Po4 and No3 Low?

[Reeferdude500]

Current system 75 gallon 36x24x20

Eshopps adv 100 sump estimated 20 gallon...macro in refuge

Brs dual reactor...Gfo...Rox carbon....half of recommended dosage since day one

Dry skim

Avast kalk stirer feed through ato

aminos daily
Sponge power 3xweek
Phos extra daily
Flatworm stop daily
Coral boost daily
K balance2xweek
B balance 2xweek
Half recommedee doses on all

Alk. 9.0
Cal. 425
Mag. 1400
Po4. 0.00
No3 0.50
Ph. 7.9-8.2
Salinity 1.025-.026
Temp. 77°

So my Po4 and No3 have yet to register on Red sea test kits. ..as well as 0.00 on Hanna phosphate ulr checker. ...
Corals are lack luster and what i consider slow growth....

My question is would pulling my reactor of line..pulling Gfo and running Rox carbon at half dosage passively in a bag worth a try? To try and let levels even out without aggressive removal with gfo... and let the macro do is job?

Any ideas or tips?

 

[twilliard]

Pull the GFO offline. Feed as normal and see if po4 raises.

 

[Reeferdude500]

Pull the GFO offline. Feed as normal and see if po4 raises.

So what is a good No3 range to be in for sps dominated tank?

 

[twilliard]

I keep my no3 around 4ppm
Now this is also in balance with po4 so it has to be considered
I can't say a "best" range as po4 may be a limiting factor

 

[Reeferdude500]

So i just did a test with red sea
PO4-.02
No3- 4

So I've been cutting back the reactor for the last week since my last water change. ..and turning skimmer off for about 5-6 hours a day after dosing. ..
Today I've pulled reactor off all together and went passive with Rox Gac....
So I'll continue to watch levels for the next few weeks and Make sure they don't spike. ..
So ideally in looking for a Po4 of .04
And a No3 of 5?

 

[Sabellafella]

So i just did a test with red sea
PO4-.02
No3- 4

So I've been cutting back the reactor for the last week since my last water change. ..and turning skimmer off for about 5-6 hours a day after dosing. ..
Today I've pulled reactor off all together and went passive with Rox Gac....
So I'll continue to watch levels for the next few weeks and Make sure they don't spike. ..
So ideally in looking for a Po4 of .04
And a No3 of 5?

I acually did this also, i pulled my reactors out and now i just use rox in a bag stuffed in bubbletrap. It acually worked and got my p04 steady at .02

 

[twilliard]

Your numbers look good!

 

[Reeferdude500]

Well let's hope they hold now. ..lol. ...that's the trick! I was running gfo becouse i started the tank with marco rock and heard alot of horror story's about Po4 leaching and just wanted to be on the safe side!
So hopefully my fuge will try to hold things steady....
I've really upped my feedings to 3 times a day for about the last month becouse like i said i couldn't get any registered readings with my test kits. ...so let's hope these sticks start to do there thing. ...things have just kinda of been at a stand still for about 3 months colors and growth have allot to be desired! Thank you so much for your fast response. ..I'll keep you posted

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So i just did a test with red sea
PO4-.02
No3- 4

So I've been cutting back the reactor for the last week since my last water change. ..and turning skimmer off for about 5-6 hours a day after dosing. ..
Today I've pulled reactor off all together and went passive with Rox Gac....
So I'll continue to watch levels for the next few weeks and Make sure they don't spike. ..
So ideally in looking for a Po4 of .04
And a No3 of 5?

What is optimal depends on many factors, but those values are fine.

How do the corals look?

 

[Reeferdude500]

What is optimal depends on many factors, but those values are fine.

How do the corals look?

They look lack luster....Lol if that makes sense Randy? Good polyp extension. ..just not great color or growth. ...but I'm just now getting to the optimal range parameter wise....Im sure my low nutrient levels have been stunting progress....

 

[potatocouch]

Deleted. For some reason my post to another thread appear here. Apology

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

They look lack luster....Lol if that makes sense Randy? Good polyp extension. ..just not great color or growth. ...but I'm just now getting to the optimal range parameter wise....Im sure my low nutrient levels have been stunting progress....

OK, let us know how things progress.

 

[Reeferdude500]

OK, let us know how things progress.

Sure will Randy!

 

[Reeferdude500]

Well haven't had a chance to test my po4 and no3 levels recently....but I've definitely have noticed a huge improvement in coral color....everything that was washed out is really getting vibrant....polyp extentions are better! I'm getting pleased.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That's great to hear!

Thanks for the update.