Nutrient level in SPS tank
- Thread starter dzhuo
- Start date
gary faulkner
New member
Phosphate at .05 is considered low nutrient, .03 is considered ultra low and you have undetectable. That puts you in the ULNS unless you have a large amount of nitrate. API nitrate kit is fairly cheap and you can tell the difference between 10-20-30 etc.
dzhuo
Active member
The problem is the Hana Checker has an error margin of 0.04 so it's possible that my phosphate level is that high.
Here is another update on the skimmer and I am definitely seeing huge improvement.
The foam head is thicker and thicker (like I have seen from others):
In case you can't see clearly, here is the cup and you can clearly see the difference from yesterday's picture:
I am hoping the skimmer is finally turning around and my frags will follow soon. Update in a week as promised.
Here is another update on the skimmer and I am definitely seeing huge improvement.
The foam head is thicker and thicker (like I have seen from others):
In case you can't see clearly, here is the cup and you can clearly see the difference from yesterday's picture:
I am hoping the skimmer is finally turning around and my frags will follow soon. Update in a week as promised.
Alex T.
Active member
dzhuo, that's starting to look like a skimmer brother!
I was hesitant in advising you to break it all down and give it a vinegar bath but I'm almost 99.9 percent sure that it was gfo and carbon residue restricting bubbles from moving freely inside the reaction chamber of the skimmer. Like I said earlier, adding gfo after a simple rinse shut down my skimmer a few days ago and I broke it all down....scrubbed it with white vinegar and water and let it sit. Now it's skimming like a champ again. In the future, running gfo is fine but I would never recommend running water through the reactor until it stopes bleeding red. This leaves so many unwanted fines in the sponges that will eventually work themselves free and do exactly the same thing. Put your gfo and carbon in separate plastic containers and fill them with RO water. Drain the water from each container thoroughly and repeat. Then just let it sit overnight and put the fresh media in the reactor the next day. It's simple and will give you the assurance that this doesn't happen again and that your sponges aren't absorbing all the residue. Also, you may be better off changing your gfo a lot less often.
Good to see that you're on your way to skimming again. I hope all your corals rebound.:thumbsup:
I was hesitant in advising you to break it all down and give it a vinegar bath but I'm almost 99.9 percent sure that it was gfo and carbon residue restricting bubbles from moving freely inside the reaction chamber of the skimmer. Like I said earlier, adding gfo after a simple rinse shut down my skimmer a few days ago and I broke it all down....scrubbed it with white vinegar and water and let it sit. Now it's skimming like a champ again. In the future, running gfo is fine but I would never recommend running water through the reactor until it stopes bleeding red. This leaves so many unwanted fines in the sponges that will eventually work themselves free and do exactly the same thing. Put your gfo and carbon in separate plastic containers and fill them with RO water. Drain the water from each container thoroughly and repeat. Then just let it sit overnight and put the fresh media in the reactor the next day. It's simple and will give you the assurance that this doesn't happen again and that your sponges aren't absorbing all the residue. Also, you may be better off changing your gfo a lot less often.
Good to see that you're on your way to skimming again. I hope all your corals rebound.:thumbsup:
gary faulkner
New member
.04 is very low in anyone's book.
dzhuo
Active member
About time! I paid good money to get this skimmer dirty.
I think the whole thing started with me being a little impatient. When I got the skimmer initially, it over flow and once over flow stop, I was expecting it to start producing skimmate. Skimmate didn't come and given this is top of the line skimmer, my immediate reaction is something is wrong with the skimmer. Talked to Victor and he suggested that I start running carbon to get rid of any chemical in the tank that's preventing the skimmer to form a foam head. Once I started running carbon and GFO, it's when things really started to go down hill. Through out the whole time, the skimmer seldom produce any skimmate and on top of that, the GFO residue and stripping the water so clean might have caused me a few frags. When I broke down the skimmer and the reactor to clean them, I was surprise to find lots of brown stuff which I assume is GFO residue since these places don't have light so it can't be algae. Maybe being so aggressive with GFO introduce lots of residue that cause the frags to slowly STN?
