Now I am seeing the results of running a high nutrient system. I got away with it for about 2 months. Now I'm having little turf algae show up everywhere. back glass, bare bottom, and on new dry rock (pieces of rubble drilled to hold frag plugs).
So, it's time for action!
Do I do a massive water change? NO3 is 40 and PO4 is .042. This would work to get my nitrates to 10 in 2x large 50% WC. Not doing it bc I am usin AF reef salt. It mixes to 7.7 dkh and my tank dkh is 10.2. Not trying to have a crazy alk swing, NEXT!
Do I hand remove algae from glass, remove new rock and spray with peroxide??? NO, that's a lot of work and I'd rather find a means of prevention first, then reaction.
Do I use NO3PO4-X? Sure let's try it. It's cheap and I've read many results with success. (ordered nopox)
Should I dose Mb7? Ok, yeah, why not? I read somewhere that some guy did it and it helped bring his nitrates down. Plus, if I'm feeding the bacteria (nopox) I might as well put more bacteria in, right? (ordered Mb7)
Should I try microscrubbing? I mean, Cruz and I are facebook friends and we chit chat about reefing and our families sometimes. I messaged Cruz back and forth, got all the supplies needed, I will start microscrubbing to pull all detritus out of the tank making my skimmer work better. Check! It's installed and ready to rock!
PROBLEM!!!!!
I should've known better to make so many changes at once. Came home to a bacterial bloom today. It's only my second day of nopox and Mb7. The problem is that I don't know which one caused it. Some of my corals weren't as extended as they usually are. I texted a reefing buddy and he recommended starting up my microscrubber. so I did. Within 30minutes I can see that it is helping clear the water and corals are extending again. WHEW!!!
Moving forward, I'm going to stop nopox and mb7 for the mean while. Let the microscrubber do its thing and then maybe re-introduce mb7 or nopox at a smaller dose and increase the dose slowly. Good times folks
