Do I have high po4?
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Reefpro
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Any more thoughts on this. I’m thinking to try a lol GFO today in a reactor. Tank is about 150-160 total water volume was thinking 1/2 to 3/4 cup reg brs GFO. Brs cslculator calls for 2.5 cups so I feel this is a mild dose
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Reefpro
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Two reasons.
1. I do not trust Tge Hannah ULR po4 test
Rarely can you get duplicate results. Yesterday was .05 and today .1 rinsed and re rested .15 crescents are new expire 2022 and process completed exactly the same
2. With all parameters stablecthrough dosing and testing. I have stn from base up in few acros. I dip everything and have inspected for any bugs and nothing. No Alk swings or any swings at all
madweazl
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Something that may help with your Hanna testing is the use of a syringe to fill it more precisely every time (eyeballing the meniscus isn't a very good method). Additionally, if you don't trust your test results, the last thing you want to do is make a change based on those results.
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Reefpro
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I use a 5 ml syringe twice to reach my 10 ml. And I’m with you on your opinion of changing based on beliefs. But check these pics out. Also how do you explain very limited uptake in ca/Alk with as many acros as I have, stn on a few pieces from base up (not occurring at tips) snd loss of flesh on others
madweazl
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For starters, flow is woefully inadequate for that size tank. Even at 100% on the MP40s, you're still too low (to the tune of two more MP40s at 100%). Dont underestimate flow in regard to acropora. I have two MP40s at 100% in our 75g acropora dominant tank and I'd say I'm right on the lower margin of good, especially as the corals start to grow out and restrict flow to other areas of the tank. Additionally, I have never seen any coral do particularly well in a constant flow situation. Try 100% (antisync) in something like Reefcrest or Nutrient Transport.
It’s not the Po4.
If you strip it to undetectable you’ll have big problems.
If you strip it to undetectable you’ll have big problems.
ckalupa
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I use an auto pipet to draw my water samples for the Hanna, but the difference in the meniscus line top vs bottom is not going to describe a difference between .05, .1, and .15. This sounds more like normal variants and possibly not getting all of the reagent into the vile. Either way that is still pretty low phosphorus and I would not discount the Hanna results just because of this small variance.
Feel like I am piling on with potentially conflicting advice but here goes:
1) Assuming you are getting accurate test results, just keep doing what you are doing. Those numbers (if stable) will work beautifully, eventually. The levels are fine as is the balance between the two. IME.
2) The Hanna kit is very finicky. Wear nitrile gloves or use cheese cloth or eyeglass wipes to clean the cuvettes just before loading into the egg. Slight smudges mightily affect the measures. It is a PITA but you really need to have confidence in your readings. Don't hit PO4 with GFO until you have confidence in your readings.
2.5) What are you using to test Nitrates? I trust Red Sea. How consistent are those measures?
3) The image you shared is tough to see for sure, but if there are bubbles in that goop it is probably dino. Meaning too little nutrient. Keep it simple: feed the tank if so. Gradually! If it really is green hair algae then the opposite is true: more WC and or less food gradually.
4) Base STN (IME) is either pests or chemical warfare from nearby competitors. Less conviction on this point tho.
5) Maybe I missed this, but how many lbs of rock do you have (or marine pure block, siporax, brightwell block, etc) in the system?
Summary: if stable, those are good numbers. Confirm they are accurate and keep them there. It will work out just fine.
1) Assuming you are getting accurate test results, just keep doing what you are doing. Those numbers (if stable) will work beautifully, eventually. The levels are fine as is the balance between the two. IME.
2) The Hanna kit is very finicky. Wear nitrile gloves or use cheese cloth or eyeglass wipes to clean the cuvettes just before loading into the egg. Slight smudges mightily affect the measures. It is a PITA but you really need to have confidence in your readings. Don't hit PO4 with GFO until you have confidence in your readings.
2.5) What are you using to test Nitrates? I trust Red Sea. How consistent are those measures?
3) The image you shared is tough to see for sure, but if there are bubbles in that goop it is probably dino. Meaning too little nutrient. Keep it simple: feed the tank if so. Gradually! If it really is green hair algae then the opposite is true: more WC and or less food gradually.
4) Base STN (IME) is either pests or chemical warfare from nearby competitors. Less conviction on this point tho.
5) Maybe I missed this, but how many lbs of rock do you have (or marine pure block, siporax, brightwell block, etc) in the system?
Summary: if stable, those are good numbers. Confirm they are accurate and keep them there. It will work out just fine.
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Reefpro
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Man I just Turkey basted all the green turf algae off rocks and thought I saw bite marks on acro so thought maybe I should blow off corals and f me running. AEFW I DIP as a normal routine but missed something obviously. My 9 wrasses had a feast