If you trace this back, if I wasn't trying to fix the skimmer; I would not have bought the reactor to run carbon and GFO in the first place. Hopefully my story is useful for someone else as a reference point.
Yes now that hopefully the skimmer is out of the way, we can focus on getting my corals back.
dzhuo
Active member
Yes I think 0.04 is generally acceptable in a closed system. In natural reef tho, the average phosphate is 0.003.
Alex T.
Active member
JMO but even though .003 phosphates and 0 nitrates is what's measured in nature around reef zones, there is an unfathomable measure of planktonic life and bacteria available to corals as a constant food source. Those same levels of nutrients in a closed system would crash the best of captive reef environments in no time.
A steady state of "less than pristine" water parameters is (IMO) beneficial in a closed system in order to in some way mimic nature. Those who TRULY measure low to no nutrients in their tanks skirt the fine line between disaster and success. Carbon dosing, Zeovit and the entire ULNS mantra requires MUCH more feeding than would be normally expected. Some of the best SPS tanks in the TOTM threads have upwards of 5 ppm nitrates and the colors and growth are almost unreal. In my own tank I've noticed that once I achieved undetectable NO3 and PO4 from carbon dosing that the best results came from feeding until I measured some nutrients while staying with the same maintenance dosage instead of upping it until unmeasurable. I know you said that you don't carbon dose but the effect is still the same when nutrients are undetectable. Because you are not carbon dosing and your fish may not be pooping enough, the sterility of your tank leaves photosynthetic organisms like SPS starving for a food source other than light. Without carbon dosing, the effects may be even worse as there is no bacterial population efficiently taking up nutrients and feeding the corals. I fight nuisance algae sometimes even though I never test measurable nitrates and phosphates...even on a Hanna Checker. Sometimes it's an indicator that my Radiums need changing. I've stopped looking at hair algae as an indication of a nutrient rich environment. I think (and this is my opinion) that it is a totally natural thing, but one we find annoying so we fight it with aggressive skimming, GFO, highly adsorbent carbon and carbon dosing. Those who believe only nutrients cause hair algae I think are misguided. Not changing your bulbs when they lose spectrum should never cause hair algae in a low nutrient system if this way of thinking were true. But it can...so obviously something other than high nutrients can fuel it.
I would like someone to answer me this.....why is it that in our closed systems we view nuisance algae as an indicator of excess nutrients when the most pristine reefs in the world have some hair algae on the live rock structure while the SPS corals around them are thriving? If hair algae was truly the nutrient indicator that most make it out to be, I would not have seen it on the reefs when snorkeling and surfing in Bali, Hawaii, Fiji and Australia. But there it was, waving in the currents as beautiful staghorn, efflos, montipora caps and porites were growing and basking in the sun.
dzhuo, don't sweat the hair algae you saw on your powerheads. Clean it so it doesn't spread but running aggressive GFO changeout schedules with larger water changes and wet protein skimming may cause more harm than good.
It seems you're skimmer is almost back on track and things may be turning for the better. Good luck and sorry for the novel.
A steady state of "less than pristine" water parameters is (IMO) beneficial in a closed system in order to in some way mimic nature. Those who TRULY measure low to no nutrients in their tanks skirt the fine line between disaster and success. Carbon dosing, Zeovit and the entire ULNS mantra requires MUCH more feeding than would be normally expected. Some of the best SPS tanks in the TOTM threads have upwards of 5 ppm nitrates and the colors and growth are almost unreal. In my own tank I've noticed that once I achieved undetectable NO3 and PO4 from carbon dosing that the best results came from feeding until I measured some nutrients while staying with the same maintenance dosage instead of upping it until unmeasurable. I know you said that you don't carbon dose but the effect is still the same when nutrients are undetectable. Because you are not carbon dosing and your fish may not be pooping enough, the sterility of your tank leaves photosynthetic organisms like SPS starving for a food source other than light. Without carbon dosing, the effects may be even worse as there is no bacterial population efficiently taking up nutrients and feeding the corals. I fight nuisance algae sometimes even though I never test measurable nitrates and phosphates...even on a Hanna Checker. Sometimes it's an indicator that my Radiums need changing. I've stopped looking at hair algae as an indication of a nutrient rich environment. I think (and this is my opinion) that it is a totally natural thing, but one we find annoying so we fight it with aggressive skimming, GFO, highly adsorbent carbon and carbon dosing. Those who believe only nutrients cause hair algae I think are misguided. Not changing your bulbs when they lose spectrum should never cause hair algae in a low nutrient system if this way of thinking were true. But it can...so obviously something other than high nutrients can fuel it.
