Nitrates phosphates and dosing question(s).

[kissman]

I am hoping Randy gets in on this! hint, hint, LOL! I value what he says along with some other on this site. But, help is appreciated! At one time over a year or 2 ago I started trying to get my tank back in order. When I say back in order it was a FOWLR and my nitrates were 160ppm+. I worked very hard on it and once my nitrates were down to 20 I started vodka dosing to get them down to 5-0ppm. Phosphates were pretty high to of course. When Vodka dosing I got them down to 0 according to Salifert Test kits. I have Cyano now and can't get ride of it. I did use Chemi-Clean to help keep the corals alive as it had started to cover some. Within a week they came back not as bad but they are back. When I started getting cyano I stopped vodka dosing and added a Biopellets reactor (I got tried of adding vodka everyday) it helped for awhile but eventually the cyano came back. I think the problem I had was that my skimmer I had at the time sucked (turboflotor t1000) and would not export the excess from bio-pellets. I have since upgraded my skimmer to a Warner Marine MF 181 Kone a few weeks ago. I have Cyano growing on the wall inside of skimmer where my fuge light hits. I stopped Bio-pellets and added my GFO back. I know that a lot of people have experienced cyano with vodka dosing so I am thinking of starting vinager dosing. I am going to start a 3 day lights out tonight and will turn them back on Tuesday night for a few hours then back on full Wed. If both test kits nitrates and phosphate are reading 0 how do you start doisng vinager with nothing to go by to adjust? I know they are there because I have cyano/algae. If they are both "reading" 0 how can I tell if they are balanced so that carbon will work?
What do you any of you suggest? If this were your tank what would you do?

Here is a run down of my tank and set up.

I feed frozen foods every 3rd day rinsed with ro/di water
I do a 5-7g water on Sunday and Thursday

55g
20g long sump/refugium 8" water
Red Sea Coral Pro Salt
Calcium 480
Alk 10dkh
Mag 1400
Nitrates 0
Phosphates 0
Nitrites 0
Ammonia 0
SG 1.026
Temp 78

Warner Marine MF 181 Kone Skimmer
Hydor Wavemaker 2 Hydor 2's on back pointed towards center surface
1 Hydor 2 that runs during lights on in middle of tank pointed center surface
Mag drive 3 return
1 Phosban Reactor with BRS GFO changed every 2 weeks
1 Phosban Reactor with BRS ROX.08 changed every 2 weeks
Nova Extreme Pro 6x 54w T5HO ATI Bulbs changed 4 weeks ago

roughly 60-70lbs of live rock
4 DSB
1 Bubble Tip Anemone
1 Maroon Clown Yellow Strip
1 Royal Gramma
2 Green Chromis
1 Six Line Wrasse
1 Diamond Gobie
New clean up crew of snails
1 Kenya Tree
1 Toadstool
1 Finger Leather
2 Frogspawns
1 rock of Xenia
1 rock assorted mushrooms
1 rock of assorted Zoa's

sump
12x12 3" dsb, chaeto, halmidea
live rock and pod condos
6500k daylight bulb 27w(100w) runs at lights out

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How much GFO are you using?

The problem with organic carbon dosing is that it is possible for cyano to consume it, and so you may not be able to preferentially beat cyano with organic carbon.

But you generally can with enough GFO changed often enough. Manual removal of the cyano is also a good plan.

 

[kissman]

Thanks for your time!

I use 1 cup of gfo. I also remove as much as i can when doing a water change

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I might either double the amount of GFO, or replace it once a week to try to get the cyano under control.

 

[kissman]

ok I just changed the GFO out Thursday night I have more on order from BRS i was thinking of going to a cup and a half but if you think 2 cups is better I will go that route next week when I get more in

 

[kissman]

Black out period has begun! I am hoping that in 72 hours the cyano will be gone and because its gone the GFO will replace the cyano asthe absorber! If that makes sense

 

[bertoni]

I think that makes sense, and might work out. I'd consider adding a bunch of fresh carbon to the system to try to adsorb any toxins from the decaying cyanobacteria.

 

[kissman]

I just replaced my carbon on thursday and i doubled the amount

 

[bertoni]

Sounds good to me!

 

[kissman]

we will see what happens I will keep you posted. I am kinda worried that my anemone with no lights will start to wonder the tank I hope not. But it sure is dark in there, lol! I took black poster board and covered the glass only. I am waiting on a group buy to start for BRS next week and will place the order for more GFO should have Thursday. Thanks for your advice.

 

[kissman]

I might either double the amount of GFO, or replace it once a week to try to get the cyano under control.

Ok Randy I have doubled the amount of GFO that I was using. My shipment from BRS came in Friday while I was out of town. I have replaced my 2 week old GFO with 2 cups. Will see what happens

 

[kissman]

after 1 week of doubling the GFO seems I have a lot less cyano. I was going to run it for 2 weeks but tonight when I do my 7g water i might change it out again

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That sounds like a step in the right direction!

Happy Reefing.

 

[kissman]

I have a 55g and I am changing about 15g a week could I be changing to much and the tank not balancing out with bacteria? I do add some when I do water changes

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not think there is any danger with reducing bacteria by water changes.

 

[kissman]

Ok good, well 7g water changed out and another 2 cups of GFO in Reactor, hope the cyano goes quick this could get expensive at 2 cups a week, LOL! Would carbon dosing help at all or to much with the GFO?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It may help, but organic carbon dosing can also fuel cyano, so it is a fine line.

FWIW, you can recharge GFO if you want to spend the time to do so.

 

[kissman]

I have a bottle of Red Sea NOPX I stopped when I started getting the cyano nit sure if it helped cause the problem or not. I think the Turboflotor T1000 skimmer I had running at the time caused a lot of excess carbon to build up by the fack it sucked as a skimmer. I have since upgraded to a oversized skimmer. I am debating if I should start small doses like 2ml a day and see what happens. How can you recharge GFO I use BRS?

 

[kissman]

Oh and Randy thank you for your time help getting to the bottom of my issues. I want to start stocking some SPS one day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Here's a thread on recharging GFO:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1734717

If you have a better skimmer now, I might start vinegar dosing rather than the Red Sea NOPX since you may have cyano in the tank that is ready to start consuming it.