Help: P04 and N03 deficit

[Lasse]

It is strictly IMO - I have no clue if it is right to not feed or not. It is path I would have take by my self. Stop feeding the corals and wait and see what´s happen with the readings. If they get low - dose again. Manual rinse the Cyanobacteria mats or stirr them away now and then. But I´m sitting on the other side of the Atlantic and do not see your tank - so decide with path you will take and hold on with that for a week or two.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ScottB]

@sil40sx
Sorry for your troubles, but thank you for sharing. Ditto to the other contributors.

I am running two tanks and walking the nutrient tightrope on one (50g system frag tank) right now with NO3 bouncing between 0-10 ppm and PO4 between 0 - .01. Been dumping food in there and finally dosing NaNO3. It is only 6 months old so I guess it is expected. My bigger DT went through something similar, but size really helps smooth things out.

Which brings me to my only contribution to this thread -- even if a repeat of @Lasse . Choose one course. Iterate slowly. Measure outcomes. If after a few months you are not seeing what you want, then change course, iterate slowly, and measure outcomes.

The hobby now has so many different philosophies and technologies to manage our tank ecosystems. There are literally thousands of potential levers to pull (products to buy). Stick with one philosophy at a time. When I mixed them, I just got more volatility and less actionable feedback. Based on this thread, you are going fine so far IMO.

 

[Reefahholic]

I have Nitrate deficiencies in new tanks for some reason. After I dose NaNO3 they seem to do much better.

 

[sil40sx]

Thank you everyone for your inputs.

Since my P04 and N03 went up by feeding more, I think I’ll stick with that instead of dosing chemicals. Personally, I think it’s safer for me to do that, its hard to make mistake, like overdosing or accidentally over pouring liquid.

If algae will get out of hand, then I’ll reduce feeding back to normal and switch to dosing P04 and KN03.

Again, thank you for all the tips and suggestions. I appreciate it a lot.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

IMO - You have empty all of your stored nutrient - the consumption of nutrients from your corals and algae are larger than the input and production. Therefore - it will take some time before you are able to see anything in the water column - everything you add will be consumed directly.

Sincerely Lasse

I'm glad I clicked on this thread and read your post @Lasse. This makes total sense as to what I'm having in my tank, which I believe in the same as the OP.

 

[sil40sx]

there goes my algae. LOL

 

[NewbieReefer11]

Geez I wish I needed more nutrients. I.e constant struggle with water changds

 

[Reefahholic]

The struggle is real!

 

[sil40sx]

Oh, I found this one. No wonder my Alk went up.

Adding nitrate via potassium nitrate and having it be consumed will boost alkalinity, so it might be that, or the frag plugs.

Consumption of 10 ppm nitrate will boost alkalinity by 0.45 dKH.