nutrient deficient system

topenjoin

topenjoin

New member
Alright so I have a question about my corals are browning and losing color. I just started my reef tank about three months ago. Recently I've added some corals like spongodes and noticed it losing its bright green color.

I've tested my water and 0 phosphates and nitrates. I've tested for ammonia using a freshwater ammonia kit and got. 25 not sure if that's accurate. Calcium at around 500. Have not tested alk yet but will today. I cycled my tank with 100% dry rock and raw shrimp for a month. No signs of coraline but I do have coraline on brought in corals and snails.

I feed my fish daily with only as much as they eat never excess. I feed with new life spectrum 1mm pellets.

My question is do I need to have traces of nitrates and phosphates to feed the corals? I've been so worked over on starting a clean system I think it's too clean and nutrient deficient.

I have two clown fish, yellow tang and kole tang. In a 80 gallon

Algea i don't have much besides whitish hair algea that I've read to be related to nutrient deficient system and says it will disappear on its own.

I don't dose anything yet. I just added chateo algea in my sump. I will however dose randys two part.

What do you guys feed? What should I feed corals and how much.

Thanks,
David
 
ghostman

ghostman

New member
If you have algae growth, then you have enough PO4 and NO3 for corals to use and grow. What brand test kits are you using? Also, could you please post some parameter; Specific Gravity, pH, Alk, Mag. Your calcium is kinda high, so that may mean your Alk is low. I have a low nutrient system and shoot for between 7-8 DKH. Some people run higher Alk. It needs to be steady. What intensity are you running your lights at? It's sometimes hard to figure out if LEDs are running too high or too low. Many people start too low to err on the side of caution. I've also never heard of the white algae being in nutrient poor systems. It shouldn't be there, and I would try to remove it with water changes, scrubbing, etc.
 
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ghostman said:
If you have algae growth, then you have enough PO4 and NO3 for corals to use and grow. What brand test kits are you using? Also, could you please post some parameter; Specific Gravity, pH, Alk, Mag. Your calcium is kinda high, so that may mean your Alk is low. I have a low nutrient system and shoot for between 7-8 DKH. Some people run higher Alk. It needs to be steady. What intensity are you running your lights at? It's sometimes hard to figure out if LEDs are running too high or too low. Many people start too low to err on the side of caution. I've also never heard of the white algae being in nutrient poor systems. It shouldn't be there, and I would try to remove it with water changes, scrubbing, etc.
Click to expand...
Using salifert nitrate and hana for phosphates.
1.025 have not checked pH or alk yet. I will in a few hours.
 
topenjoin

topenjoin

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Also leds I have been ramping them up little by little. Now running 75%blue and 40% white for 7 hours a day.
 
cet98

cet98

Active member
it looks to me like your dry rock may be leaching phosphates...your getting readings of 0 because the algae is consuming the phosphates which will give you a false positive reading...also, you should be using Marine/Saltwater test kits to measure your parameters especially Ammonia IMO....
I recommend you start a water changing regimen of 25% every 4-5 days until you get everything under control

also, you may want to consider running some GFO to help control the leaching of phosphates
 
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ghostman

ghostman

New member
+1 to cet98. Rocks may be leaching PO4 which isn't going to be measured since its not in your water column. Your other water parameters seem to be pretty good, alk could be raised and cal could be lower. Your tank is still pretty new for SPS, so I wouldn't expect great results immediately. Many SPS take some time to adjust to LED lighting, so it just may take time. I don't know if 75%blue and 40% white is low or not. If you have access to a PAR meter, that would help a lot. Keep up with water changes and get some GFO going for the hair algae and you should be good. I didn't ask about flow, but saw some decent sized pumps in your tank. I'm also assuming you have a good skimmer for nutrient export. All good things :)
 
topenjoin

topenjoin

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Thanks guys. Yes I was planning on running gfo. After testing and 0 phosphates I held off. But I will start running it tomorrow.

I will start dosing alk and calcium. Will pickup baking soda and the calcium part. Is my alk dangerously low?

I have x2 wp25 on low wave setting for now. And a bubble magus curve 5 for now. Getting a ton of gunk out.
 
maidia

maidia

Team CR
I didn't see any snail in the tank..Put some or lot of turbo snails in there when run the GFO will help a lot.
 
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