Should I reduce or stop water changes?

t5Nitro · Feb 8, 2021

I've got my AWC system going so that I change out 1 gallon per day on my 75. Fish load includes purple and yellow tang, 2 clowns, 2 wrasse, 1 chromis. Feeding frozen mysis once daily in the past but now the frozen + NLS pellets and/or PE mysis flakes daily and still struggle to keep any nutrients. I dose phosphate daily. Phos stays around 0.04. Nitrate always undetectable. I've tried dosing nitrate but it seems like it doesn't rise and the corals don't really respond.

I run my skimmer dry 12 hours of the day. Passive bag of carbon in the sump. I know that some of you know my tank is a GHA fiend. I scrape, scrub and siphon is out best I can about once a week. It seems like the tank responds more negatively in the days after I clean it by removing a filter sock full of the stuff. Maybe its removing its natural algae filter that the tank doesn't like? I have not measured any detectable nitrates after a cleaning/scrubbing/brushing of the rocks either.

I keep up with the big 3 using all for reef. Should I try stopping the AWC pumps in an effort to see if nitrate rises? Would have to increase my AFR dose as the AWC is a bit of a buffer on its own.

Don_Jorge · Feb 8, 2021

try a UV sterilizer, even if just til you get it under control

Sam816 · Feb 8, 2021

have you tried increasing the daily water change volume? i would do a blackout after scrapping the algae, increase flow so that it gets flushed to the filter sock. If you have room add a refugium and/ov UV.

t5Nitro · Feb 8, 2021

The UV I'm waiting on somebody to get the pro max 55W amalgam to get back in stock. I did have a green machine 24W from petsmart going until it quit. The thought you guys have looks like increasing water changes rather than reducing to get rid of algae? Nutrient rise to follow?

Forget to mention that I'm adding 3 mL of acropower as well. The colors are the best when I dose this otherwise they look sad.

Sam816 · Feb 8, 2021

t5Nitro said:
The UV I'm waiting on somebody to get the pro max 55W amalgam to get back in stock. I did have a green machine 24W from petsmart going until it quit. The thought you guys have looks like increasing water changes rather than reducing to get rid of algae? Nutrient rise to follow?

Forget to mention that I'm adding 3 mL of acropower as well. The colors are the best when I dose this otherwise they look sad.

UV will definitely help.
What I understand from your algae problem is that you dislodge it but the spores find new footing quickly.
Usually large Water changes help. What r u using for your replacement water? Natural seawater? Mixing new water with rodi? There is a possibility that your replacement water is actually adding nutrients. Test it as well.

t5Nitro · Feb 8, 2021

I can test the RODI water tonight. It runs through sediment 1 micron, 2x carbon blocks 1 micron, then the chloramine monster from BRS, then two RO membranes before a mixed bed DI resin compartment. Sediment + carbon blocks changed every 4 months. DI resin when it reads 1 TDS. RO membranes about every 8 months.

My UV has been offline for maybe 2-3 months now. I realized the pump doesn't work so whether the bulb is on or not it wouldn't be doing much for me. Hard to say when it actually went out.

I just gave the tank another dose of 3mL NO3 and acropower.

t5Nitro · Feb 8, 2021

I'm getting some red ogo to throw in the tank at the end of the month as well. Want to be sure there are measurable NO3 for it, or at least it outcompete the other stuff.