Help with Diatoms, Cyano, Algae, ??

[FFFishy]

I need some help identifying what I am battling. I've read, researched, etc. and am not making progress.

Background:
120 Gallon tank with 140 gallons total in the system.
Age = 27 months
Dosing Red Sea NoPox at 9ml per day for just over a year (keeps No3 between 2-3ppm)


In October / November 2016, I noticed some GHA and Bryopsis growing. I plucked it out on a weekly basis but it returned, always a little bit stronger than before. In November, I read about Vibrant here on R2R and decided to give it a try. I went with a 13ml dose, twice per week. I began on November 21, and by December 31, both the GHA and Bryopsis were completely gone ! My tank looked very clean, white sand, clean rocks. At that point, I changed to a once-per-week Vibrant dose (still 13ml). In January, I noticed that my Po4 was increasing. Previously at .01, it climbed to .03 Still no return of the GHA or Bryopsis, so I decreased the Vibrant dosing to once every two weeks (still 13ml).

In February, my Po4 had increased to .06 and I'm beginning to see 'something green' on the sand and on the rocks. Here's a look (today 3/24/17) at what I'm seeing:

Note that I cleaned-up this mess just last Saturday (3/18/16) and the tank looked great. For cleanup, I set my Vortech pumps to 100% and brush the rocks. The stuff is easily removed from the rocks, it heads down to the sump and gets trapped in some 100 micron felt pads. For sand cleaning, I rely on a siphon. Today (only 6 days later), it's all back.

I've got a 'high' silica level (noted in test results below). Not sure where this comes from. I'm using a SpectraPure ultra high efficiency RO/DI system. All cartridges (including the membrane) are changed every 6 months. Most recent change was on March 4, 2017. When I test the output of the SpectraPure I see 0 Silica (using a Salifert kit), and 0 TDS via a hand-held meter.

In an attempt to control Po4, I'm using Phosban. I've got 180gr in a NextReef Upflow Reactor. I have an additional 200gr in a fine-mesh filter bag positioned where water flows into the return chamber of my sump (it gets very good flow here). I've been running Phosban as described since February 18, changing out the Phosban every 2 weeks. My Po4 is holding steady at .06, not decreasing. I've tested the output of the Reactor with the Phosban and it shows 0.00 Po4, so the Phosban is not exhausted. Note that prior to February 18, I had not run any phosphate-reducing media for 18 months, yet had a Po4 level of .01

I test Po4 with the Hanna #736 ULR Phosphorus tester and use a conversion chart to get to Po4 ppm. Today's results:

I'm confident in the Hanna results. I use the Hanna 'testing standard tubes' to check the device, and I get different results if I dilute the sample with RO/DI water.

Just to prove to myself that I'm not a 'testing knucklehead', I send samples to Aquamedic Water Testing about every 6 weeks.

Here's the report from Aquamedic Water Testing for a sample drawn on November 21, 2016 --- just before my first Vibrant dose. Note Nitrates at 1.7, Phosphates at .01, Silica at 1.3

Here's the report from Aquamedic Water Testing for a sample drawn on March 20, 2017. Note Nitrates at 2.8, Phosphates at .06, Silica at 1.7

Note that on both of the Aquamedic water tests above, Salinity is stated as 1.027 Here's what I get using a Milwaukee MA887 and a Pinpoint Marine conductivity tester (both devices calibrated just before measuring):

I've also got a Triton Test (sample date = 3/14/17), but I don't know how to include it here. The only 'red light' in the results was Si at 429 ug/l

I need some help . . . what should I try next ?

Thank You !
---Frank

 

[jsker]

I have noticed and read also that when cyano is present in the system, Po4's read lower then they really are. On that, I was dealing with phosphate for a good year. Then I dosed phosphate rx which used lanthanum chloride link as the main ingredient. Phosphate Rx cleared up my phosphatase issue very quickly. I now run in 80 gallons of water volume two tablespoons of GFO in my reactor, carbon, and media in my sumps to maintain my nutrients. There are medias out there like siprox, marine pure, Seachem Matrix, Zeovit media, or Lif bio fil to help with the nitrates to balance the nutrients in the system.

You can run higher nutrients with no problem, it just getting the Po4's and No3's balanced out.

Here is an article that might give you more information link
Here is another article that is some great reading that might help also in your quest link

As you read the last article even the pro's do not run the same numbers, it just finding that right balance

 

[FFFishy]

I have noticed and read also that when cyano is present in the system, Po4's read lower then they really are. On that, I was dealing with phosphate for a good year. Then I dosed phosphate rx which used lanthanum chloride link as the main ingredient. Phosphate Rx cleared up my phosphatase issue very quickly. I now run in 80 gallons of water volume two tablespoons of GFO in my reactor, carbon, and media in my sumps to maintain my nutrients. There are medias out there like siprox, marine pure, Seachem Matrix, Zeovit media, or Lif bio fil to help with the nitrates to balance the nutrients in the system.

You can run higher nutrients with no problem, it just getting the Po4's and No3's balanced out.

Here is an article that might give you more information link
Here is another article that is some great reading that might help also in your quest link

As you read the last article even the pro's do not run the same numbers, it just finding that right balance

Thank you, jsker ! I've been reading about Phosphate Rx and actually purchased a bottle. I'll read your recommended articles then get to work on it.