Phosphates

[mradonis]

I have a 180g DT with about 200lbs of LR. The sump is a 40g that consists of refugium with LR and caulerpa, skimmer (RO rated for 300g) dialed in to skim more on the wet side, a light- medium brown skimmate, and a return section with a Echotech Vectra M1 running at max. The DT tank has 2 Vortech MP40s set to different flows throughout the day.

Nitrate levels seem to be controlled (I am consistently around 7ppm) with a 20% monthly water changes. Phosphates on the other hand need to be controlled with GFO, I get them down to about 5ppm and then need to change out the media.

The tank is stocked with the following:

1 - Yellow Tang 3"
1 - Powder Blue Tang 3"
2 - Hippo Tangs 4"
1- Sailfin Tang 4"
1 - Naso Tang 4"
2 - Anthias
2 - Clowns
1 - Banggai Cardinal
1 - Wrase
1 - Radiata Lionfish
3 - Chromis
1 - Blue Damsel 3"
1 - Goby

I have mixed coral (all appear to be growing and doing well).

I feed twice a day. The first feeding is in the AM, they are given Biotope Lifeline Green. The second feeding is in the PM, they are fed PE Mysis rinsed with RODI water. I only feed what they can consume in 2 minutes. I do give them a decent portion considering the stock, but it is all consumed. There is nothing left floating or sinking after the 2 minutes.

I also seem to get maroon/purplish substance on the sand bed. It does not appear to be red slime algae, although I could be wrong. It is on top and on the front of the sand bed ( I can see it from the front of the DT, it goes to the bottom).

Is this normal for the phosphates needing to be controlled by GFO? I was hoping to be able to run the tank without the extra cost. Am I missing anything?

Thanks!

 

[mradonis]

Forgot to mention, I have a CUC of about 100 snails and 40 blue legged hermit crabs. I also have two fighting conches and some nassarius snails. The nassarius snails seem to die off quickly.

 

[GimpyFin]

One thing I notice is you mention caulerpa in your refugium. Are you lighting it all the time, how are you pruning it? May or may not be causing your problem, but it can release crap back into the water fairly easily depending on how it's maintained. IME, chaeto works much better for a refugium.

 

[thegrun]

That's a pretty large bio-load with all those tangs so yes I would say that it is normal to need GFO or some other nutrient reduction method. The maroon/purplish substance on the sand bed is most likely cyanobacteria. It would help to make two 20% water changes a month, ideally get your nitrates below 5ppm and your phosphates below 1ppm. You may initially need to change out the GFO every few days to lower your phosphates but eventually get the changes down to once every 3-4 weeks.

 

[scooter31707]

I'm not going to be mean, but you have too many Tangs in that size tank. IMO, the Naso, Salfin, and the Hippos need bigger tanks. Now for as your algae, I run GFO and it helps out a lot. IMO, you also have too many snails and crabs in there. For as the Nassarius snails they are carnivore and detritus eaters, so they may not be getting enough to eat with all the other inverts you have in there.

 

[Reef Frog]

5 ppm phosphates? Is that a typo or did you mean .05 ppm.

The first number would be an enormous amount of phosphate that would make GFO use futile, especially in her volume of water. .05 POM is reasonable & could be improved by GFO.

 

[mradonis]

5 ppm phosphates? Is that a typo or did you mean .05 ppm.

The first number would be an enormous amount of phosphate that would make GFO use futile, especially in her volume of water. .05 POM is reasonable & could be improved by GFO.

Yes, my bad. It is .05. thanks.


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[mradonis]

One thing I notice is you mention caulerpa in your refugium. Are you lighting it all the time, how are you pruning it? May or may not be causing your problem, but it can release crap back into the water fairly easily depending on how it's maintained. IME, chaeto works much better for a refugium.

Lights turn on when DT turns off and turn off when DT turns on. In short 12 hours a day. As for pruning, I only pick a little out every week and feed it to the tangs.


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[marinelife]

.05 is not bad, can you get a picture of the algae?

 

[mradonis]

.05 is not bad, can you get a picture of the algae?

Thanks, here is a pic.


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[marinelife]

cyano maybe, change your lighting schedule and have your blues are on less.

 

[mradonis]

cyano maybe, change your lighting schedule and have your blues are on less.

My lighting schedule is controlled by my apex system using the seasonal data table for sunrise and sunset. The blues come on at sunrise start with the intensity set to 0% and ramp up to 70% over a 2.5 hour period.

White come on 1/2 hour after sunrise and start with the intensity set to 0% and ramp up to 70% over a 2 hour period.

The whites and blue remain on throughout the day at 70% and have a random cloud schedule throughout the day which changes the intensity between 20% and 45% from 2:00pm to 7:00pm 60% of that time for 3 minute intervals m/w/f.

The white lights start ramping down 2.5 hours before sunset and go from 70% to 0% and turn off 1/2 hour before sunset. The blue lights start ramping down 3 hours before sunset and go from 70% to 0% and turn off 1/2 after sunset.

In your opinion is that too much lighting (coals seem happy and growing) that could cause the cyano algae and could they have an affect on the phosphates?

Thanks!