I would like someone to answer me this.....why is it that in our closed systems we view nuisance algae as an indicator of excess nutrients when the most pristine reefs in the world have some hair algae on the live rock structure while the SPS corals around them are thriving? If hair algae was truly the nutrient indicator that most make it out to be, I would not have seen it on the reefs when snorkeling and surfing in Bali, Hawaii, Fiji and Australia. But there it was, waving in the currents as beautiful staghorn, efflos, montipora caps and porites were growing and basking in the sun.
dzhuo, don't sweat the hair algae you saw on your powerheads. Clean it so it doesn't spread but running aggressive GFO changeout schedules with larger water changes and wet protein skimming may cause more harm than good.
It seems you're skimmer is almost back on track and things may be turning for the better. Good luck and sorry for the novel.
gary faulkner
New member
I agree with your novel and glad you took the time to say it. Thanks
SPSEMPIRE
New member
my experience has led to me to same view on this as you.
Alex T.
Active member
Thanks for the +1's everyone.
It's just upsetting. With all the new ways of stripping the water column of nutrients I think we forget that we're growing animals that feed on nutrients!
Maybe in the 90's we had to worry about overfeeding a tank, but with modern protein skimming design, aggressive chemical adsorbents and carbon dosing we have to feed more for fear of stripping the tank clean of life support fuel. If you were trying to sell reefers Oyster Feast and Rod's Food in the 90's they would have thought you were crazy for throwing that kind of algae fuel in a reef tank.
I'm not by any means calling the OP a newbie (he's not and has more posts than me!) but I cringe when I see others writing that their SPS polyps aren't extending, and they can't understand why corals aren't doing well from feeding 1 cube every other day to 15 fish while carbon dosing, running gfo and doing large water changes and running 400 watt halides on for 9 hours a day. All this while running the best protein skimmers that the hobby has to offer.
We keep creatures who feed. I carbon dose but my feeding quantities would shock people. Between 4 - 6 cubes of Mysis and bloodworms per day with 2 kinds of pellet spaced out over 4 - 5 feedings is the norm. Nitrates hover around .2 but on occasion fall to zero so I up the feedings. I don't even measure phosphate anymore. If I see more algae than I care to look at I run some GFO, but I'd rather go by how everything looks and is responding to a change.
Novel #2 complete.:lmao:
It's just upsetting. With all the new ways of stripping the water column of nutrients I think we forget that we're growing animals that feed on nutrients!
Maybe in the 90's we had to worry about overfeeding a tank, but with modern protein skimming design, aggressive chemical adsorbents and carbon dosing we have to feed more for fear of stripping the tank clean of life support fuel. If you were trying to sell reefers Oyster Feast and Rod's Food in the 90's they would have thought you were crazy for throwing that kind of algae fuel in a reef tank.
I'm not by any means calling the OP a newbie (he's not and has more posts than me!) but I cringe when I see others writing that their SPS polyps aren't extending, and they can't understand why corals aren't doing well from feeding 1 cube every other day to 15 fish while carbon dosing, running gfo and doing large water changes and running 400 watt halides on for 9 hours a day. All this while running the best protein skimmers that the hobby has to offer.
We keep creatures who feed. I carbon dose but my feeding quantities would shock people. Between 4 - 6 cubes of Mysis and bloodworms per day with 2 kinds of pellet spaced out over 4 - 5 feedings is the norm. Nitrates hover around .2 but on occasion fall to zero so I up the feedings. I don't even measure phosphate anymore. If I see more algae than I care to look at I run some GFO, but I'd rather go by how everything looks and is responding to a change.
