Expert help please

[Tray333]

250 bare bottom tank
PH 8.4
Mag 1256
Ca 513
Alk reading off the trident/ and saifert scale my guess today is . 17 dkh
Po4 hanna 200 ppb or more.
Nitrate api test is at least 160 ppm
Tank has been up since 2019
Multiple failures with sps, dinoflagellates, green hair outbreaks but those seem to be unnder control now.
Nyos skimmer
Heavy bio load, with large fish
Only have soft leathers and anemone
Attempted vinegar dosing but stopped when trident would not test alk.
Gfo has no impact as of yet.
Running Carbon and phosban

over 2 days have changed 75 gallon water change with Red Sea pro.
Sump has some Detritus of tube worm carcasses.

Fish look normal
Soft coral are growing enough that I am constantly needing to harvest. Anemone has tripled in size in last 6 months.
I have 4 hydra 52’s
I sent a icp test out waiting for results

Anybody have any idea of how I can get this under control? I am at my give up point and thinking I should start all over again.

 

[blaxsun]

What all else are you running for filtration besides the skimmer? Filter socks? Refugium? Red Sea Coral Pro salt has a higher alkalinity (10-11).

Are you dosing as well?

 

[ZoWhat]

I have a pretty locked in method but every time I start into it... I get a bunch of no no nos from the community.

I use to get tired of being treated like I don't know anything.... tbh, I really don't care anymore bc I know my tank after 15yrs

I can buy LPS in utmost confidence

In short, I dose TM bacto-balance PLUS 80proof Vodka in the AM.... then live nanno phyto (i brew) in the PM.

System super stable at .01 po4 and 5 no3 no matter how heavy I feed. I have fleshy corals, great LR, just a hint of GHA. Tank health 9.5 out of 10

 

[Tray333]

Filter sock, in triggertrident refugium v2 Some type of macro algae gha is also present in sump, lights on opposite of display.

 

[Tray333]

Filter sock, in triggertrident refugium v2 Some type of macro algae gha is also present in sump, lights on opposite of display.

Not dosing anything now. Have no idea how alk raised so high, and no3 and po4 has been crazy high for over 6 month.

 

[vetteguy53081]

250 bare bottom tank
PH 8.4
Mag 1256
Ca 513
Alk reading off the trident/ and saifert scale my guess today is . 17 dkh
Po4 hanna 200 ppb or more.
Nitrate api test is at least 160 ppm
Tank has been up since 2019
Multiple failures with sps, dinoflagellates, green hair outbreaks but those seem to be unnder control now.
Nyos skimmer
Heavy bio load, with large fish
Only have soft leathers and anemone
Attempted vinegar dosing but stopped when trident would not test alk.
Gfo has no impact as of yet.
Running Carbon and phosban

over 2 days have changed 75 gallon water change with Red Sea pro.
Sump has some Detritus of tube worm carcasses.

Fish look normal
Soft coral are growing enough that I am constantly needing to harvest. Anemone has tripled in size in last 6 months.
I have 4 hydra 52’s
I sent a icp test out waiting for results

Anybody have any idea of how I can get this under control? I am at my give up point and thinking I should start all over again.

API kit very unreliable and likely a false reading.
Take a good water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use api kits and have them test for you and see what results they come up with.
Also consider sending in a ICP water analysis sample
As for SPS failures, LPS and SPS release toxins which compete with each other, Leather release terpenes. For this I use ChemiPure Blue to alleviate the toxins and keep phosphate in check
Your CA quite high - should be about 400-440 and be be affecting alk why the issues with SPS

 

[CocoReef]

Your high PO4 may be the cause of the GHA and dinos. If your Hanna checker is maxing out try filling your cuvette with 5mL tank water and 5mL RODI and doubling the result at the end

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I'm confused. I see your parameters are off (slightly, lol), but you say you had dinos and gha but those are under control; your fish, coral, and inverts are happy; what exactly are you trying to change? More to the point, why are you thinking of giving up and staring over?

 

[Tray333]

I'm confused. I see your parameters are off (slightly, lol), but you say you had dinos and gha but those are under control; your fish, coral, and inverts are happy; what exactly are you trying to change? More to the point, why are you thinking of giving up and staring over?

Well, my concern is that my alk is 17dkh, po4 is at 200 ppb (Hanna maxed out) and nitrate is at least 160 ppb and any I am concerned that things in my tank are eventually going to die. Nothing I have tried so far has reduced the po4 or nitrate has work for at least 6 months. The alk spike is more recent within a month. I was using Randy Holmes recipe for Vinegar dosing for about 3 month until I stooped when I detected the alk was so high. Every thing I read about that says it should drop alk not raise it. So I am confused of what could make the alk spike. At first I thought my apex trident was malfunctioning, and just bought a new one to see the same results. At one time I wanted to have a lps, sps along with leathers in tank, but with my parameters it is impossible, and I fear that my current water conditions are toxic to what is in there now. Thank you for responding.

 

[Tray333]

Your high PO4 may be the cause of the GHA and dinos. If your Hanna checker is maxing out try filling your cuvette with 5mL tank water and 5mL RODI and doubling the result at the end

Good idea I will try that, and circle back.

 

[Tray333]

I have a pretty locked in method but every time I start into it... I get a bunch of no no nos from the community.

I use to get tired of being treated like I don't know anything.... tbh, I really don't care anymore bc I know my tank after 15yrs

I can buy LPS in utmost confidence

In short, I dose TM bacto-balance PLUS 80proof Vodka in the AM.... then live nanno phyto (i brew) in the PM.

System super stable at .01 po4 and 5 no3 no matter how heavy I feed. I have fleshy corals, great LR, just a hint of GHA. Tank health 9.5 out of 10

 

[Tray333]

I am looking into your method and thanks for responding.