Constantly fighting nutrient issues..

SSpiro

SSpiro

Active member
I setup my 125g in beginning of December 2008. I had a 55g setup which started on Feb. 2008, which I moved over to the 125g, once it was up and plumbed.

My 55g had a NO3 issue (well, averaged around 20ppm, never less). When I setup the 125g, I added all the components of the 55g (well, the live rock and livestock). I added quite a few large dry rock also.

Long story short, I have not been able to get my nitrates under 20 (got as high as 80ppm) and my phosphates have been hovering between 0.03 and 0.25.

I am skimming with an ASM G3 (which I know I need to replace), a reactor running carbon, and a reactor running GFO. I have a heavy bioload, which I know isn't helping either.

I am battling small tufts of hair algae, small spots of bubble algae, and a heavy issues of cyano.

I am striving to get to 0 NO3 and 0.03 or less in PO4 and want to run full SPS colonies, but obviously I can't right now.

I've considered removing the GFO and turning that TLF reactor into a sulfur denitrifier, but haven't yet. Have also considered vodka too, which I think i'm going to start in a week or so, using VSV method. Could this rid me of my cyano issue?

Thoughts? What other details do you need to give me some ideas on what to look in to? I'm tired of the nutrients. I'm tired of the issues, and really want a clean, nutrient free reef.
 
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i would start doing more frequent water changes, start dosing amquel plus, and lessen the bioload.

if you need help with the last two, i live in port saint lousy, hit me up! lol
 
I do water changes every 2 weeks, about 20 gallons. I'll be doing a 35g tomorrow.

I could do weekly, if it'll make that much of a difference.

I do use RODI.. isn't amquel for those using tap water?
 
I’ll tag along as am also having similar issues with trying to reduce nitrates. the nitrate in my system hovers between 20 to 50 ppm. I’ve been running carbon and rowa +vodka with very little improvement. Water change done on a bi-weekly basis 10 gallons on a 65 gallon tank carbon change every 2 weeks and rowa change every 4 weeks, vodka dosed as per schedule.
 
For nutrient export, you can: get a better skimmer, feed less, use RO/DI water, use GFO for phosphate removal, have less bioload, do more frequent water changes. If you are feeding frozen, you can rinse it to defrost before feeding. What is in this tank now?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15307212#post15307212 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by snorvich
For nutrient export, you can: get a better skimmer, feed less, use RO/DI water, use GFO for phosphate removal, have less bioload, do more frequent water changes. If you are feeding frozen, you can rinse it to defrost before feeding. What is in this tank now?
Click to expand...

it's a 65 gallon tank and the skimmer that am using is a euroreef 100, I do rinse the frozen food with ro/di water as per above am running carbon and rowa.
 
amquel plus will remove nitrate nitrite and ammonia, normal amquel i believe just removes nitrate.

it isn;t only for those using tap water, i use rodi water as well.

i don't use amquel myself, but i also don't have a nutrient problem, if i did, i probably would do either a water change, if it persisted upgrade filtration/remove livestock, but until then, use amquel plus.

good luck with that buddy! nutrients can be a pain.

btw, just wondering, how large are those big rocks? large enough to allow ammoniafication? and were they properly cured?

could they possibly be leaching the nutrients into the water.

to test you can take a rock out, place it in a bucket with fresh salt water(premixed of course, or better yet NSW), and test the water a day later.
 
I seriously doubt amquell plus will do much for nitrate reduction. What's wrong with an asm skimmer. i use two and they perform quite well?
Check out the diy thread on sulfur denitrators and the reeefkeeping magazine article. I wouldn't use the phosban reactor you need it for gfo., building one from pvc is pretty easiey as diy projects go. Carbon dosing ( vodka vinegar etc) is another option worth studying.
 
The nitrates at 80ppm for many corals is devasting particularly sps but most other stony corals as well.

PO4 at .03ppm is just fine .25 is too high. and may harm corals.

Try to keep your PO4 under .05ppm at least under .1 ppm and go after nitrates. Reducing them to under 5ppm would be a reasonable goal. Lower would be better.
 
I'll reply to all the questions I see. Sorry for the delay, out of town on business so internet access is limited.

sweet ride - get your own thread. lol. you're going to muck up the communication. :o

Feeding: I am feeding Rod's for the majority, plus nori.
Fish: Here is what I have.
* 2 x Pajama Card
* Watchman Goby
* Purple Tang
* Powder Brown Tang
* Scopas Tang
* Swallowtail Angel
* Flame Angel
* Tomato Clown
* Orange spotted Blenny

I plan on setting up a Solana shortly as a SPS tank, and plan on putting the blenny and the 2 pajama card's in that tank.

RODI is all I use, with a TDM meter. Mix my own salt water, which is tested and matched to tank's parameters (0 NO3 going in, undetectable PO4 going in). No new rocks, no new sand. Actually have been reducing the sand bed slowly over last few weeks.

Yes, running a fuge with a few different types of macro. Running GFO and GAC. I'll be adding a third phosban to use as sulfur denitrifier.

Last course of action will be dosing vodka, which I will start once I get back to town.

Only thing I can think of is the dry rock I used when I set up the tank. I must not have cured properly or something.. even though I had a NO3 issue (~20ppm on average) in my 55g.
 
I've gone through similar problems. I would def dose vodka, it made a big difference for me. Also use kent M to raise mag levels to 1800 for a week to get rid of hair algae. Weekly 40% water changes, phosban in a reactor, feed every other day & run a weekend with no lights. The above worked for me and I've been at 0 phos/nitrates ever since.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15343557#post15343557 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by strendo
I've gone through similar problems. I would def dose vodka, it made a big difference for me. Also use kent M to raise mag levels to 1800 for a week to get rid of hair algae. Weekly 40% water changes, phosban in a reactor, feed every other day & run a weekend with no lights. The above worked for me and I've been at 0 phos/nitrates ever since.
Click to expand...

Got nothing to lose at this point. Will definitely put this plan in place starting this week.

I need to find a larger water storage tank. I only have a 35g or so tank, so i'm limited on amount of salt water I can make for now.
 
You could also checkout the diy thread and reefkeeping magazine article on sulfur denitrators. I built oneand it worked very well.
 
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