Raising nutrient levels

[MarineVet]

My current nitrate is reading zero to barely detectable on Red Sea test kit. Phosphates are 0.05 on Hanna checker. I currently only have 2 clowns in a 40 gallon (50 gallon or so total water). I need more fish, but Covid has me limited.

How can I raise nutrients without feeding more? Should I run my skimmer on a timer? Already skimming very dry. Just feel I need to bump nitrates up to 1-2 ppm. I feed froze once a day and pellets on an auto feeder once a day. Fish will not eat more. Dose acropower at 5ml per week.

any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[andrewey]

Really, there are a ton of ways to achieve this. For you, the best bet might be to feed some more acropower right now. You could always cut down on skimming like you said. Lastly, if you don't want to feed more, you could dose nitrates/phosphates, but I don't think this is where you should go right now as you should first start with feeding your coral/fish more right now and whenever you get more fish, your bioload/feeding will likely go up and take care of raising your nitrates.

 

[MarineVet]

I forgot to mention I am getting substantial macro algae growth in the display. It started about a month or so ago and is spreading. I don’t have anything to consume it. Looking for some emerald crabs or? Also looking at a small tang as I will be upgrading to an 80 gallon shallow reef in the very near future. Already have the tank, just need to frame in my fishroom/office in the basement (that’s another Covid delayed project).
My tank is 11 months old and I really have not had algae to deal with so cleanup crew Is limited. 2-3 blue leg hermits and 3 trochus snails and about 5-6 nerite snails. It seems the algae is stripping the nutrients. Does that make sense?

thank you for the reply

 

[andrewey]

When you say macro algae, is this green hair algae, bryopsis, caulpera, etc.? That could definitely explain your phosphate results if they're consuming it all.

I'm not a big fan of putting tangs in that small of a tank (the 80 shallow, let alone the 40). It's doable, but I'm a big fan of treating fish as any other pet and basing their adoption on your current abilities and not trying for an animal that will likely have to be rehomed later on. Opinions differ with regards to tangs and minimum tank sizes (more about their length then their volume), but the way I've always looked at it is if I had an apartment in NYC and I wanted a dog, should I get an English Mastiff puppy? Sure, you could keep moving as they grew up, but wouldn't it be easier on all involved just to get something the size of a terrier?

 

[ScottB]

I forgot to mention I am getting substantial macro algae growth in the display. It started about a month or so ago and is spreading. I don’t have anything to consume it. Looking for some emerald crabs or? Also looking at a small tang as I will be upgrading to an 80 gallon shallow reef in the very near future. Already have the tank, just need to frame in my fishroom/office in the basement (that’s another Covid delayed project).
My tank is 11 months old and I really have not had algae to deal with so cleanup crew Is limited. 2-3 blue leg hermits and 3 trochus snails and about 5-6 nerite snails. It seems the algae is stripping the nutrients. Does that make sense?

thank you for the reply

Glad to see some folks that show concern for too little nutrient as opposed to too little. In your case though, if you are growing GHA in your display, you have enough nutrient. Corals are very competitive at consuming nitrate from the water column -- even better than GHA in my experience. Not so with regard to PO4, but you are showing measurable there.

If the corals are presently happy, you don't need to change things. You have enough nutrient for them.

As to tangs, you will get a range of opinion. A juvenile tomini or spotted kole will be OK in the shallow 80 IMO. I have both in a shallow frag 80 with strong flow and they've been happy for a year+. Won't be long before they upgrade to a 5 foot 120G.

 

[MarineVet]

Understood on the tang. New tank is 48x24x16. Was thinking a Kole tang or yellow. I know it’s borderline and I agree on giving a home that is big enough. Any other consumer suggestions?

algae looks to be caulerpa. Probably caulerpa prolifera.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Yup, get a few emerald crabs. The algae is likely what’s consuming your nitrates. Once the algae stops growing, no3 should go up. You can order some online if you can’t get them local. All of my lfs’ are back open. Hopefully you can get some...
Semper Fi!

I forgot to mention I am getting substantial macro algae growth in the display. It started about a month or so ago and is spreading. I don’t have anything to consume it. Looking for some emerald crabs or? Also looking at a small tang as I will be upgrading to an 80 gallon shallow reef in the very near future. Already have the tank, just need to frame in my fishroom/office in the basement (that’s another Covid delayed project).
My tank is 11 months old and I really have not had algae to deal with so cleanup crew Is limited. 2-3 blue leg hermits and 3 trochus snails and about 5-6 nerite snails. It seems the algae is stripping the nutrients. Does that make sense?

thank you for the reply

 

[ScottB]

Understood on the tang. New tank is 48x24x16. Was thinking a Kole tang or yellow. I know it’s borderline and I agree on giving a home that is big enough. Any other consumer suggestions?

algae looks to be caulerpa. Probably caulerpa prolifera.

Oh caulerpa. You might need a one spot rabbitfish for that. IMO, they don't need quite as much swimming length as a tang and are good working fish. I have one for each of my tanks.

 

[ScottB]

Oh caulerpa. You might need a one spot rabbitfish for that. IMO, they don't need quite as much swimming length as a tang and are good working fish. I have one for each of my tanks.

Just don't forget that they are venomous. Friendly, but handle with good care.

 

[MarineVet]

Just don't forget that they are venomous. Friendly, but handle with good care.

Thank you. I will try to locate one. Our LFS are open for curbside only and stock is very limited. I also have health issues that should keep me very limited to where I visit for a good while. Maybe I should look for online order, but shipping is a killer, plus I like to support local.

 

[ScottB]

Thank you. I will try to locate one. Our LFS are open for curbside only and stock is very limited. I also have health issues that should keep me very limited to where I visit for a good while. Maybe I should look for online order, but shipping is a killer, plus I like to support local.

Stocking is a real problem these days. Our LFS is doing local delivery for anyone who asks. Not easy to source stuff though. And freight on what can be sourced is 3X.