Sanity Check? No3po4x? High phosphates, no nitrates, huge sump.

[tjhammer]

Hi guys... looking for a few opinions on water chemistry and solution...

150g DT + 150g sump; lots (and lots) of macro (mostly fern algae, some chaeto); lots of pods and life in the sump; 2 year established tank. Granulated carbon and high capacity GFO. 480cal;160alk.

• Consistently 0 Nitrates.
• Lately higher phosphates (0.16)
• Coincides with increased liquid feeding (Oyster Feast/ROE from Reef Nutrition, and Copepods and Rotifers from Dr. G); I setup a refrigerated auto doser for the liquid foods.
• Also dosing live phyto that is culturing near the sump.
• No nuisance algae in DT.
• Rarely get much skimmate (SRO-5000).
• Most SPS/LPS/Soft corals seem fine (with couple of exceptions).
• Not thrilled with coral coloration, but but also not terrible (added several T5s to my LEDs recently, and coloration has improved).

So, everything is generally pretty good, with the exception of the recent elevated phosphates. Obviously, it could be connected to increased feeding (but I'm adding livestock, and don't plan to pull that back).

I am considering the following actions:

1. Considering dosing NO3: PO4-X.

• Worthwhile if Nitrates are 0 and Phosphates are 0.16?
• Would have to end use of GFO.
• Harmful to macroalgae?
• Expect more/better skimmate as a result of dosing.
• Other benefit? Or possible harm?

2. Or just increasing GFO.

3. Any suspicion that one (or more) of the Dr. G's (Max Copepods, Max Rotifers, Max Mysis) or the Reef Nutrition (Oyster Feast, ROE) are specifically high in phosphates?

Any thoughts on above? Several folks have recommended starting the NoPox regimen, and to expect better color and health overall. But I don't like just masking the problem (if that's all it's good for) with chemicals.

View attachment 19367

The only unhealthy coral (at the moment):
View attachment 19368

This is my refrigerated dosing center (I have pulled the Dr. G's from feeding in this pic and to see if that is the main culprit).
View attachment 19369

 

[Rcunning8]

What's the reason you are dosing the above four supplements above? If you have a good pod population and an established refugium your water column should have nutrients from that. I rely on my refugium to feed most of my corals and I target feed reef roids to the corals that I want to grow faster like my chalices and my tachyphyllias. I would stop dosing those products completely if you are just dosing for that one gorgonian in there. Also I would say your nitrates are too low. A lot of people say 0 nitrates is a good thing for coloration but that is a myth. You want nitrates between 2ppm and 5ppm and these numbers should come from a reliable test kit like Red Sea or salifert those API test kits are complete garbage and I can't speak to the digital test kits but heard they are reliable as well. Regardless I would just stop dosing those four products, target feed the corals you want to grow faster and if u are lazy like me then set up an auto feeder for your fish and u will get better colors with nitrates at a stable 5ppm. I dose about 2 ml of Red Sea nopox a day via my jebao foster but am thinking of stopping completely once this batch runs out as I have been having issues keeping my nitrates up while dosing that stuff recently and my tanks skimmer (nyos quantum) is such a beast that I really don't feel like I need it anymore. Hope that helps


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