Interesting...

pdiehm · Nov 29, 2015

In my 120 gallon downstairs, I have been doing regular 10 gallon changes once a week. No corals, just a pair of clowns and a saltwater Mollie and some inverts.

Haven't tested the water in a few weeks because well...I forgot. Added a big ball of chaeto the other day. Skimmer is an EM200.

Just tested my nitrates and it's at 1 or so. Not dosing anything.

I thought nitrates would be higher because I have to scrape the glass off because of brown stuff almost every day.

No idea, but I guess I need to start feeding the inverts because I don't have any algae that I can tell.

tanklife3 · Nov 29, 2015

What is your question exactly?

Reefing Madness · Nov 29, 2015

Skimmer isn't removing Phosphates, which are more than likely causing your algae on the glass issue. Then again, everyone will be wiping their glass from time to time.

pdiehm · Nov 29, 2015

No real question but after dealing with nitrates in excess of 20, and stopped trying to fight it with large water changes, only about 2 months of regular 10 g changes seems to have lowered them all on their own. PO4 test per Hanna is still reading 0

Reefing Madness · Nov 29, 2015

Then its just the normal bacteria growth on the glass in a week.

twilliard · Nov 29, 2015

Yes it is the po4
Skimmers remove DOC's before they can break down
Your no3 is what i call on target

twilliard · Nov 29, 2015

pdiehm said:
No real question but after dealing with nitrates in excess of 20, and stopped trying to fight it with large water changes, only about 2 months of regular 10 g changes seems to have lowered them all on their own. PO4 test per Hanna is still reading 0

Because your po4 is being used up hence your po4 readings