New Tank - 6 wks 0 nutrients - Problem?

[flatlander93]

I have a 150 with big sump and active Refugium. My skimmer is set up but pulls nothing and is just used for gas exchange. The tank has been set up for about 6 weeks.

My problem is I still have zero nitrate (salifert) and zero Phosphates (Hanna UL). Is this actually a problem I should address by adding liquid nitrate and phosphate? I have done this before but it makes me nervous. I feed what I consider heavy now. My fish load is not high. I have 9 small fish in a 150.

I added a pic just cause.

 

[Magic031707]

Yes, start dosing phosphates and nitrates. With them being zero it will bring on the ugly dinos.

 

[crabgrass]

I had similar issue around 3-4 weeks 0 / 0. Just fed heavier and took skimmer offline, and lowered lighting for fuge. Now I have an opposite nutrient issue (new tank issues).

If it’s flatlined though and little N and P won’t hurt things until you get to detectable numbers.

It looks like you have some film on your glass? If so, your nutrients aren’t 0 / 0. But could be pretty low

 

[flatlander93]

Iv been feeding very heavy for me. Just think I may have to add some nutrients soon. Prolly just nitrate and reef foods for the phosphate.

 

[flatlander93]

Reef was dosed with 5 ml of esv nitrate today. I’ll ramp up a little as I test. Thanks for the help.