Frustrated with the hobby.

[Matt Winstead]

You can lower phosphate without big swings. You need to slow down and test more to dial in your exact need based on your tank.

I test PO4 NO everyday

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I love macro algae in my sump. I never used an ats. But I am thinking about it. I still only change my water at 40g per month. It's more than I want to do. However, I have to reach that equilibrium with my aquarium before I can get back to a very low water change schedule.

My old reef only needed a water change once a month or I could wait longer if I wanted. I just had to supplement accordingly. Getting to that point is so rewarding.

Yes the dream!

 

[Cell]

I test PO4 NO everyday

Then you need to start using those measurements as a guide. Your goal is to lower phosphate/nitrate levels over time, gradually. If you see a large drop, then you know you over did it and need to dial down whatever you used. Adjust accordingly. It's going to take some time to optimize and that's ok. Start small.

 

[Uncle99]

If .2 PO4 is fine then I can cut back on all that crap I'm doing.

Yup, just the Nopox, move to a “maintenance” dose of 8ml day, but, I would decrease only 2-3ml week until you reach that.

I’ve been running that dose for 4 years.

In a 3 year old reef, 5-20ppm nitrate and 0.05-.2ppm phosphate would be normal expectations.

That flux in your chart seems a bit odd to me, is that done by probe, if so, I’d check your phosphorus with a Hanna UL checker.

 

[Born2beblack]

I once read an old reefer say ive had succes at low alk and never seen good things happen at high alk.
meaning low under 6, medium 7 to 8, high 9 up
I think anyways low alk is what I iam and ive had less issues
My fish are my issues now corals wont chill tf out

 

[Cell]

Hard to tell on the chart but I'm guessing the large PO4 drops may coincide with the weekly changing of GFO.

 

[Acros]

I think you are doing too much and hence getting burned out. You have high nutrients as you feed heavy (unless it is leaching from your rocks). I will suggest you gradually scale down all dosing including AB+ (Slow down import first and then slow down export). That’s the only way I can think to achieve stable nutrients.

Edit: tangs are poop machines.

 

[CrunchyBananas]

People need to calm down with the BRS video bashing. They are incredibly useful tools for reefers. Vibrant, Nopox, GFO etc all have their place in this hobby and many use them with great success. The hard part is determining if or when to use them, but that's what we are here for.

I understand what you're saying, but really most new hobbyists take them as gospel, and then we end up with people like OP who spent 25k and cant keep half the corals that go in his tank alive. Working in an LFS and on online forums, I've seen dozens and dozens of frustrated people with the same story. I agree their videos used to be helpful resources, but really after 52 weeks of reefing they started shifting a good bit, and honestly, any videos in the past year or two are just lists of fails and why you need their products. Especially with their latest growth of having a capital group backing and them buying out Marine Depot, you can bet that sales engine is going to keep cranking up and they're going to be pushing more products with less consideration. BRS used to be my go to suggestion to show new hobbyists the ropes, but I now advise avoidance of BRS because of increasing situations like OP, new hobbyists already jaded with an empty wallet.

 

[Cell]

The irony being your typical LFS is a much worse source of misinformation than BRS videos. LFS is trying to sell stuff too. But I get what you are saying.

 

[Dolphins18]

If I don't swing I'm gonna be stable at .2 PO4. That flies ?

This is not really a problem to be honest. While it isn't what is considered "optimal" these days, many people (myself included) have seen great results with po4 even higher than that.
I'd slowly cut back the GFO and Nopox and start to move to a natural nutrient export such as algaes in a fuge, this will be more stable, while you may not get the exact numbers you are looking for, I think your corals will respond well.
Try giving your chaeto a 14 hour photo period instead of 24.

 

[CrunchyBananas]

The irony being your typical LFS is a much worse source of misinformation than BRS videos. But I get what you are saying.

Some are and some are not, but being in the hobby over 15 years, working LFS's and doing full time installation and maintenance for 5+ years at this point, there's plenty of bad advice everywhere: LFS's, Facebook, Youtube, this forum, etc. BRS come off as the authority to a lot of people, but they are flawed as well, and they care about sales before your reef tank.

 

[Cell]

Some are and some are not, but being in the hobby over 15 years, working LFS's and doing full time installation and maintenance for 5+ years at this point, there's plenty of bad advice everywhere: LFS's, Facebook, Youtube, this forum, etc. BRS come off as the authority to a lot of people, but they are flawed as well, and they care about sales before your reef tank.

Fair. BRS is a business, after all. But them caring about sales first and foremost doesn't mean they cannot also care greatly about the hobby and the reefing success of their customers. After all, they will make a lot more money by helping hobbyists become successful than by having them flame out and quit.

 

[Goaway]

I understand what you're saying, but really most new hobbyists take them as gospel, and then we end up with people like OP who spent 25k and cant keep half the corals that go in his tank alive. Working in an LFS and on online forums, I've seen dozens and dozens of frustrated people with the same story. I agree their videos used to be helpful resources, but really after 52 weeks of reefing they started shifting a good bit, and honestly, any videos in the past year or two are just lists of fails and why you need their products. Especially with their latest growth of having a capital group backing and them buying out Marine Depot, you can bet that sales engine is going to keep cranking up and they're going to be pushing more products with less consideration. BRS used to be my go to suggestion to show new hobbyists the ropes, but I now advise avoidance of BRS because of increasing situations like OP, new hobbyists already jaded with an empty wallet.

