Issues with nutrients

[Mr.Brightside]

Before taking anyone's advice on here I would go back and test your nitrates with a better test kit. I've lost count how many times my clients test their nitrates/phosphates with API and show low concentrations only to find out when testing with Salifert or Red Sea that their nitrates or phosphates are higher than they should be.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Before taking anyone's advice on here I would go back and test your nitrates with a better test kit. I've lost count how many times my clients test their nitrates/phosphates with API and show low concentrations only to find out when testing with Salifert or Red Sea that their nitrates or phosphates are higher than they should be.

While I don’t disagree that one should use the best test reagents they can, OP has roughly 3 1/2 ounces of fish that get fed every 3 days in a 180 running a refugium, skimmer, and GFO...not to mention additional algae in the display.

His test results don’t surprise me in the least. I’m actually surprised he even has 0.03 PO4.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That’s a fair statement although I believe it’s an entirely unreasonable expectation to have a successful reef with many corals and no herbivores and no algae.

The same nutrients that feed your corals also feed your algae and unfortunately algae is much better at getting to them. You will starve your corals long before you starve out your algae.

Excess nutrients is not too hard to remove. You could try carbon dosing or chaeto or feeding less. Just make sure you don’t bottom out on anything.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Yup.
But Don’t carbon dose. It can feed algae directly.

Check this out. His numbers are , interesting.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-home-tank.296635/#post-3626579

 

[Mr.Brightside]

While I don’t disagree that one should use the best test reagents they can, OP has roughly 3 1/2 ounces of fish that get fed every 3 days in a 180 running a refugium, skimmer, and GFO...not to mention additional algae in the display.

His test results don’t surprise me in the least. I’m actually surprised he even has 0.03 PO4.

Agreed. I would still test with a better kit before anything. Imagine he starts feeding more or doing what's been advised etc etc and his API results keep coming back low or zero when they can really be somewhere else.

Anytime someone tells me they feed their tank every 3 days etc I always stop to explain why that's not a good idea for a few reasons. One being that your bacteria is constantly riding a bioload rollercoaster since it dies off when you don't feed and has to reproduce once you do.

But you're probably right, I just want to see some real test results before making a decision on what to change.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Yup.
But Don’t carbon dose. It can feed algae directly.

Check this out. His numbers are , interesting.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-home-tank.296635/#post-3626579

Awesome.

The best part about your link is that within the thread, this article was linked:
http://packedhead.net/2014/skeptical-reefkeeping-ix-test-kits-chasing-numbers-and-phosphate/

After reading it, I felt like I just got back from an amazing date with the girl of my dreams.

(Well...not quite. But close)

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Agreed. I would still test with a better kit before anything. Imagine he starts feeding more or doing what's been advised etc etc and his API results keep coming back low or zero when they can really be somewhere else.

Anytime someone tells me they feed their tank every 3 days etc I always stop to explain why that's not a good idea for a few reasons. One being that your bacteria is constantly riding a bioload rollercoaster since it dies off when you don't feed and has to reproduce once you do.

But you're probably right, I just want to see some real test results before making a decision on what to change.

One point of disagreement:

There are a number of factors that influence bacterial population densities...but feeding every few days isn’t really one of them.

 

[Albertan_Reef]

I stopped carbon dosing and turned off GFO.

I had my LFS test my nitrates , and there 2 ppm according to a Salifert test kit. So that’s why my API would show 0 since it can’t read that low.

I’ll start feeding daily, and relying on my skimmer and refugium for export.

I also moved my power heads around since I notice a few low flow spots.

 

[Mr.Brightside]

One point of disagreement:

There are a number of factors that influence bacterial population densities...but feeding every few days isn’t really one of them.

Does nitrifying bacteria density not depend on bioload? I could've sworn I read about this years ago when I was deep in the books.

 

[Gregg @ ADP]

Does nitrifying bacteria density not depend on bioload? I could've sworn I read about this years ago when I was deep in the books.

Absolutely, but there are caveats. Namely, nitrifiers can go dormant, often for long periods of time (e.g. nitrifiers in soil during winter).

There is a lot that goes in to calculating the carrying capacity when it comes to bacteria. But it’s safe to say that whatever # of bacteria is necessary to metabolize whatever amount of NH3/4 is produced as a result of each feeding is effectively the carrying capacity (+/- a bunch of other stuff).