Novel #2 complete.:lmao:
gary faulkner
New member
Alex, you have an understanding of the processes that most don't and know how to articulate it. So I personally am glad that you continue to make these things know to those less knowledgeable.
Thanks
Thanks
BuckeyeTodd
New member
nicely said alex, you have been spot on throughout this...dzhuo hope you are on your way now, just make small increases in the feeding so that there aren't sudden shifts
Alex T.
Active member
Thanks Gary. You make me blush.
I think I'm saying what many in their gut feel to be true but have been indoctrinated to believe that if you can measure nutrients you'd better get that crap out of the water as soon as possible or your prized colorful sticks are going to die. I like to read between the lines of what I see in other people's tanks as well. Sometimes you'll see pictures of a beautiful SPS tank on this forum with tangs that look as plump as they do in the wild. Then the poster will say they feed a "normal" amount of food once per day. That's just not possible, and on more than one occasion I've seen frags from that same person's tank for sale in the seller's forum and followed who bought them only hear the buyer post later that some of their SPS are going pale:spin1:.
I don't know if it's people trying to keep secrets. I'd hate to think that people are less than honest when giving advice to people on these forums about what they really do as opposed to what they say they do for a future financial gain or for accolades for possessing a magical tank. If my yellow tang and emperor angel aren't fed often and in abundance they look thin with pinched stomachs and less than bright coloration. And then the Emperor will go looking for other means of nourishment...like SPS corals. When I started keeping an Emperor Angel in my SPS tank everyone told me to make sure I kept him well fed or he'll pick on corals. A funny thing happened after I followed this advice. All my fish colored up better and my SPS never looked more colorful. A yellow maricultured piece that hadn't budged in over a year started growing orange tips and extending polyps 24/7. Unlike people, a fish's index of fitness is related to their plumpness and feeding response in a willingness to feed. I believe this translates into coral health and coloration if a system's filtration is up to snuff...which more than likely it is in an SPS tank.
Finding the right amount and size of fish for your SPS system is an art, and keeping them well fed can be a great indicator as to how your corals may react. When the stomachs on my fish look well rounded and natural with vivid and bright coloration I know that good SPS coloration is to follow. Don't get me wrong...I keep up with maintenance and proper husbandry as well, but never have I seen bright, colorful and thriving SPS coral tanks without some nice fat fish swimming around. The reason some zeovit followers can still keep modest amounts of fish in their systems with low nutrients is because of all the other food supplements and amino acids they're pumping into their system. I would personally rather have some beautiful fish and feed them well.
That's a wrap...lol
I think I'm saying what many in their gut feel to be true but have been indoctrinated to believe that if you can measure nutrients you'd better get that crap out of the water as soon as possible or your prized colorful sticks are going to die. I like to read between the lines of what I see in other people's tanks as well. Sometimes you'll see pictures of a beautiful SPS tank on this forum with tangs that look as plump as they do in the wild. Then the poster will say they feed a "normal" amount of food once per day. That's just not possible, and on more than one occasion I've seen frags from that same person's tank for sale in the seller's forum and followed who bought them only hear the buyer post later that some of their SPS are going pale:spin1:.
I don't know if it's people trying to keep secrets. I'd hate to think that people are less than honest when giving advice to people on these forums about what they really do as opposed to what they say they do for a future financial gain or for accolades for possessing a magical tank. If my yellow tang and emperor angel aren't fed often and in abundance they look thin with pinched stomachs and less than bright coloration. And then the Emperor will go looking for other means of nourishment...like SPS corals. When I started keeping an Emperor Angel in my SPS tank everyone told me to make sure I kept him well fed or he'll pick on corals. A funny thing happened after I followed this advice. All my fish colored up better and my SPS never looked more colorful. A yellow maricultured piece that hadn't budged in over a year started growing orange tips and extending polyps 24/7. Unlike people, a fish's index of fitness is related to their plumpness and feeding response in a willingness to feed. I believe this translates into coral health and coloration if a system's filtration is up to snuff...which more than likely it is in an SPS tank.
