NO3 0ppm, PO4 .25ppm, healthy chaeto and brown slime

[Insane_Realmz]

Hello folks,

I may be in need of a different test kit, but I'm fighting chemistry and bubbly brown hair slime in my anemone harem. Tank is 2.5 years old.

Two 1st Gen Hydra LEDs, tuned to ~150 PAR
55 gallon DT
10 gallon fuge
Dense Green chaeto
Salinity 1.026
Temp 78
KH 10
Calcium 420
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Phosphate .25
Cannot think of anything else specs wise at the moment.

I think I have Dinos growing in my tank and my nems look miserable. Fish are fine. Cheato is on a 12 hour schedule and I harvest half about every month.

Should I tackle P04 directly and focus on getting it closer to 0, and then work on raising my nitrate to 5 ppm or more, considering my ALK is at 10?

Am I starving my nems with nutrients being so low? Or am I looking at this all wrong?

 

[mcgyvr]

Yes.........possibly..........potentially

 

[bertoni]

Microbes are highly varied, and we see reports of problems and successful tanks with all kinds of numbers. That said, I'd probably try some nutrient control here. One approach might be to dose some nitrate, to see whether the Chaetomorpha can reduce the phosphate level and outcompete the slime. Another approach might be to try a bit of GFO, or possibly do both at the same time. I might start there.

You also could look at reducing the feeding levels. Some carbon might help the anemones if the problem is toxins from the slime. That's only a "might", though.

 

[Uncle99]

.25 phosphate sounds high, work a LC or GFO. I use 0.02-0.04 as my range
Nitrate (if zero is a correct number) to low. I use the 2-5ppm range like you suggested.
Must remain stable and balanced.

Mixed reef including SPS, nems and clams.

 

[Insane_Realmz]

Yes, zero is what I'm getting for nitrates. I've never thought that war even possible. Confirmed with two different tests. Might explain why Chaeto is growing slow, but green and thick. I'm getting the consensus that PO4 needs to be gone, and NO3 hovering at 5 ppm. I'll shoot for that. Thanks folks.

 

[bertoni]

Lots of tanks run at zero measured nitrate. Mine always did. The detection limit of our kits should be kept in mind.

 

[Insane_Realmz]

Did you run into Dinos? This tank is my first tank to hit zero nitrates. I've had FOWLR systems for many years, and nem tanks a few years. This is my first tank with Chaeto too, because I hate GHA. But I'm getting the impression a little GHA is good.

 

[Insane_Realmz]

Another question. Is a little phosphate good in attempting to have some nutrients? Or is it better to have some nitrates and no phosphates?

 

[pisanoal]

Both are needed. 0 of either is bad.

 

[homer1475]

Little of both is a good thing. All 0 is starving corals of needed nutrients even if your feeding them.



I typically shoot for anywhere around .01 to .02 po4 and 2 to 5ppm of NO3. This is when my corals look the healthiest. The only downside is for a few months after getting to these numbers, algae was rampant. The system will eventually even out and the corals will uptake the extra nutrients causing the algae to die back.



Just remember some algae is a good thing. No healthy system has pristine sterile conditions like when we first start out with pristine white sand and pristine white rock.

 

[reefgeezer]

Skimmer... GAC... anything that removes organics?