What do you use for nutrient control?

[RONBATTLE]

Filter sock, skimmer, bare bottom, small-1 cup rox carbon reactor, 3 liters eheim substrate pro in mesh bag, on my zero water change system.

SIMPLICITY WORKS...LESS CAN BE MORE...

 

[NoFeedback]

What’s your removal method?

Deep sand bed refugium from the old days, new skimmer and filter socks. Live rock does it's part too IMO.

Mike

 

[Chrille26]

Im doing weekly 10 to 15% waterchanges. And on top of that a skimmer, Chaetofuge and bio media in sump.
Also I dose Phytoplankton, not primarily for nutrientcontrol but I have read some threads where it have been debated if Phyto actually helps reduce nitrate and phosphate, hopefully it does.

 

[Jordan Prather]

Skimmer and water changes. I was dosing lanthium cloride for phosphate and nitrate remover from quantum just hooked up an algea scrubber and I'm hoping once it starts getting good growth it will keep things in check.

 

[JFD]

I user a large fuge, 6 times oversized skimmer, x-filter (roller filter), a very small reactor with GFO (haven't changed the media for the last 4 months as not needed) and 1% daily water changes

I feed heavily (7-10 frozen food mix a day, dose amino and phyto), my nitrate levels are around 5ppm and Po4 0.02...

 

[DxMarinefish]

Old setup (2 weeks ago) - ATS x1, Hang-on-back refugium with LR (no lights), lots of LR in DT, Refugium in sump with chaeto/GHA, Purigen/HyperSorb in fluidised filter. No water changes.

New Setup (post leaking tank fix) - ATS x2, Hang-on-back refugium with LR (no lights), lots of LR in DT, tunze DOC9410 Skimmer in sump, Purigen/HyperSorb in fluidised filter, PowerFilter in Sump and DT. No water changes. My sump will not have a Refugium as I intend to keep it free of detritus using powerful water movement to keep detritus in suspension and allow power filters to suck up the detritus.

 

[Joedubyk]

Just a protein skimmer, filter floss, weekly vibrant per recommended amount and automatic 1 gallon a day water change. I keep a bag of chemipure blue in full time that I change monthly. My tank is bare bottom so I will turn up my power head to help remove build up.

What does vibrant consume? Po4?

 

[Bender]

What does vibrant consume? Po4?

In simplex; Vibrant is a bacteria additive that consumes algaes in your tank (and other nutrients).

 

[LegendaryCG]

What does vibrant consume? Po4?

Yes but more importantly it builds bacteria that the coral can eat. They are bad t consuming phosphates but they need them.

 

[Joedubyk]

One of the problems w/ these types of questions is every tank is different. Even if you ahve the same parameters, lets just say nitrate 5ppm and phos .04 ppm,. One tank that HEAVILY feeds and another one that barely feeds can end up w/ the same #s.

I use filter pads, skimmer. fuge and water changes. My acros LOVE water changes. That said I'll never use GFO ever again as it crashed my tank and ill only ever move po4 slowly

 

[Joedubyk]

Yes but more importantly it builds bacteria that the coral can eat. They are bad t consuming phosphates but they need them.

Thanks for that. I will try it out.

 

[Joedubyk]

Yes but more importantly it builds bacteria that the coral can eat. They are bad t consuming phosphates but they need them.

and what dosage do you use for weekly maintenance?

 

[LegendaryCG]

and what dosage do you use for weekly maintenance?

I use 1ML per 10 gallons of total water. People with more aggressive nutrient control will want to use less than what I'm doing as I don't have a fuge.

 

[Joedubyk]

I use 1ML per 10 gallons of total water. People with more aggressive nutrient control will want to use less than what I'm doing as I don't have a fuge.

Got it, thanks. I'd like to be much less aggressive w/ it

 

[LegendaryCG]

Got it, thanks. I'd like to be much less aggressive w/ it

I think they suggest dosing every 2 weeks for lower nutrient tanks. I have a lot of bioload and mostly LPS/soft corals so I'm at the higher end of most systems.

 

[hans4811]

Oh I agree I like inverts better than fish. Just to contrast here’s what’s in my thriving 70G

Here’s what’s in my tank:
2 frostbite clowns
1 flameback angel
1 fire fish
1 royal gramma
1 scopas tang
2 scorpionfish
2 mollies
1 fairy wrasse
1 lawnmower Benny
1 yellow clown goby

1 cleaner shrimp
3 scarlet shrimp
1 emerald crab
1 sally light foot crab
Hermits/snails
Anemones
Tons of LPS/SPS and softies

How do you keep scorpion fish with all these other smaller fish ? Don't they get eaten all the time ? Seems like a 70g is a bit small...idk...

 

[LegendaryCG]

How do you keep scorpion fish with all these other smaller fish ? Don't they get eaten all the time ? Seems like a 70g is a bit small...idk...

They are goby scorpionfish aka coral crouchers. They are tiny and hide in the rock. Nothing in my tank really shows any aggression towards each other but I have a lot more rock than most tanks. As far as too many fish, yes I think I'm at full capacity but real reefs are teeming with fish.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

no socks, yes skimmer, yes fuge with chaeto and ulva under a 600W black box horticulture light

 

[Belgian Anthias]

As skimmers, GAC, mechanical filters, bio-filters, etc.. are not selectable, I think "others" is a logic selection.
What is meant by "control"?
For me "having control" means I decide how much the nutrient levels will be and I am able to manage the nutrient reserves as desired, controlled by me! It means that I have full "control" over the daily nutrient export ( and input).

For LNS I use a re(fuge) for the cultivation of food which I can use as a food source or and harvest to control the nutrient levels. To be able to balance the nutrient availability and to prevent phosphorus starvation this way, I use modified F2 media to feed the refuge(s). As an LNS has a very low bio-load, very low carrying capacity is sufficient.
For mixed reef tanks ( high input, high output) I make use of BADES bio-filters if needed, in combination with one or more refuges.
If effective, easily controllable, manageable, and adjustable carrying capacity and nitrogen export are needed I make use of bio-filters with BADES.
This way I can manage high nutrient input and export as desired.
I keep the nutrient reserves in balance in a way the nutrient reserves may not become responsible for phosphorus starvation, this by avoiding the phosphate reserve may become the limiting factor for growth. I keep the nitrate reserve balanced at < 10x the phosphate reserve in weight. For example: if 0.2ppm phosphate +-1.8 ppm nitrate.

 

[Belgian Anthias]

In simplex; Vibrant is a bacteria additive that consumes algaes in your tank (and other nutrients).

You mean it is based on organic carbon which grows heterotrophic bacteria? Or does it contain algae consuming bacteria?