Mystery of balance.

[LardLad]

I need help with some broadstrokes.
It seems like the fulcrum upon which I am stuck is this:

It feels like I I'm trying to strike a balance between two mutually exclusive goals. First strip away and control nutrients two level at which nuisance algae won't be a problem...

... but not so low that you get dinos.

So how are people that maintain ULNS avoiding dinos?
Is there an order of process?
For example get algae under control and then just before you get dinos start big in big out feeding?

 

[arking_mark]

If someone had the recipe for this...wow! Unfortunately, there is no one formula for success. My recommendation is to find a tank or methodology or person to follow and stick with it. There are several good options: Triton, Balling, BRS, WWC, ULNS, etc...

I'm 5 months in on my tank upgrade and have had no ugly phase yet. It may still come, but maybe my approach worked and I've avoided it. Who knows...

 

[blasterman]

I have a pretty healthy and fast growing SPS tank and manage to get the fast growth by keeping phosphate no lower than .05 and nitrate around 10. Only negative is a have that dense brown turf algae in places, but turbos keep it down.

I can drop nutrients easy enough, but then I lose that crazy growth.

Really established SPS tanks tend to be covered with coraline which seriously inhibits nuisance algae growth. Big reason you see new tanks with all that bare white rock turn into a salad in a matter of days. An older tank encrusted with coraline isn't going to go green so easily.

While nitrate can stimulate nuisance algae its phosphate that is the main engine. My suggestion is to get nitrate in the 5-10 range and consistent. Keep phosphate at trace levels, but don't push it like I do. Let phosphate slowly get into that .03 sweet spot as long as nuisance algae doesn't become a problem. Its big nutrient jumps and drops that causes the problems.

 

[Dan_P]

I need help with some broadstrokes.
It seems like the fulcrum upon which I am stuck is this:

It feels like I I'm trying to strike a balance between two mutually exclusive goals. First strip away and control nutrients two level at which nuisance algae won't be a problem...

... but not so low that you get dinos.

So how are people that maintain ULNS avoiding dinos?
Is there an order of process?
For example get algae under control and then just before you get dinos start big in big out feeding?

Controlling nuisance organism growth can seem like a delicate balance between too much and too little nitrate and phosphate. While it seems lower is better, nuisance organisms can thrive even under these conditions. So, control is a more complex topic as @arking_mark suggests.

@blasterman makes the point of controlling macro algae with snails. Harvesting and physical removal of algae is probably the best method. Also, Coraline algae does seem to deter macroalgae from colonizing rock surfaces.

Nitrate and phosphate levels are only two (possibly minor) players in maintaining a healthy and attractive aquarium.