Finding the right amount and size of fish for your SPS system is an art, and keeping them well fed can be a great indicator as to how your corals may react. When the stomachs on my fish look well rounded and natural with vivid and bright coloration I know that good SPS coloration is to follow. Don't get me wrong...I keep up with maintenance and proper husbandry as well, but never have I seen bright, colorful and thriving SPS coral tanks without some nice fat fish swimming around. The reason some zeovit followers can still keep modest amounts of fish in their systems with low nutrients is because of all the other food supplements and amino acids they're pumping into their system. I would personally rather have some beautiful fish and feed them well.
That's a wrap...lol
dzhuo
Active member
I want to be a newbie. Newbie got to ask questions; yo don't.
Seriously, I think if everyone keep an open mind that you are always a newbie, you will be more successful. Everyone (newbie or experienced) struggle. If you don't, it just means you haven't been in this hobby long enough.SPSEMPIRE said:
It's too early to tell. My skimmer struggle is not necessary the cause of the problem I have with my frags. With the skimmer apparently working better, it simply mean we can take one more variable out of the equation. Nothing good happens fast in this hobby (especially when it comes to SPS) so the true measurement would be the following weeks to come. If the tank's condition improve, the frag (only 50% gone) should rebound eventually. The milli should show signs of improvement as well.
I will keep the update going for a couple more weeks.
Alex T.
Active member
I agree. I'm always asking questions. I think what has helped me most is browsing through the Chemistry forum more than anything. There's a lot of good information in there from a lot of people much, much more versed in the chemical goings-on in our systems.
Always acting like a newbie is a great way to approach this hobby. The problem I see in a true "newbie" is changing things too fast and listening to too many methodologies and trends. You haven't done any of that, and I think that is what has helped you get through this hurdle without 100% losses, which is to be commended. I'm pretty confident you're on the right track and will rebound from this with a wealth of information and a learning experience that one day you can share with others.
Good luck.
Always acting like a newbie is a great way to approach this hobby. The problem I see in a true "newbie" is changing things too fast and listening to too many methodologies and trends. You haven't done any of that, and I think that is what has helped you get through this hurdle without 100% losses, which is to be commended. I'm pretty confident you're on the right track and will rebound from this with a wealth of information and a learning experience that one day you can share with others.
Good luck.
dzhuo
Active member
As promised, here is an update. First, params:
1. alk: 7.8 (Salifert)
2. cal: 425 (Salifert)
3. mag: 1400 (Salifert)
4. phosphate: 0.02 (Hana Checker)
5. pH: 8.15 (RKL pH probe)
6. temp: 79 (RKL iTemp probe)
7. sg: 0.126 (Refractometer; calibrated with 35ppm solution).
I was going to get a nitrate test kit but unfortunately the LFS ran out of Salifert.
Now here is the observation since taking GFO offline and feeding as much as I can:
1. The algae (those that I posted a couple of pages back in the Tunze and return) is apparently slowly going away or at least loosing it's ugly dark brown color.
2. Coraline continue to grow but mostly still in the shaded area.
3. The green powdery algae film on the glass is still there roughly every 2 days but seems to be not as apparent.
4. Pods are starting to grow and in certain area, rapidly.
5. Skimmer is doing fine. Pulling stuff out more consistently than it used to be. In fact, at point, it was overflowing so I dial it back.
My initial thought is the heavily feeding along with removing GFO is the right thing for me. Obviously, the concern is still if the corals are doing better. Since I have been using this coral as an indicator, here is a series of photos:
2/15/2011 initially:
3/5/2011 just right before GFO and skimmer cleaning:
3/20/2011 now:
It seems to me this coral is getting lighter and lighter. My guess is it's still in a pretty bad shape and bleached. What do you guys think?
I plan to keep feeding heavily and I just bought myself a bottle of Oyster-Feast. I am also consider getting AA from talking to different people. Again, I hope to keep all variables in check without changing too much all at once. Should I keep doing what I am doing now and wait another week?
