Help me. Nitrates and phosphates are always rising

[Miami Reef]

Tank is 300 gallons. Not heavily stocked.

I just had a water change less than 10 days ago and the tank looked amazing and clear...

A few days ago I noticed a little algae buildup on the glass. Today I come home from work and the tank looks awful again. The sand turned brown. The walls and rocks are also brown. Looks like silicates are high.

but why? I have 200 micron socks that I just changed a few days ago. My skimmer is working fine. I just installed a HOB refugium. I have a UV sterilizer.

I have an auto feeder that dispenses NLS spectrum twice a day (small amounts) and I feed LRS frozen once a day (But I didn’t even feed the frozen for the past 2 days). I also feed some nori every day. But I have 3 tangs and one foxface.

What can I do? I have an ATO that I just installed this year. Can I be exhausted already. Ask me for any more information and I will supply it. Just please help me out.

Oh, last thing. I dose seaklear phosphate remover but it’s not working well. I see some in the skimmer collection cup, but phosphates still rise.

 

[Miami Reef]

It’s on 70ppm currently but the pictures shows 72ppm. I have The Barracuda. The knob is set to red and I honestly don’t know what that means.

 

[CivicS14]

72ppm after filtration? If so, that could be the issue right there.

brown algae as in diatoms? How long has the tank been running?

It’s on 70ppm currently but the pictures shows 72ppm. I have The Barracuda. The knob is set to red and I honestly don’t know what that means.

 

[jurgenph]

red sensor, blue sensor. see the cables coming out of that tds meter at the top?
see where the probes are installed.

one should be input water, the other output, if they are installed correctly

you need to check the TDS of the output, after all your filters, and you want that to be zero.


J.

 

[Reefahholic]

If everything is installed and working properly, but you’re experiencing elevated NO3/PO4- I’d first search out the source. If you’re feeding is not excessive and your export methods are good, I’d suggest taking a look into the world of carbon dosing “SLOWLY.” This can lower N&P and also feed the corals. The bacteria that consume the N&P get consumed by the corals as well and therefore supply them with food as corals have a difficult time getting phosphate from the water column. Tropic Marin has several products and Lou explains this very well.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Tank age is an important factor. New rocks, etc can release phosphates...and ammonia that leads to nitrates

 

[Miami Reef]

I switched the TDS to blue and it showed 63...I can get a sample of the water coming from the RODI unit. What test kit will test freshwater? I have a Hannah phosphate checker...

For my livestock, I don’t believe I overfeed at all. If anything, I underfeed. My rocks are old and my tank has been running for years.
But the January of this year, we remodeled the whole tank. The livestock and rocks were in brute trashcans with water for a week. The sand was changed, but I don’t believe the tank ever had a cycle. It’s been mature. Here is the “brown”. Pics taken just now.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

I have the same rodi system as you. Aqua FX Barracuda . Company that makes is in Winter Park FL. Red is output from the DI Resin. Blue is before the resin .

I’m has a flush kit installed. I flip to blue and flush until I see 9-10 tds before switching to red . Then I wait until that drops all the way to zero before using any of the water .

If you are flushing your system properly and getting 63 tds ...you need to change out all the filters including the membrane

So I flush before and after using my rodi

 

[Miami Reef]

I use this machine for auto top off. Where do you buy the filters from?

 

[Miami Reef]

I just checked the machine again. It’s still on the blue but now the meter is showing 23ppm. I don’t understand why it’s changing. I’m going to call the company tomorrow

 

[Rubblereefer]

How big is your hob refugium? I can’t imagine any hob type being big enough to be effective in a 300 gallon tank! Do you have a good spot for a fuge in your sump? If you do, I’d pick up a kessil tuna flora Light and grow tons and tons of cheato in there. You’ll definitely be able to nearly zero out your nitrates and phosphates this way in short order.

 

[Miami Reef]

Here is my HOB...

My main purpose for this fuge is to get copepods. I’m not really using it for Nutrient reduction, even though I’d like to.

I’m going to post a photo of my sump. Maybe you’ll have an idea on how I can rearrange it to add a fuge.

 

[Miami Reef]

 

[Rubblereefer]

Perfect. So I’d move the drain lines all the way to the left of your skimmer, stick the heater there too. Turn the middle section into the fuge. Raise the water level if you can to pack more cheato in. Marine pure spheres or ceramic rings on the bottom with cheato on top of that. Make sure to get a good light. I like the kessil tuna flora ones, I grow tons of cheato with just the h80 but I’d think you would definitely want the next size up at least. At first you can run the fuge light all day, then once nitrate and phosphate have dropped, run the refugium light opposite your light cycle to help stabilize ph. Here’s my way more compact sump setup

 

[Miami Reef]

How can I add a separation in the refugium area? It’s open right now. I don’t want the cheato floating in the pumps area.

 

[Miami Reef]

I cannot do any plumbing to this refugium. I need something basic to separate the refugium from the pumps and skimmer section.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

You can always float a colander or something and put the chaeto in that. Doesnt need to be fancy.

 

[Rubblereefer]

How can I add a separation in the refugium area? It’s open right now. I don’t want the cheato floating in the pumps area.

What model sump do you have so I can look it up and see how its laid out? From what I can see though, you could just cut out pieces of this type stuff to box out your fuge https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/r-100-refugium-sump-replacement-foam-eshopps.html

 

[Miami Reef]

@Rubblereefer its pro clear aquatic systems.

 

[Miami Reef]

Can I just use some egg crate and box it out? Also, I don’t want to use sand. I have sand in my main display. Do I need rocks in it?