Where should my nutrients be?

[jasonrusso]

I'm getting a bit frustrated here. I didn't really notice it until a few days ago. I was watching a YouTube video of the tank, and my euphyllia were huge, GSP was long and flowing, trumpets were inflated, and my Duncans were huge.

At that time, I was starting to battle a GHA issue. So of course, I started testing the water. NO3 and PO4 were high. I started carbon dosing NOPOX. I tried Vibrant, which tanked NO3 and caused a huge cyano outbreak. I lost a few frags and nearly my GSP.

A few months ago, I adjusted the lighting. I tested PAR and it is still good, and PUR (usable light) is 86-88%, but the corals were the same before.

So today, I don't have a GHA problem. PO4 is around 0.06-0.08 (Hanna ULM, I can't for the life of me decipher the low range of the salifert test), nitrates are around 15.

I am getting some stringy cyano everywhere. For some reason I can't keep a birdsnest!!

SPS looks good and is growing. Nothing is really dying, but before everything looked so much better. My GSP is alive, but it used to be like an inch long!

I cut the NOPOX dose by 66%, I don't think that NO3 is that harmful. I have phosguard in a reactor so I can control it.

This is a picture of the cyano. Look at the glass. I also included a video of the tank before. I thought you only get cyano if you're NO3 bottoms out?!?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It’s the chasing numbers problem.

First bad advice folks give when algae happens is to lower nutrients.
I say get some more snails and a toothbrush.

Second bad advice , cyano only happens when....

A common thread , my nutrients are low now cuz I have low nutrients but have cyanobacteria and am using nopox to feed my bacteria.

IMO , go back to what you were doing. Stick to the kiss method. It’s scientifically proven and costs less.

 

[jasonrusso]

It’s the chasing numbers problem.

First bad advice folks give when algae happens is to lower nutrients.
I say get some more snails and a toothbrush.

Second bad advice , cyano only happens when....

A common thread , my nutrients are low now cuz I have low nutrients but have cyanobacteria and am using nopox to feed my bacteria.

IMO , go back to what you were doing. Stick to the kiss method. It’s scientifically proven and costs less.

My local coral guy says high nutrients don't really matter, other than algae growth. They won't hurt corals. Low nutrients will.

Do you agree with that? Will carbon dosing affect corals? So you are saying that NOPOX causes cyano? NOPOX isn't bacteria, but a bacteria fuel so it may cause cyano?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

My local coral guy says high nutrients don't really matter, other than algae growth. They won't hurt corals. Low nutrients will.

Do you agree with that? Will carbon dosing affect corals? So you are saying that NOPOX causes cyano? NOPOX isn't bacteria, but a bacteria fuel so it may cause cyano?

I do. But low is sooo relative. That’s another story.

Yup. Nopox feeds bacteria. All bacteria. Good and bad.
A common complaint with most organic carbon dosing Methods is cyano.

 

[khushtram]

IMO you just dumped a bunch of chemicals in your tank that doesn’t belong in a reef aquarium. Have you ever seen a scientist dump chemicals in the ocean to improve conditions ? Always try natural procedures Ike growing macro algae and more skimming. Also +1 on increasing your cuc that always helps. Depending on the size of your tank a hungry surgeon tank will destroy you green hair algae problem . Just my 2cents

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

IMO you just dumped a bunch of chemicals in your tank that doesn’t belong in a reef aquarium. Have you ever seen a scientist dump chemicals in the ocean to improve conditions ? Always try natural procedures Ike growing macro algae and more skimming. Also +1 on increasing your cuc that always helps. Depending on the size of your tank a hungry surgeon tank will destroy you green hair algae problem . Just my 2cents

Agreed , but nopox is basicly alcohol and acetate. Acetate is extremely common in the sea. And vinegar , its why Randy F uses it over alcohol as a carbon component to complete the no3 Po4 and carbon that the coral and bacteria need.

And yes , scientists have to dump Po4 or no3 or a carbon component in places that are limited in those and have massive blooms of things like dinos and chrystophytes in waterways , outlets and lagoons.
Same way we do for those

 

[jasonrusso]

IMO you just dumped a bunch of chemicals in your tank that doesn’t belong in a reef aquarium. Have you ever seen a scientist dump chemicals in the ocean to improve conditions ? Always try natural procedures Ike growing macro algae and more skimming. Also +1 on increasing your cuc that always helps. Depending on the size of your tank a hungry surgeon tank will destroy you green hair algae problem . Just my 2cents

I don't know how it reads, but this was all over 8 months. I didn't do it all in a weekend.

I can't run a fuge, it's a Red Sea C-130 with a rear sump. The skimmer is very agressive. I can't really put a foxface or tang and feel good about it. Maybe a lawnmower blenny would be ok.