And this is why I am so happy to be on r2r. I started seeing a push on "needed" reef equipment and a lot of older reefers don't use it. I never used it before. And I asked myself so many times "would this piece save my dying coral?" "Would it make my system better at helping my coral grow?" Truth is no.

Reaching out and talking to people helps a lot. I don't know how to give advice to the OP. I just know some systems certain corals thrive and others die. I will never be able to explain why. I don't know if anyone can.
Is it the age old "chemical warfare" situation? There is so much going on in a reef system.

 

[Screwgunner]

That is why I went with algae turf scubber . I do not have to worry about exports phosphates stay around .02 and nitrates are undetectable. Feed my fish and coral very good . Just have to worry about alkalinity Calcium magnesium and trace.

 

[Screwgunner]

Algae bloom, hair algae, fire, aptasia, red flat worms. Move, in that order. I gave up twice. In17 years this is my 3rd attempt and I am going as naturally as I can.

 

[WVNed]

Every time I see the BRS hate, I laugh. It is not uncommon though anymore for someone to be hated for doing a really good job.
One night I was recommending parts for a RODI for a new person in a long thread. I was using examples from BRS. Someone kept chiming in with the same parts from eBay and complaining about BRS prices. But every thing he linked cost more than BRS when you compared an identical item.

 

[WVNed]

I do not consider adding stuff to make the tank work anymore unnatural than putting Miracle Grow on my plants in pots to make them grow better.
The trick is to use stuff correctly, understand what it does and doesn't do and do adequate testing to keep track of it.
See what results other people have had.
Many additives can be used at twice the directed amount and clear up a problem quickly rather than it become a permanent crutch you add forever.

 

[anthonygf]

I’m sorry about your experineces. I own a 20 gallon nano and honestly, with a few months of experience, and weekly water changes, they can be stressful, I can’t imagine a tank that big. I believe you could destress yourself a bit if you’re able to do less water changes. I know there are some people that add protein skimmers, algae scrubbers in order to always keep the Params low and add dosing pumps to make the tank automated for the most part. I don’t know much about that but I know there are tanks that get water changes every 6 months. Maybe doing less would help with a tank that big or maybe purchasing a smaller tank ! Best of luck !

Those tanks you refer to going six months between water changes are because the reefer knows what elements (nutrients not chemicals) to dose, without water changes there are some major and minor nutrients not getting added that we don't test for and eventually corals will suffer.

 

[Jordan92595]

There is an answer forr this and I don’t at all agree that “some tanks just can’t keep certain corals. total malarkey. Some reefers can’t keep certain corals because of user error.

Here a start: keep salinity at 1.026. This needs to stay stable. Zero reason for a fluctuation. Lower dkh to 7-8. Stop dosing all chemicals especially NoxPox. Feed your fish a small amount once a (one cube) day, feed your corals 1/2 the recommendEd dose reefroids or similar every other day. Stop with the weekly carbon and phos media. Change that to the prescribed amount by the manufacturer once per month.
turn the chaeto light to run only 12 hours on a reverse cycle.
wait two weeks. Turkey baster the rocks and vacuum and stir the sand with a 25% water change. wait two weeks. See how the tank reacts and post here again.

Totally agree with this... there is no reason a tank can’t keep a certain fish or coral without an explanation to why. There is always a reason and i guess what makes this hobby so addicting is it’s not easy. You fail you exceed. and you repeat. Don’t knock your self down. Just keep reading keep testing theories and sometimes knocking it down and starting over will bring peace of mind and use the fails you have encountered in the past to help prosper your new build.
wanna hear a heart ache story i had...



so about a year ago i set up my 55 g . i has so many up and downs then the last couple months i has all downs.. my tank was covered in diatoms and algae I had coral is dying left and right fish getting sick constantly fighting in my tank to pick out dead corpse moving everything around creating more of a problem. Finally one night I was getting so fed up with the tank throughout the last couple weeks but this night and tested my water and everything was getting back to normal everything was looking awesome. And I kid you not I can’t make this **** up. I went to sleep with a big smile on my face I texted my wife saying I think the tank is going to be fine. I woke up in the morning to my wife shaking me saying the Fishtank cracked everything is all over the floor come help. I walked out to the living room and it was flooded all over my hardwood floor my tank cracked at the bottom and everything was on the floor. I don’t know how I don’t know why . my assumption is I had too much rock in the tank and 55 gallon tanks are not that strong. But let me tell you I was so defeated and depressed for a long time I hated the hobby and talking about it after that. It took me four months till I started my 30 gallon with a 10 gallon sump. And honestly it’s been a blessing in disguise because this time I took all the knowledge I have learned And did everything a different way and most of all i didn’t rush anything. my tank is doing better than ever and i truly believes everything happens for a reason!!
keep your head up and always remember it could always be worse

and fyi i put $12,000 into that tank build in the matter of 4 months before it cracked.. heartbroken...
Jordan

 

[CrunchyBananas]

Every time I see the BRS hate, I laugh. It is not uncommon though anymore for someone to be hated for doing a really good job.
One night I was recommending parts for a RODI for a new person in a long thread. I was using examples from BRS. Someone kept chiming in with the same parts from eBay and complaining about BRS prices. But every thing he linked cost more than BRS when you compared an identical item.

You’re just saying they’re cheapest, so they’re best? More often the opposite is true, think Amazon and wal mart. I don’t have problems with their prices, I don’t like how they pass sales pitches as “helpful advice,” which is all their videos have become.