Koh23
Valuable Member
Ok, this is my dilemma, for some time now, i'd like to hear opinions and thoughts.
No3 level are low, 0,5-1, and po4 undetectable.... Corals are doing ok, nothing spectacular, but everything grows, soft corals slower, specially xenia, mushrooms etc.... Maybe (but that's only my opinion) they don't expand and color fully)
Chaeto grows excellent in sump, in tank, there is some green algae on glass, i need to clean film from glass 2 times per day...
Two way, in one way, nutrients lever are too low, which affects coral grow (at some point), and on other hand, algae grows great (wanted and unwanted algae)....
So, dilemma is...rather, trilemma. raise no3&po4, lower them, or simply leave as is....
If i lower them, by carbon dosing, for example, i fear that i will destabilize system even more, if i raise them..... how to ensure that this "extra" nutrients go to coral, and not to feed algae?
Newer before had this situation, like most people, i have elevated levels of nitrates and phosphates, and solution was easy....
Now i have situation that testing is useless, algae takes whatever i give to tank, and still remaining low levels, and i feed heavy, many times per day, lots of food.... and can't raise no3 above 2...
What to do?
And before we go into lights, i tried to reduce lights a lot, but nothing... par levels are in range 100 sandbed, around 200 middle of tank, interesting, sinularia coral is on top of scape, getting around 300par, and grows great.....
No3 level are low, 0,5-1, and po4 undetectable.... Corals are doing ok, nothing spectacular, but everything grows, soft corals slower, specially xenia, mushrooms etc.... Maybe (but that's only my opinion) they don't expand and color fully)
Chaeto grows excellent in sump, in tank, there is some green algae on glass, i need to clean film from glass 2 times per day...
Two way, in one way, nutrients lever are too low, which affects coral grow (at some point), and on other hand, algae grows great (wanted and unwanted algae)....
So, dilemma is...rather, trilemma. raise no3&po4, lower them, or simply leave as is....
If i lower them, by carbon dosing, for example, i fear that i will destabilize system even more, if i raise them..... how to ensure that this "extra" nutrients go to coral, and not to feed algae?
Newer before had this situation, like most people, i have elevated levels of nitrates and phosphates, and solution was easy....
Now i have situation that testing is useless, algae takes whatever i give to tank, and still remaining low levels, and i feed heavy, many times per day, lots of food.... and can't raise no3 above 2...
What to do?
And before we go into lights, i tried to reduce lights a lot, but nothing... par levels are in range 100 sandbed, around 200 middle of tank, interesting, sinularia coral is on top of scape, getting around 300par, and grows great.....