My Fowler (210) has off the charts nutrients, but no algae. I have a dwarf angel, foxface, and bristletooth tang.

 

[Mjrjj23]

I'm getting a bit frustrated here. I didn't really notice it until a few days ago. I was watching a YouTube video of the tank, and my euphyllia were huge, GSP was long and flowing, trumpets were inflated, and my Duncans were huge.

At that time, I was starting to battle a GHA issue. So of course, I started testing the water. NO3 and PO4 were high. I started carbon dosing NOPOX. I tried Vibrant, which tanked NO3 and caused a huge cyano outbreak. I lost a few frags and nearly my GSP.

A few months ago, I adjusted the lighting. I tested PAR and it is still good, and PUR (usable light) is 86-88%, but the corals were the same before.

So today, I don't have a GHA problem. PO4 is around 0.06-0.08 (Hanna ULM, I can't for the life of me decipher the low range of the salifert test), nitrates are around 15.

I am getting some stringy cyano everywhere. For some reason I can't keep a birdsnest!!

SPS looks good and is growing. Nothing is really dying, but before everything looked so much better. My GSP is alive, but it used to be like an inch long!

I cut the NOPOX dose by 66%, I don't think that NO3 is that harmful. I have phosguard in a reactor so I can control it.

This is a picture of the cyano. Look at the glass. I also included a video of the tank before. I thought you only get cyano if you're NO3 bottoms out?!?

Agree with above comment about the kiss method. Stop chasing numbers and results. Stop the phosgaurd and all the chems do some small water changes every day or every other day to get all your params in line and then let your tank do its thing.

 

[jasonrusso]

Agree with above comment about the kiss method. Stop chasing numbers and results. Stop the phosgaurd and all the chems do some small water changes every day or every other day to get all your params in line and then let your tank do its thing.

Stop the phosguard? I'm not disagreeing, but I thought that just keeps the PO4 in check.

 

[jasonrusso]

Agree with above comment about the kiss method. Stop chasing numbers and results. Stop the phosgaurd and all the chems do some small water changes every day or every other day to get all your params in line and then let your tank do its thing.

All the parameters seem good.

Alk is low 8's
Cal is 420-440
SG is 1.025
Temp is 80

 

[jasonrusso]

I'm thinking a lawnmower blenny may be in order, unless someone can suggest another small algae eater.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Snails and maybe a tuxedo urchin

 

[khushtram]

And yes , scientists have to dump Po4 or no3 or a carbon component in places that are limited in those and have massive blooms of things like dinos and chrystophytes in waterways , outlets and lagoons.
Same way we do for those[/QUOTE]



Nopox -
Acetate (Vinegar)
Propionate
Butyrate
Valerate
Caproate
Methanol
Ethanol (Alcohol)
Glucose
Hey if you can find a credible source where is says that all the above is being dumped in a certain part of the ocean I’ll agree with you.

 

[jasonrusso]

Snails and maybe a tuxedo urchin

No space for a bulldozer urchin, lol. Snails are fine, but they don't eat the long gha

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

No space for a bulldozer urchin, lol. Snails are fine, but they don't eat the long gha

Toothbrush.

Bulldozer?

 

[jasonrusso]

Agreed , but nopox is basicly alcohol and acetate. Acetate is extremely common in the sea. And vinegar , its why Randy F uses it over alcohol as a carbon component to complete the no3 Po4 and carbon that the coral and bacteria need.

And yes , scientists have to dump Po4 or no3 or a carbon component in places that are limited in those and have massive blooms of things like dinos and chrystophytes in waterways , outlets and lagoons.
Same way we do for those

This confuses me a bit. Does the tank need vinegar?

 

[khushtram]

Vinegar is supposed to be a source of carbon dosing. Carbon dosing helps nitrifying bacteria colonies grow.

 

[jasonrusso]

Toothbrush.

Bulldozer?

I'm just saying that I'd love an urchin. They are beautiful, but I think in my small tank it would just plow over things.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I'm just saying that I'd love an urchin. They are beautiful, but I think in my small tank it would just plow over things.

Understood.
That’s a 30 gal. He’s 1.5 in.
I didn’t know what size tank you have.

 

[Mjrjj23]

Stop the phosguard? I'm not disagreeing, but I thought that just keeps the PO4 in check.

I undersrand that. Im not saying phosgaurd is the problem or isnt helping. Im saying sometimes when things seem like they are not going well the best thing to do is eliminate any variables. The vast majority of reef tanks will run perfectly fine on just water changes and some method of alk and cal dosing whether thats with kalk, 2part or reactor.