No3=0 Po4=.5 HELP!!!

[Manose]

I am just totally perplexed as to what to do about my situation.
Zero N03 and .5 Po4 in a tank that has been overrun with algae.
I have removed my chaeto as it was stripping my tank and had a bad Dino outbreak that was solved with adding a huge UV (55w on a 80g) and raising my No3 and P04 with Brightwell Neophos and Neo Nitro.
After I finished with the dinos I started getting a sea lettuce(Ulva) out break that has consumed all my nitrates and has taken over along with very tiny bubble algae.

Should I risk it and start my AWC system back up and clean the water risking something worse or is there something else I could do.
I am really at a loss as I have been very due diligent on keeping stable parameters like:
Alk= 8.8-8.9 tested everyday at the same time
Calc=440 tested twice a week
Mag=1360 tested twice a week
My coral is loving my tank but nutrient are making this algae go nuts.
I ask please what should I do?

 

[Hitman]

How old is your setup?

 

[Righteous]

Removing chaeto and then dosing phosphate and nitrate killed your dino, but without some other export mechanism, something in the tank was going to use it.

You definitely need to reintroduce other export mechanisms... right now the lettuce and bubble algae is your export mechanism. Chaeto, water changes, carbon dosing, gfo, etc, and then increase feedings/aminos or dosing so you don’t get back in dino territory.

It might also take some manual removal to help get things back in balance. Can you fit a rabbit fish? Mine loves sea lettuce.

 

[Manose]

How old is your setup?

6.5 months

Removing chaeto and then dosing phosphate and nitrate killed your dino, but without some other export mechanism, something in the tank was going to use it.

You definitely need to reintroduce other export mechanisms... right now the lettuce and bubble algae is your export mechanism. Chaeto, water changes, carbon dosing, gfo, etc, and then increase feedings/aminos or dosing so you don’t get back in dino territory.

It might also take some manual removal to help get things back in balance. Can you fit a rabbit fish? Mine loves sea lettuce.

Just got new salt so I am going to start the AWC daily with the DOS. In the algae thread the rabbitfish was the top recommendation but not seen one spot in weeks online.
The real problem I feel is going to be the bubble algae if I can get the nutrients in check. Having low N03 and P04 terrifies me as the dinos were horrible.
Tank is an 80gal deep blue 48x24x16
My local lfs are a joke so I have to order what I want.
With the coral I will try and feed every 3-4 days instead of once a week.

 

[Righteous]

Live aquaria has the non one spot:

https://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2971+687&pcatid=687

I believe they are basically the same fish... from Wikipedia:

The blotched [one spot] foxface (S. unimaculatus) differs from S. vulpinus in possessing a large black spot below the aft dorsal fin. It is sympatric and not phylogenetically distinct, and though these two might be recently evolved species, they are more likely just color morphs and ought to be united under the scientific name S. vulpinus.

 

[Manose]

Live aquaria has the non one spot:

https://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2971+687&pcatid=687

I believe they are basically the same fish... from Wikipedia:

Interesting as now I see the adult size is only an inch different between the one spot and no spot.

 

[Righteous]

Others might speak to tang and rabbitfish tank size requirements, but I think length for swimming is more important than gallon size for them. 48 inches seems okay to me with any of those.

 

[sghera64]

You might try feeding more as it provides a balance of C, N, and P.

It is hard for me to believe that amount of Ulva is depressing your nitrate to zero. I grow Ulva and chaeto. I have a 180 gallon system and 20 gallons of chaeto and Ulva.

Is that cyano I see on the upper tips of the Ulva? I found cyano to be an awesome nitrogen sink. If you have a lot of that in your system, simply keep sucking it out each day. Eventually, it will “break” and not come back as much, then your nitrogen will rise - - assuming you are adding food.

I got rid of a lot of my cyano by adding a mix of bacteria sources (fresh/raw sea food from various sources, Dr. Tim’s, Vibrant).

 

[Manose]

You might try feeding more as it provides a balance of C, N, and P.

It is hard for me to believe that amount of Ulva is depressing your nitrate to zero. I grow Ulva and chaeto. I have a 180 gallon system and 20 gallons of chaeto and Ulva.

Is that cyano I see on the upper tips of the Ulva? I found cyano to be an awesome nitrogen sink. If you have a lot of that in your system, simply keep sucking it out each day. Eventually, it will “break” and not come back as much, then your nitrogen will rise - - assuming you are adding food.

I got rid of a lot of my cyano by adding a mix of bacteria sources (fresh/raw sea food from various sources, Dr. Tim’s, Vibrant).

That is no cyano just a red hue from my lens.

 

[Hitman]

For the bubble algae get yourself a emerald crab or two and it will be gone! I had a bit once and the two I introduced whipped it out in a week then I sumped them until I found someone that wanted them as I’m not a fan of crabs in a reef tank.

 

[Manose]

For the bubble algae get yourself a emerald crab or two and it will be gone! I had a bit once and the two I introduced whipped it out in a week then I sumped them until I found someone that wanted them as I’m not a fan of crabs in a reef tank.

That is me as I am terrified of what a crab would do to my snails. Might be okay to keep one if he just eats the algae.

