Nutrient levels

[Rmorrison23]

Any clue as to why my nutrients would be so low?
No3, 1ppm
Po4, .01

Skimmer
Nylon filter sock only
No refugium cuz I can't seem to keep Chaeto alive(guessing cuz low nutrients)

9 total fish
6 coral frags, softies and lps

 

[Hydrored]

Any clue as to why my nutrients would be so low?
No3, 1ppm
Po4, .01

Skimmer
Nylon filter sock only
No refugium cuz I can't seem to keep Chaeto alive(guessing cuz low nutrients)

9 total fish
6 coral frags, softies and lps

What size tank? Also what and how much are you feeding daily? Age of tank?

 

[Rmorrison23]

What size tank? Also what and how much are you feeding daily? Age of tank?

Waterbox 220.6 and feeding around 2 cubes of Hikari mysis per day...occasionally some pe pellets just for variety. Tabk is around 4 months past cycle

 

[Hydrored]

Takes a while for the rocks to bind up phosphates, you can honestly feed more if the fish will eat it all. Best part of running a fuge is you can heavy import/export based on fuge lighting schedule. Any algae growing in the tank?

 

[Rmorrison23]

Takes a while for the rocks to bind up phosphates, you can honestly feed more if the fish will eat it all. Best part of running a fuge is you can heavy import/export based on fuge lighting schedule. Any algae growing in the tank?

Small amounts of algae...tangs picking at rocks constantly...I am just starting to see little green spots on the rock which previously hadn't been there

 

[Hydrored]

Small amounts of algae...tangs picking at rocks constantly...I am just starting to see little green spots on the rock which previously hadn't been there

I hate to tell ya but honestly, I find it takes a tank a year to settle down and balance everything out. My upgrade from May 2020 really settled down in November with consistent nutrient levels using existing rock and from the ocean live rock- this shows how much changing even an existing habitat kind of screws things up. When a tank is 4 months old any major swing one way or another can cause more problems than not. I would feed a bit more but only enough that your fish are eating it all and monitor. If the tank is healthy and corals are doing well at 4 months just stay the course or if anything add more fish, coral will also appreciate that

 

[Rmorrison23]

I hate to tell ya but honestly, I find it takes a tank a year to settle down and balance everything out. My upgrade from May 2020 really settled down in November with consistent nutrient levels using existing rock and from the ocean live rock- this shows how much changing even an existing habitat kind of screws things up. When a tank is 4 months old any major swing one way or another can cause more problems than not. I would feed a bit more but only enough that your fish are eating it all and monitor. If the tank is healthy and corals are doing well at 4 months just stay the course or if anything add more fish, coral will also appreciate that

Ok seems logical, patience! Lol
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any clue as to why my nutrients would be so low?
No3, 1ppm
Po4, .01

Skimmer
Nylon filter sock only
No refugium cuz I can't seem to keep Chaeto alive(guessing cuz low nutrients)

9 total fish
6 coral frags, softies and lps

The answer to that is always easy (assuming the tests are accurate): you are adding less than the export/consumption.

If you want levels higher, feed more.

 

[Gtinnel]

I hate to tell ya but honestly, I find it takes a tank a year to settle down and balance everything out.

This is very, very true in my opinion. For the first year or so of my tank it was one problem after another of algea outbreaks and fish periodically dying. I also couldn't keep my nutrients up, my nitrate and phosphate were always 0. Then suddenly my tank crashed and I got fed up with it so I just let it sit for a few months. Then everything just started looking better, coralline finally started growing, my algea issues went away (mostly at least), and the pod population started quickly growing.
IME a tank, especially if started with dry rock, is a disaster for the first year or so. It takes time for it to become stable.

 

[Cbones1979]

Literally no algae on rocks but Hanna ulr keeps blinking .9 then after another test .04.

think I’m over skimming my tank and fear low nutrients