PO4 and Aquaforest

[Anirban]

I figured I would tag along instead of making a new thread since I think I am encountering similar things. My tank is about 2 months old, slowly transitioning to the reef salt from instant ocean and have about 8 different LPS corals going in the tank at the moment.
Measurements:
SG -1.026
Ph 8.2-8.35 in a 24 hour period
Ca - 480
Alk - 8.3-8.6
Mg ~1400
No3 - >1, <5 (API, all other kits are Salifert)
Po4 .1-.15
Temp 78.6F
40br with a 20h sump

I've been dosing NP Pro and Pro Bio S, 2 drops each, every day for about a month which has kept NO3 in check. Tank has a protein skimmer, small refugium, and just began GAC in a reactor (4tbsp). So far the tank seems happy, have the green calciferous algae which as I understand it is a precursor to coralline, some film algae on the glass that I clean every other day (suspect my Po4 is causing it). Stocking is a royal gramma, ocellaris pair, 4 astrea snails, a cleaner shrimp, and a conch. Currently rocking a bicolor hammer, green/gold hammer, purple/green hammer, two frogspawn frags, aussie torch and two regular torches, and a zoa frag. My question is when would it be appropriate to start adding phosphate minus to the reactor to help the Pro Bio S, and when should I start to add the other elements like Build, Energy, etc.? I am planning on sticking to LPS for the most part and maybe an SPS or two in the future, just want to better understand the timing of the Aquaforest program. Thank you!

There is no true time for using Phosphate minus you can use it whenever you want. You can use ABEV anytime just start with half the recommended dose and keep an eye on the system.

 

[Flavio Carpi]

Sorry to miss some days here into the thread, but follow the parameters that i got from Friday (yesterday):

Ca: 430
Po4: 0.00 e 0.00
Kh: 6.7
Mg: 1290
Ph: 8.15

since my last report i did not cleaned the glass, i yesterday i had a lot of brown algae, but good parameters.

Today i've received the ABVE products, and i would like to start using it. As recommendation i will dose half the dosage, so follow the drops that i will follow based on my understanding for the first week:

AF Amino Mix - Sunday 2 drops, and next dosage Tuesday, 2 drops....
AF Build - 2 drops every day
AF Energy - Sunday 2 drops, and next dosage Tuesday, 2 drops (follow the dosage of Amino Mix)
AF Vitality - Sunday 2 Drops, and next dosage Tuesday, 2 drops (follow the AF Energy)

May i right?

 

[Flavio Carpi]

Besides the ABVE dosing proposal that i did, follow the parameters for today:

KH: 7.3
Mg: 1260
Po4: 0.00 and 0.00
Ca: 420
PH: 8.15

also, every week, i'm 1 day off my house and i cant drop anything manually, how i should follow the ABVE dosage? its always from Tuesday to wednesday (@jsker @Anirban)

 

[Flavio Carpi]

Double post ={

 

[jsker]

Besides the ABVE dosing proposal that i did, follow the parameters for today:

KH: 7.3
Mg: 1260
Po4: 0.00 and 0.00
Ca: 420
PH: 8.15

also, every week, i'm 1 day off my house and i cant drop anything manually, how i should follow the ABVE dosage? its always from Tuesday to wednesday (@jsker @Anirban)

Let me think on this

 

[Flavio Carpi]

Hellow guys, follow the paramaters for today:

Kh:6.7
Po4: 0.00 e 0.03
Ca:430
Mg:1200
Ph:8.15

if @jsker or @Anirban can help me to understand the changes in MG and Kh from last report. i'm dosing 75ml for KH and Ca products every day, the only "change" into my schedullig was yesterday that i had a power outage for 8h that dosing pump not dosed anything.. today i got the airline and i'm dosing MG as well.

Also not yet started the ABVE (waiting Jsker news )

 

[Flavio Carpi]

guys, follow my parameters for today:

Kh: 7
PO4: 0.00 and 0.00
Ca: 430
MG: 1260
Ph: 8.15

Today i cleaned the glass and the rocks, a lot of brown algae is now floating into the water that should be skimmed out . Next week i will enter in vacation, that the issue that i mentioned above (to not stay 1 day in my home) will be changed for 1 week for vacation that i will be out of home. May i start to dose ABVE starting this wednesday and keep dosing by 2 weeks and stop by 1 week and back it again?

@jsker @Anirban @Gary Wilkinson

Also, may i have to change the phosphate minius as well?

 

[jsker]

You need some phosphates in you system. It sound like your nitrates is picking up. Do you have a picture?

 

[Flavio Carpi]

i will get that tomorrow...

 

[Anirban]

Where are ur NO3 now?

 

[Flavio Carpi]

@Anirban, 0 (zero). water into the test vial is cristal clear after the test. Why?

i guess the algae that i mentioned is consuming some remaining nutrients..

 

[Anirban]

Yup they are. But try to pull up the nitrates a bit.....looks like you reached ULNS LOL.

 

[Thle009]

Yup they are. But try to pull up the nitrates a bit.....looks like you reached ULNS LOL.

Just curious,
How do you raise nitrate without browning the corals. I dosed calcium nitrate and within days loss a bunch of corals to RTN and the rest just brown out, even my lps suffered.

 

[Whipples]

in my planted tank experience: very slowly. If you are at 0, I would think a dose of .5ppm by tank volume would be a safe place to start. I spent quite some time in the RHF section reading up on nitrate dosing as I, too, am at 0 but don't want to feed excessively and don't want to dose just yet. Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) seems to be the preferred nitrate method as it takes a significant amount of KNO3 to move potassium and is safer than messing with calcium levels. Stump remover is stated to have this product, but if you can swing it, Green Leaf Aquariums sells the dry mix of KNO3 and you can make a 1M solution with 101g KNO3 dry to 1000ml. dosing from there requires target PPM and tank volume, but the RHF thread is best for that

 

[Anirban]

Just curious,
How do you raise nitrate without browning the corals. I dosed calcium nitrate and within days loss a bunch of corals to RTN and the rest just brown out, even my lps suffered.

You feed more .....and it will rise a bit....I like the natural way...dont bother about PO4. The probiotics and GFO should be enough to take care of it....this will improve overall health of the system without adding chemicals.

 

[Thle009]

You feed more .....and it will rise a bit....I like the natural way...dont bother about PO4. The probiotics and GFO should be enough to take care of it....this will improve overall health of the system without adding chemicals.

I might have to try some potassium nitrate. I feed and extra cube each day and shut down the skimmer but all it raised was PO4. Is stump remover reef safe?

 

[Anirban]

I might have to try some potassium nitrate. I feed and extra cube each day and shut down the skimmer but all it raised was PO4. Is stump remover reef safe?

Which cube you feed?

 

[Thle009]

San Francisco frozen brine & Marine cuisine

 

[Anirban]

San Francisco frozen brine & Marine cuisine

Some of these food contain higher phosphate amount for preservation so you may actually try to change them to figure out if that impacts your PO4 level or not

 

[Flavio Carpi]

Yup they are. But try to pull up the nitrates a bit.....looks like you reached ULNS LOL.

As most of the ammino acids is based on Nitrogen, maybe using ABVE should have instead of using KNO3?