Ok, need some help with PO4 and NO3

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

Alright guys, Im looking for some help...brief summary: I upgraded my tank 4 months ago to an SCA 66g from a 2 yr old 25g cube and 1 yr old 30g frag tank. I started with new base rock cured for 3 months prior. I have been going through some algae/cyano issues so I began to vinegar dose in the hopes that it would get rid of it. My PO4 was about .10 and NO3 .5. Before I began vinegar dosing I dosed MB7 for 2 weeks (less than what the directions recommended), since doing so it has actually made my tank look worse, more algae and cyano with a loss of coral colors. I measured my values today and NO3 is .2, PO4 0. I cant figure out whats going on and if I should contiue dosing vinegar or not. I have brand new salifert test kits, which are the only kits I use. Should I get a PO4 hanna? For what its worth, I tested my tap water and that also came up undetectable for PO4. Is the new kit bad? I use RO/DI water and replaced my filters 2 months ago, I do weekly 10% water changes and only have 4 fish in there right now. I feed pellets once a day and a small frozen mix in the evening with live black worms. I just want to get rid of this algae and get back the colors in my corals as they were in my previous tanks.

Russ265 · Jul 29, 2015

pic of the tank would speak wonders.

i do not advise dropping below 2ppm no3

redfishbluefish · Jul 29, 2015

Might just be new tank syndrome....we all go through it.

What lights are you running?

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

redfishbluefish said:
Might just be new tank syndrome....we all go through it.

What lights are you running?

Reefbreeds photon 32, with 2 T5 ATI for supplement. Bulbs are 2 months old

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

close up of what the entire sand bed looks like

Russ265 · Jul 29, 2015

looks clean

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

FWIW, I had an alk issue that pretty much wiped out all my SPS soon after dosing MB7

Russ265 · Jul 29, 2015

Cment said:
close up of what the entire sand bed looks like

po4>no3

get nitrates to 2-3

looks like some fun cyano

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

should I stop vinegar dosing or cut back? feed more? this is only my 2nd week dosing

Russ265 · Jul 29, 2015

Cment said:
should I stop vinegar dosing or cut back? feed more? this is only my 2nd week dosing

why are you carbon dosing?

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

Russ265 said:
why are you carbon dosing?

To reduce PO4 and NO3 and get better colors in my corals. I do water changes but would rather dose vinegar bc I did it previously on my old cube with great success

redfishbluefish · Jul 29, 2015

You really don't have a nitrate and phosphate problem and one of the issues with liquid carbon dosing is that both the good and the bad bacteria are fed this food. So right now you are feeding the cyano. I would stop. I would also lightly vacuum the sandbed during a water change to suck as much of the algae/cyano out.

Bottom line, that doesn't look that bad.....I will repeat, new tank syndrome.....it will pass.

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

When is it appropriate to begin carbon dosing? I've read where some people start shortly after their cycle completes to build up the good Bacteria

Russ265 · Jul 29, 2015

Cment said:
To reduce PO4 and NO3 and get better colors in my corals. I do water changes but would rather dose vinegar bc I did it previously on my old cube with great success

you can overdo the dosing buddy. im with redfishbluefish.

in the meantime, check out the zeo forums or watch corals in your display tank pale and die.

photosynthesis cannot happen without no3/po4 in a 16:1 ratio respectively.

dosing vinegar by itself does not give better colors. and a lot of people go overboard on it and get cyano outbreaks.

id follow redfishbluefish's plan. looks sound

Cment · Jul 29, 2015

Ok sounds reasonable. I'll stop the dosing and see where we go

twilliard · Jul 29, 2015

Russ265 said:
you can overdo the dosing buddy. im with redfishbluefish.

in the meantime, check out the zeo forums or watch corals in your display tank pale and die.

photosynthesis cannot happen without no3/po4 in a 16:1 ratio respectively.

dosing vinegar by itself does not give better colors. and a lot of people go overboard on it and get cyano outbreaks.

id follow redfishbluefish's plan. looks sound

Oh gosh too much for my old brain in one day!!
My po4 is .018
So 16 times for no3

Wiz · Jul 29, 2015

Is the flow in the tank weak or strong? I'm no expert but your sandbed looks an odd amount. If your not going dsb (4" or more) I think you want an inch or less so as not to trap garbage in it without the proper organisms to cycle it. Did you transfer the sand or start fresh?