Oh, I also test out the food oil theory to see how they affect skimmer. On the scale of 0 (doesn't affect skimmer at all) to 5 (foam head killer), here is my experience:
1. Roti-Feast(0) - Doesn't affect skimmer at all even if I drop it right in front of the skimmer pump to let the skimmer suck all it in. No noticeable change to foam head at all.
2. Formula-One(1.5) - Not bad at all. Skimmer foam head reduced and sometimes collapse but recover fast.
3. Nutramar Ova/Prawn roe(1.4) - Similar to Formula One; slightly better.
4. Cyclopeeze(1.8) - Similar to Formula One; maybe a bit worse.
5. PE Mysis(3.0) - Kills the foam head easily but skimmer recover after a few hours.
6. Rob's Food/Coral Blend (5) - Kills the foam head and took the skimmer forever to recover. Worse of all.
1. alk: 7.8 (Salifert)
2. cal: 425 (Salifert)
3. mag: 1400 (Salifert)
4. phosphate: 0.02 (Hana Checker)
5. pH: 8.15 (RKL pH probe)
6. temp: 79 (RKL iTemp probe)
7. sg: 0.126 (Refractometer; calibrated with 35ppm solution).
I was going to get a nitrate test kit but unfortunately the LFS ran out of Salifert.
Now here is the observation since taking GFO offline and feeding as much as I can:
1. The algae (those that I posted a couple of pages back in the Tunze and return) is apparently slowly going away or at least loosing it's ugly dark brown color.
2. Coraline continue to grow but mostly still in the shaded area.
3. The green powdery algae film on the glass is still there roughly every 2 days but seems to be not as apparent.
4. Pods are starting to grow and in certain area, rapidly.
5. Skimmer is doing fine. Pulling stuff out more consistently than it used to be. In fact, at point, it was overflowing so I dial it back.
My initial thought is the heavily feeding along with removing GFO is the right thing for me. Obviously, the concern is still if the corals are doing better. Since I have been using this coral as an indicator, here is a series of photos:
2/15/2011 initially:
3/5/2011 just right before GFO and skimmer cleaning:
3/20/2011 now:
It seems to me this coral is getting lighter and lighter. My guess is it's still in a pretty bad shape and bleached. What do you guys think?
I plan to keep feeding heavily and I just bought myself a bottle of Oyster-Feast. I am also consider getting AA from talking to different people. Again, I hope to keep all variables in check without changing too much all at once. Should I keep doing what I am doing now and wait another week?
Oh, I also test out the food oil theory to see how they affect skimmer. On the scale of 0 (doesn't affect skimmer at all) to 5 (foam head killer), here is my experience:
1. Roti-Feast(0) - Doesn't affect skimmer at all even if I drop it right in front of the skimmer pump to let the skimmer suck all it in. No noticeable change to foam head at all.
2. Formula-One(1.5) - Not bad at all. Skimmer foam head reduced and sometimes collapse but recover fast.
3. Nutramar Ova/Prawn roe(1.4) - Similar to Formula One; slightly better.
4. Cyclopeeze(1.8) - Similar to Formula One; maybe a bit worse.
5. PE Mysis(3.0) - Kills the foam head easily but skimmer recover after a few hours.
6. Rob's Food/Coral Blend (5) - Kills the foam head and took the skimmer forever to recover. Worse of all.
Alex T.
Active member
Hey there dzhuo,
To me it appears by your pictures that the coral is actually recovering, not declining. The bright colorful tips are a very good sign. Even at .02 your phosphate is just fine. I would leave things be and not dose any amino acids at all. They could add to an otherwise stable environment right now. Many people really don't need phosphate removers like GFO either. Aside from the residue it left in your skimmer, some corals may be agitated by particles that may still be in the water column. They will recover nicely with a little patience. Changing things right now will not allow you to pinpoint the problem again if you see a change for the worse....which I doubt.