 

[Hitman]

Hermit crabs have killed my snails a emerald never has. Not saying it wouldn’t when it ran out of algae but not likely compared to a hermit. Hermit crabs are the devil next to peppermint shrimp! I’ll take my tank down and never return before either one of those go back in my tank again ;Rage

 

[hatfielj]

Did you start with dry rock? If so, 6.5 months is still very, very early. Your rock is not yet mature and is still going through its phases of succession. That's just some normal macro algae you have growing there. Normally tangs would eliminate that. I would stop dosing phos and nitro and stop chasing numbers. Keep it simple. Do weekly or biweekly water changes, get a proper clean up crew (a tang, a few emeralds, etc) and just give it time. BTW, Chaeto is not going to "strip" your water. It will consume what it needs, but it won't take levels down to complete zero. I would keep growing it if you're worried about macro algae showing up in your display.
Your rock probably won't fully mature for another year or so. Be patient and consistent and you'll see things settle down.

 

[hatfielj]

Did you start with dry rock? If so, 6.5 months is still very, very early. Your rock is not yet mature and is still going through its phases of succession. That's just some normal macro algae you have growing there. Normally tangs would eliminate that. I would stop dosing phos and nitro and stop chasing numbers. Keep it simple. Do weekly or biweekly water changes, get a proper clean up crew (a tang, a few emeralds, etc) and just give it time. BTW, Chaeto is not going to "strip" your water. It will consume what it needs, but it won't take levels down to complete zero. I would keep growing it if you're worried about macro algae showing up in your display.
Your rock probably won't fully mature for another year or so. Be patient and consistent and you'll see things settle down.

 

[hatfielj]

Did you start with dry rock? If so, 6.5 months is still very, very early. Your rock is not yet mature and is still going through its phases of succession. That's just some normal macro algae you have growing there. Normally tangs would eliminate that. I would stop dosing phos and nitro and stop chasing numbers. Keep it simple. Do weekly or biweekly water changes, get a proper clean up crew (a tang, a few emeralds, etc) and just give it time. BTW, Chaeto is not going to "strip" your water. It will consume what it needs, but it won't take levels down to complete zero. I would keep growing it if you're worried about macro algae showing up in your display.
Your rock probably won't fully mature for another year or so. Be patient and consistent and you'll see things settle down.

 

[hatfielj]

Did you start with dry rock? If so, 6.5 months is still very, very early. Your rock is not yet mature and is still going through its phases of succession. That's just some normal macro algae you have growing there. Normally tangs would eliminate that. I would stop dosing phos and nitro and stop chasing numbers. Keep it simple. Do weekly or biweekly water changes, get a proper clean up crew (a tang, a few emeralds, etc) and just give it time. BTW, Chaeto is not going to "strip" your water. It will consume what it needs, but it won't take levels down to complete zero. I would keep growing it if you're worried about macro algae showing up in your display.
Your rock probably won't fully mature for another year or so. Be patient and consistent and you'll see things settle down.

 

[xjiang7]

I use dry rock and my tank also started around Nov last year. I also have sea lettuce and bubble algae. I have been dosing Vibrant and now the sea lettuce has died off. I am keeping the dose until the bubble algae will be gone

 

[Patrick Wilson]

6.5 months


Just got new salt so I am going to start the AWC daily with the DOS. In the algae thread the rabbitfish was the top recommendation but not seen one spot in weeks online.
The real problem I feel is going to be the bubble algae if I can get the nutrients in check. Having low N03 and P04 terrifies me as the dinos were horrible.
Tank is an 80gal deep blue 48x24x16
My local lfs are a joke so I have to order what I want.
With the coral I will try and feed every 3-4 days instead of once a week.

I've had success with Emerald crabs to control bubble algae.

 

[Manose]

This No3-Po4 imbalance is killing me!!!
No3=0
Po4=.5 yes .5
I have been doing 1 gal a day with AWC and the DOS my RO/DI is perfect no Po4.
I have some rowaphos here and am thinking on using it in my reactor but 100ml removes only 3ppm Po4.
I also have some Nitrate coming and will be here Friday so I can get the Nitrate up.
I am going to dose Vibrant in hopes it will eat the nutrients before the algae does.
Please share your thoughts!!!!!

 

[Jeremy Luke]

I had a crazy outbreak of a type of sea lettuce. It took over the tank. I was manually removing pounds of it a week. I was changing water like crazy. It would not go away. I used vibrant finally after two months of battling. It was gone in about 4 weeks. Tank was over 2 years old when the outbreak occurred.

 

[Manose]

I had a crazy outbreak of a type of sea lettuce. It took over the tank. I was manually removing pounds of it a week. I was changing water like crazy. It would not go away. I used vibrant finally after two months of battling. It was gone in about 4 weeks. Tank was over 2 years old when the outbreak occurred.

With zero No3 what will it feed on?

 

[Jeremy Luke]

With zero No3 what will it feed on?

There is almost always NO3. The stuff is eating it and bringing it down so your hobby grade test kit is telling you 0. I'm sure you have fish in there you are feeding so nutrients are being introduced. That lettuce type stuff I had was a real plague. Seriously, this is my 3rd reef tank. I had never dealt with anything remotely like it. I've dealt with aiptasia. That was a walk in the park compared to the sea lettuce type stuff I had. Vibrant will work.

 

[Manose]

There is almost always NO3. The stuff is eating it and bringing it down so your hobby grade test kit is telling you 0. I'm sure you have fish in there you are feeding so nutrients are being introduced. That lettuce type stuff I had was a real plague. Seriously, this is my 3rd reef tank. I had never dealt with anything remotely like it. I've dealt with aiptasia. That was a walk in the park compared to the sea lettuce type stuff I had. Vibrant will work.

Thank you bro, this is why I love this forum.