have too much on the filtering side. From your description I see GFO, carbon, Fuge, new skimmer and corals (preferred filter).
For reference I have app. 63gal total system and I have 40ml of carbon (changed every 4-6 weeks) and a skimmer. I do not have GFO, socks, fuge (I am trying to grow corals not chaeto etc..), fleece roller, reactors etc… It is fun to experiment but I recommend to add one method at a time and observe the results before adding additional methods.

Good luck

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Removing the GFO for now seems a good plan. If that does not help the nitrate decline and phosphate rise over time, I'd suggest ramping up some type of nitrate export, such as growing macroalgae or organic carbon dosing. I'd dose phosphate if it doesn't come up.

 

[laezur]

Removing the GFO for now seems a good plan. If that does not help the nitrate decline and phosphate rise over time, I'd suggest ramping up some type of nitrate export, such as growing macroalgae or organic carbon dosing. I'd dose phosphate if it doesn't come up.

Hey Randy, thanks for your response!

You’re right, I think there’s too much Po4 filtration and not enough nitrate removal. Until yesterday morning I had no skimmer running so it was basically all Po4 removal other than the weekly water changes.

Will see how I get on by removing the GFO and I will also potentially lower the photo period on my chaeto. With the skimming hopefully it balances out without the need for chemical solutions as I don’t like to do that

 

[laezur]

Removing the GFO for now seems a good plan. If that does not help the nitrate decline and phosphate rise over time, I'd suggest ramping up some type of nitrate export, such as growing macroalgae or organic carbon dosing. I'd dose phosphate if it doesn't come up.

This is the yield from 48 hours of skimming lol what on earth

 

[ptrick21186]

I’m my honest opinion I recommend getting some Hanna checkers for you nitrates and phosphates. They’re very simple to use and I find them pretty accurate in my experience. Cyano is most likely due to an unbalance in nutrients. Recommended levels: nitrates (5-15). Phosphates: (0.03-0.08) it can be delt with by properly adjusting your nutrient levels. Manual removal is and option as well as chemiclean both work well. Hope this helps.

+1. Definitely get some better test kits. These are hard to get an accurate reading.

 

[ptrick21186]

Also, carbon usually does what it's gonna do after about a week to week and a half. You can probably remove that at this point.