Nutrients keep dropping

[jonny4ever]

So I have a 40 breeder. Has a few coral, added a 10g sump to it about a month ago. Right now my nitrates are at 0 and phosphate at 0.2, if I feed like crazy I can get it up but I already feed much more than the recommended for my 4 fish lol. I really do feed a lot, I have a undersized skimmer (tunze 9001). Should I add another small fish or 2?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

So I have a 40 breeder. Has a few coral, added a 10g sump to it about a month ago. Right now my nitrates are at 0 and phosphate at 0.2, if I feed like crazy I can get it up but I already feed much more than the recommended for my 4 fish lol. I really do feed a lot, I have a undersized skimmer (tunze 9001). Should I add another small fish or 2?

What other filtration do you have? You might try taking the skimmer offline for a few days and see if that helps.

 

[jonny4ever]

What other filtration do you have? You might try taking the skimmer offline for a few days and see if that helps.

A refugium that was growing more algae than chaeto. I turned it off yesterday, the snails would eat the algae and export the nutrients so I decided to shut it off. I know I could turn off the skimmer that but that’s gonna lower my ph. I’m sure shutting off the refugium already did so aswell. Was thinking of pairing my clown up and getting a goby or blenny. And a cleaner shrimp as well, that way my water gets a lil dirtier. It’s mandatory that I swap my sock every 3 days because if not it over flows and I only have a bracket for 1 not multiple. I would’ve preferred to be able to leave my filter sock for 5-7 days but I can’t cause of what u mentioned above

 

[Jekyl]

Wouldn't turn off the skimmer. If anything let it drain back into the tank. Do you not have any fish currently? Sounds like the algae is just consuming your nutrients, not that there isn't any. Get algae under control and keep an eye on parameters during the process.

 

[jonny4ever]

Wouldn't turn off the skimmer. If anything let it drain back into the tank. Do you not have any fish currently? Sounds like the algae is just consuming your nutrients, not that there isn't any. Get algae under control and keep an eye on parameters during the process.

I don’t really have much Algae just a small patch or 2 in the display, And a bit in the refugium section, i rather not say my fish but I will. I have a small kole tang and angel fish, they keep my display pretty clean besides those patches of harder algae. If I remove the rock and clean it with peroxide it will go away but dang I’m a little lazy to remove that rock at that bottom.

Other than that I have a clown and a 6 line. Have had them for nearly 2 years now, the hole and angel for about a year. Had a goby but he died when the pistol shrimp died. I had lots of algae before, than Dino’s and i guess those fluctuations in nutrients killed the shrimp

 

[Jekyl]

What tests are you using? Had it double checked? What are you feeding?

 

[jonny4ever]

What tests are you using? Had it double checked? What are you feeding?

Salifert for nitrates, Hannah for phosphates.

I feed a mix of omega one kelp flakes, with some seachem ones. Then feed mysis shrimp, or just another serving of the flake food. Reef roids about 2-3 times a week. Before the sump I had a high nutrient problem, ever since I got the sump it’s low. I think the chaeto invited some red flatworms. So ima go a week straight of siphoning them out (been 4 days now) and will use clam worm Exit. I heard they eat detritus or un eaten foods or something so it’s why I’m hesitant on upping my feeding lol

 

[Jekyl]

Frozen foods will help more than flake with nitrate. Sounds like you just need to find the happy medium with your chaeto growth. Heavy in, heavy out is the best for coral. However you need to find out the light schedule and size of the chaeto being kept to try and keep nitrate around 5. Reducing the size of the chaeto and reducing the lighting will both allow nitrate to rise.

 

[Jekyl]

Just to be safe do you have some white light pics of the algae? With nutrients bottoming out its best to rule out dinos.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

A refugium that was growing more algae than chaeto. I turned it off yesterday, the snails would eat the algae and export the nutrients so I decided to shut it off. I know I could turn off the skimmer that but that’s gonna lower my ph. I’m sure shutting off the refugium already did so aswell. Was thinking of pairing my clown up and getting a goby or blenny. And a cleaner shrimp as well, that way my water gets a lil dirtier. It’s mandatory that I swap my sock every 3 days because if not it over flows and I only have a bracket for 1 not multiple. I would’ve preferred to be able to leave my filter sock for 5-7 days but I can’t cause of what u mentioned above

I agree with running the skimmer but removing the collection cup -that way you are still getting aggressive gas exchange. As far as the fuge growing "algae" and not chaeto... Well, hair algae, bubble algae (even cyano to a degree) are macro algaes just like chaeto. One way to help your pH is to continue to run the fuge with a light cycle opposite the display. Just prune the algae regularly to actually export those nutrients.
Do you have any other biological filtration in the sump (Marinepure, Matrix, etc)? It could be that your beneficial bacteria is just really efficient. Happened to me early on... Too much Matrix resulted in a large anoxic bacterial population that converted nitrates back into nitrogen.
Just some thoughts. I'll be interested to learn what ends up working for you

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Also, you might consider trying a filter cup rather than the sock. Do a search in the R2R 3d print forum, there are lots of options. Then you can customize the level of mechanical filtration.