Maintaining phosphate level

[Silly clownfish]

I have a 30g tank in my home office. no sump, HOB penguin 330 filter, CpR BakPak 2 skimmer (not currently skimming -just circulation , currently running an old Magnum canister filter with micron cartridge, ATXsumpless ATO, Tunze powerheads, decent amount of LR, pair of spotcintus clowns, serpent star, RBTA (2) and a few coral frags form my main tank. As you may be able to tell from the equipment, I have had this tank a very long time-22 years, but fully broken down and restarted 5 years ago for an upgrade when it got moved from the living room to make space for a bigger DT.

I had been having a problem with dinos, due to no meaureable nitrate or phosphate. The only WC I have done in months was to move change water form the living room tank to this one to try to raise those numbers. I got nitrates to stay in the 1-2 range, but kept getting phosphate at 0.00ppm (Hanna). With dosing way more NeoPhos than I should have needed (equivalent of .05 ppm/day) for a couple of weeks, I finally got a reading a couple hours after a dosing of 0.07 ppm. A day later back to 0.00.

the dinoflagellates are drastically reduced. There is still some, which is why I am still running the micron filter and cleaning every few days. I had a minor cyano bloom for a few days, but that seems to have passed. I finally have some green algae growing - very small amount of feather calurpa. Previously I could not keep any green algae alive in this tank, no cheato, not even hair algae.

I don’t want the Dinos to get going again, so I need to maintain some leave of phosphate. But I do not want to have to keep adding neophos (or similar) every day, especially since it would also require the additional time to test daily, which my schedule just doesn’t always allow. I am looking for thoughts on the best approach - heavier feedings, more livestock (I really would not want to add more than one more fish in this tank, and nothing bigger than a goby), other? Obviously continue to leave the skimmer off.

 

[Magellan]

@living_tribunal

 

[GabeM]

Feed heavily every day, turn skimmer on, dose carbon a few times a week is what I do.

 

[living_tribunal]

I have a 30g tank in my home office. no sump, HOB penguin 330 filter, CpR BakPak 2 skimmer (not currently skimming -just circulation , currently running an old Magnum canister filter with micron cartridge, ATXsumpless ATO, Tunze powerheads, decent amount of LR, pair of spotcintus clowns, serpent star, RBTA (2) and a few coral frags form my main tank. As you may be able to tell from the equipment, I have had this tank a very long time-22 years, but fully broken down and restarted 5 years ago for an upgrade when it got moved from the living room to make space for a bigger DT.

I had been having a problem with dinos, due to no meaureable nitrate or phosphate. The only WC I have done in months was to move change water form the living room tank to this one to try to raise those numbers. I got nitrates to stay in the 1-2 range, but kept getting phosphate at 0.00ppm (Hanna). With dosing way more NeoPhos than I should have needed (equivalent of .05 ppm/day) for a couple of weeks, I finally got a reading a couple hours after a dosing of 0.07 ppm. A day later back to 0.00.

the dinoflagellates are drastically reduced. There is still some, which is why I am still running the micron filter and cleaning every few days. I had a minor cyano bloom for a few days, but that seems to have passed. I finally have some green algae growing - very small amount of feather calurpa. Previously I could not keep any green algae alive in this tank, no cheato, not even hair algae.

I don’t want the Dinos to get going again, so I need to maintain some leave of phosphate. But I do not want to have to keep adding neophos (or similar) every day, especially since it would also require the additional time to test daily, which my schedule just doesn’t always allow. I am looking for thoughts on the best approach - heavier feedings, more livestock (I really would not want to add more than one more fish in this tank, and nothing bigger than a goby), other? Obviously continue to leave the skimmer off.

How old is the rock? Also was it dry rock? Aside from that, what is your photoperiod schedule?

 

[Silly clownfish]

Most of the rock was dry rock from Reef Cleaners back when I restarted the tank 5 years ago, some is probably older ( from the original incarnation of the tank in 1998) and some probably has been taken out and had a vinegar soak in the interim.

Reef Breeder V2 lights on a 12 hour photoperiod including ramp up/down

 

[Silly clownfish]

My ATO doses kalk with vinegar, so moderate carbon dosing.

 

[living_tribunal]

Most of the rock was dry rock from Reef Cleaners back when I restarted the tank 5 years ago, some is probably older ( from the original incarnation of the tank in 1998) and some probably has been taken out and had a vinegar soak in the interim.

Reef Breeder V2 lights on a 12 hour photoperiod including ramp up/down

I would start by decreasing your photoperiod in increments of 4 hours and re-testing phosphates daily until you are able to keep some detectable level of nutrients. I suspect that this is the issue given there are only 2 fish in the tank.

 

[living_tribunal]

Also, you're running a photon v2 for your fuge? That's intense!

 

[nereefpat]

My ATO doses kalk with vinegar, so moderate carbon dosing.

I would quit the carbon dosing. That is for dropping N and P levels.

 

[Silly clownfish]

Not a fuge, this is a small display tank. I was thinking I should cut the vinegar in the kalk, and will do so with the next batch (my ATO tank is very small, so only lasts about 5 days and is at about 1/3).

i am concerned that upcutting the photoperiod too much would hurt the anemones. They are currently very happy.
my fish like the idea of more food.