Low Nutrient Levels (7 month tank)

[SaltyCrabs]

Okay guys so I think I am on the right track but am unsure and just want some verification possibly.

So I set up a 150G tank roughly in March of this year. I started very slow. Did everything to the T for the most part. My first two fish were (2) clowns. I bought some starter corals awhile back when I bought the clowns and well. The corals have not grown at all and one of my zoas is pretty much dead (melting). So I tested my water and my phosphates are somewhere right around .025 and nitrates are pretty much 0. So my take is that I need a dirtier tank to get stuff a growing. What I don't understand is I had a huge bubble algae outbreak. Literally the whole tank covered in bubble algae. I also have some signs of some coralline algae growth on the glass and overflows. So the bubble algae must be getting nutrients from somewhere correct? So I finally added some new fish the last couple days. I added a 8" naso tang and also a 3" one spot fox face. They are decimating the bubble algae so that is a plus I guess. So since adding the new fish I am hoping to see my nitrates go up a little bit to feed the corals. Do you guys think I am heading in the right direction as far as slowly getting my nutrients up a little bit?

 

[blaxsun]

You probably need some more livestock, to be certain. I have 32 fish in my 160-gallon.

 

[SaltyCrabs]

You probably need some more livestock, to be certain. I have 32 fish in my 160-gallon.

That is what I am thinking but I didn't want to up the bio load super fast. I am going to shoot for around 30" of fish in the next couple months and see what that does. I have not turned on my protein skimmer or started running a fuge yet. I see no reason to until the bio load increases

 

[mdb_talon]

Yes i believe you are on the right track. You either have to starve it....and risk starving coral also...or try manual removal and/or livestock that rids it. I prefer the second option.

I guess third option is a chemical maybe something like vibrant but i never used it and dont plan to so cant really speak to it

 

[SaltyCrabs]

Yes i believe you are on the right track. You either have to starve it....and risk starving coral also...or try manual removal and/or livestock that rids it. I prefer the second option.

I guess third option is a chemical maybe something like vibrant but i never used it and dont plan to so cant really speak to it

I am not so much worried about the bubble algae as in the new additions to the tank are eating it up like thanksgiving dinner. What I am hoping for is to try to get my nitrates up to around 5ppm.