I'm no expert, but the key for me was truly learning my system. What I mean really is how many fish to keep, what size, the amount and kind of foods to feed and which ones not to feed. Also, what amount will start the steady decline and what amount is just enough. You seem to be doing this as well. Slowly feed a little more each week or every other week. If your corals respond with better coloration and polyp extension then stay there. If you find that your fish simply can't keep feeding at that level without pooping like crazy at every meal, then get another fish and feed the same amount to keep the equilibrium spread out over more fish. We all strive for excellent water quality and rock solid parameters. However my current goal which is showing promise recently is feeding enough to keep the fish fat and healthy while making them fertilize the SPS....all the while trying to strip the water clean before everything breaks down and contributes to a nutrient spike. Feed everything at once, then pull it all out!
Today's skimmers (especially one as nice as yours) are extremely efficient at rapidly removing organics from the water. Some may say they're almost too efficient. You were low nutrient when the skimmer wasn't skimming so monitoring your system for the next few weeks while you up the feedings is going to be crucial. Feed enough so it skims very well, but not so much that it never has down time. If it's always pulling foam then you're likely on the road to a nutrient spike. Some may argue with me but a skimmer that has a stable 24 hour foam head is undersized for the system's bioload. This is the balance I've been speaking of throughout this thread. Chat with enough SPS keepers and I'm pretty certain they know how much skimmate they pull per week. It's almost a ritual for me to know that by Friday I need to empty and clean the cup because sometime on Saturday it will overflow. If I'm not pulling the same amount but feeding the same I know something's wrong and I have to troubleshoot. Skimmers aren't just good at removing organics. Their production can be a window or warning sign as to what's going on in your system. Now that you're skimming you'll be able to fine tune and dial everything in where it benefits your system the most.
Sounds promising and happy to hear.
Cheers.
To me it appears by your pictures that the coral is actually recovering, not declining. The bright colorful tips are a very good sign. Even at .02 your phosphate is just fine. I would leave things be and not dose any amino acids at all. They could add to an otherwise stable environment right now. Many people really don't need phosphate removers like GFO either. Aside from the residue it left in your skimmer, some corals may be agitated by particles that may still be in the water column. They will recover nicely with a little patience. Changing things right now will not allow you to pinpoint the problem again if you see a change for the worse....which I doubt.
I'm no expert, but the key for me was truly learning my system. What I mean really is how many fish to keep, what size, the amount and kind of foods to feed and which ones not to feed. Also, what amount will start the steady decline and what amount is just enough. You seem to be doing this as well. Slowly feed a little more each week or every other week. If your corals respond with better coloration and polyp extension then stay there. If you find that your fish simply can't keep feeding at that level without pooping like crazy at every meal, then get another fish and feed the same amount to keep the equilibrium spread out over more fish. We all strive for excellent water quality and rock solid parameters. However my current goal which is showing promise recently is feeding enough to keep the fish fat and healthy while making them fertilize the SPS....all the while trying to strip the water clean before everything breaks down and contributes to a nutrient spike. Feed everything at once, then pull it all out!
Today's skimmers (especially one as nice as yours) are extremely efficient at rapidly removing organics from the water. Some may say they're almost too efficient. You were low nutrient when the skimmer wasn't skimming so monitoring your system for the next few weeks while you up the feedings is going to be crucial. Feed enough so it skims very well, but not so much that it never has down time. If it's always pulling foam then you're likely on the road to a nutrient spike. Some may argue with me but a skimmer that has a stable 24 hour foam head is undersized for the system's bioload. This is the balance I've been speaking of throughout this thread. Chat with enough SPS keepers and I'm pretty certain they know how much skimmate they pull per week. It's almost a ritual for me to know that by Friday I need to empty and clean the cup because sometime on Saturday it will overflow. If I'm not pulling the same amount but feeding the same I know something's wrong and I have to troubleshoot. Skimmers aren't just good at removing organics. Their production can be a window or warning sign as to what's going on in your system. Now that you're skimming you'll be able to fine tune and dial everything in where it benefits your system the most.
Sounds promising and happy to hear.
Cheers.
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