DesertReefT4r
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Ok stay with me as I want to share as much background info as I can on the problem and my system. 75g display 20L DIY sump with small fuge section, RO 150 Space Saver skimmer, filter sock changed every 3-4 days when full, dosing kalk in ATO, 60lbs of live rock from a tank break down stash cooked and cured in the dark for several months. 2 tangs, 2 clowns, sixline wrasse and 3 random damsels fed well 2 times daily. Set up in June 2018. No3 and po4 have always been either very low or undetectable. I even removed the chaeto and turned the lights off in the fuge to help with no3 and po4. Several months back I had a crash from an ATO failure pre kalk, that dropped salinity to 1.020 for several hours before I could correct it. After that I had amphidinium dinoflagellates then ostreopsis dinoflagellates. To beat them I removed all the sand for the amphidinium. Heavy feeding, bacteria dosing, no water changes and UV beat the ostreopsis. During the heavy feeding and no water changes no3 climbed up to over 20ppm and po4 got to 0.81. I let the tank get "dirty" as part of the dino fight. GHA took over as nutrients increased, that has nearly been totally erraticated. After several weeks to a month of dino being gone no3 and po4 began to drop. I did start to fuge back up o help with the GHA but the chaeto just died but I have some calerpa doing well. I have started 5g weekly water changes as of 2 weeks ago. Coral health and color seem to be pretty good, just several small frags of sps mostly.
I have tried feeding more and more often, skimming dry, shutting down the fuge, no water changes for 3 months and dosing no3. Nothing seems to help get the no3 to stay at a detectable level. My corals are not taking it all up because growth is not crazy awesome and just small frags. Fuge is not using it up because it has either been off or cheato dieing. GHA is not the main consumer since no3 and po4 does not increase after removing most if the algae.
So to point of the thread title. Is my filteration just too good? I am thinking my system just does not need the fuge for no3 and po4 control. Should I just shut it down and move some media in the fuge section? Any thoughts from the gurus out there.
I have tried feeding more and more often, skimming dry, shutting down the fuge, no water changes for 3 months and dosing no3. Nothing seems to help get the no3 to stay at a detectable level. My corals are not taking it all up because growth is not crazy awesome and just small frags. Fuge is not using it up because it has either been off or cheato dieing. GHA is not the main consumer since no3 and po4 does not increase after removing most if the algae.
So to point of the thread title. Is my filteration just too good? I am thinking my system just does not need the fuge for no3 and po4 control. Should I just shut it down and move some media in the fuge section? Any thoughts from the gurus out there.
