Recommendations

[Twoddler]

Todays test results

PH 8
ALK 7.4 Hannah
CAL 420 Redsea pro
MAG 1420 Salifert
Nitrate 50....100 Salfert. Hannah 75+
Phos 0.12 Hannah
Salinity 1025
Temp 25C

1000ltr tank with sump approximately 850ltr net
24 fish
Mixed softies and Lps
2 Skimmers running, 20ltr fudge, lights on 12hrs and grows well, Roller filter
Tank 13mth old
15% water change every 2 wks ( No room to do a larger change )

I,ve always had high nitrates, with an imbalance of phosphates

I,ve recently tried Nopox over a 12 wk period ramping up to 22ml/day, had to dose Phosphorous to keep levels up with no noticeable difference in Nitrate, but lots of nasty side effects. Cyano, white stringy bacteria stuff that blocks everything, so I stopped

Reason I'd like them lower is that only the hardiest of coral survive, I would like to try some nice sps

Or should I just let it take its course and wait for the tank to find its balance

Your recommendations please.

 

[Shirak]

I would look into how/why the nitrates are so high to begin with. Feeding? Source water? How well are the skimmers and filter roller working? They should remove much of the stuff that would end up as nitrate. You could run the fuge 24hrs and dose phosphates as needed until nitrates come down.

 

[arking_mark]

Nitrates look a touch high, but otherwise everything else looks good.

Many reefers are successful with those parameters. So I'm not sure I'd attribute not being able to grow SPS because of that.

Corals need stable parameters, light, flow, major/minor elements/ions, and nutrients.

Many also suggest that a mature tank with the right biodiversity is essential.

I'd suggest looking at your light and flow as the next steps.

 

[Twoddler]

Nitrates look a touch high, but otherwise everything else looks good.

Many reefers are successful with those parameters. So I'm not sure I'd attribute not being able to grow SPS because of that.

Corals need stable parameters, light, flow, major/minor elements/ions, and nutrients.

Many also suggest that a mature tank with the right biodiversity is essential.

I'd suggest looking at your light and flow as the next steps.

I run 2 Radion XR30 pro on ab+, been on this setting since day 1. Flow I find the most difficult to get right or to even know if it's right. I run a maxspect gyre for surface agitation and 2 jecod sw15 facing each other.

 

[Twoddler]

I would look into how/why the nitrates are so high to begin with. Feeding? Source water? How well are the skimmers and filter roller working? They should remove much of the stuff that would end up as nitrate. You could run the fuge 24hrs and dose phosphates as needed until nitrates come down.

I,ve been trying to find the cause over the last 12mths, feeding is once a day 3 frozen cubes alternate days and flake the other days, did nt now you could run the fudge 24hrs thou

 

[Twoddler]

I run 2 Radion XR30 pro on ab+, been on this setting since day 1. Flow I find the most difficult to get right or to even know if it's right. I run a maxspect gyre for surface agitation and 2 jecod sw15 facing each other.

I forgot to mention I dose ati 2 part to keep alk stable and replace trace elements although I have never had an icp test

 

[Shirak]

I,ve been trying to find the cause over the last 12mths, feeding is once a day 3 frozen cubes alternate days and flake the other days, did nt now you could run the fudge 24hrs thou

Yep you can run the fuge as much as necessary. The longer you run it the more nutrients it will pull but you will need to monitor your PO4 if it's only .12ppm.

I know you said 24 fish in 1000L tank, but they don't seem like very large fish in the photo. Are the fish consuming most of the food each feeding? Maybe 3 cubes is too much?

I have heard that defrosting frozen food and rinsing so you are not adding the liquid will help reduce the amount of nitrate you are adding.

I assume you are using 0 TDS RODI for salt and top up?

 

[Twoddler]

Yeah the fish do eat most of the food, usually 2 x mysis and 1 x copods or lobster eggs every other day and flake inbetween. I have tried skipping a days feeding but makes no difference.
I,ll give the 24hr fudge a try, I have a spare doser to dose phosphorus just need to work out phosphate consumption, and yes I use 0 tds rodi

 

[Twoddler]

Today I did a water change, out of interest I tested the new batch for nitrates using the new high range hannah checker, it came out at 0.04 which I guess is fine since the accuracy of the checker is + or - 2ppm

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

Dosing an organic carbon source might be useful. I wouldn't let up on feeding if the fish are consuming it all. They need to be happy. Here is a good read from Randy Holmes Farley.

Reefkeeping Magazine - Vinegar Dosing Methodology for the Marine Aquarium

Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for the marine aquarist.

reefkeeping.com