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OP
Had an optical sensor laying around, small cutout with a dremel and now I have a sensor in the tank that will detect high water alerts. Main objective way to not be intrusive and I like the end result.
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Did some water testing this morning. Alk 8.8 Phosphates 0 Nitrates 0 - I have been dosing nitrates and I am getting some color on the test and that quickly fades. Need to do some research to see if I can dose up to 5ppm in one shot. Phosphates have always moved around a little, I so have some seachem flourish phosphorous I may end up dosing.
The majority of my SPS frags have taken a toll over the last few weeks so I added the skimmer back this morning to aerate the water. The last time I reduced the time period on the ATS I thought I was getting dino's, I may revisit this idea and reduce the time period gradually on the ATS. I was reading a thread on here yesterday "Should I Dose Nitrates" ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/should-i-dose-nitrates.374630/ ) - From what I gathered the suggestion was to dose nitrates and run the skimmer to provide the aeration.
The nyos skimmer fits nicely with the critter cage full of mud and the ATS output. I was afraid that the ATS output would disturb the mud, it looks like I may be good to go!
The majority of my SPS frags have taken a toll over the last few weeks so I added the skimmer back this morning to aerate the water. The last time I reduced the time period on the ATS I thought I was getting dino's, I may revisit this idea and reduce the time period gradually on the ATS. I was reading a thread on here yesterday "Should I Dose Nitrates" ( https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/should-i-dose-nitrates.374630/ ) - From what I gathered the suggestion was to dose nitrates and run the skimmer to provide the aeration.
The nyos skimmer fits nicely with the critter cage full of mud and the ATS output. I was afraid that the ATS output would disturb the mud, it looks like I may be good to go!
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Nice bud! I would probably increase the dose of Nitate by 25% until you get a consistent/desired reading. Consider setting the ATS to the time/intensity you'd prefer to keep it at and then tinker with dosage until you get to your goal. By setting the ATS/Skimmer 1st you're eliminating one changing variable from the equation if that makes sense?
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Makes perfect sense! Thank you very much for all of the help you have given me over the last year or more! I was nervous about dosing the nitrates which is one reason I've been going really slow, the calculator I used helped a ton. When it comes to dosing the phosphates that is a new ball game! I dosed 10 ml of nitrates last night and when I tested this morning it was at zero, there was a little color change in the test but not enough to solidify a reading above 0. I'll probably dose 20ml tonight and maybe 5ml of the phosphates and see what happens.
The ATS is tricky for me, it is a set it and forget it device. Seems like there is a fine line between it working OK and too well. My auto feeder feeds the tank twice a day and I feed a frozen cube daily which I feel is pretty heavy.
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Happy to help when i think I can... I know you speak often with lots of folks that have more experince than I but every so often I might have a tip that helps. Dosing was anything was probably the most intimidating thing I've done especially No3 being that 95% of us are trying to remove it! You got this.
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Dosed 20ml of my nitrate mix last night and half a cap of the flourish phosphorous. Skimmer doing well with the adjustments wide open.
Will does another 20ml of nitrate tonight and a cap of flourish phosphorous.
Trying to stabilize alk since I’m dosing esv bionic now.
Will does another 20ml of nitrate tonight and a cap of flourish phosphorous.
Trying to stabilize alk since I’m dosing esv bionic now.
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Let’s give this a try! Probably be middle of April (hopefully) before I have any results. Depends on which warehouse @MarineDepot has it stocked in!
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I made one small adjustment to the open/close valve. Otherwise all are wide open. Miracle mud, nitrate or phosphate dosing the cause of the best skim this skimmer her ever produced?!?! Haha
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Well ive had all but the miracle mud in my system and have never seen pitch black so thats my best guess....
Im super curious to see how your corals respond over the next 2 weeks!
Im super curious to see how your corals respond over the next 2 weeks!
I got pitch black once, and might be your reason too. I was carbon dosing and the skimmer wasn't pulling out what I expected. I gave it a big vinegar bath, then presto.
Algae breaking down as it dies can be a form of carbon dosing. Between that and your newly cleaned skimmer, maybe??
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That’s possible! I left it off the tank for 2 weeks, so it’s probably making up for lost time! Haha I’ve been dosing more nitrates than phosphates since they are lower. This is also the first time I’ve ran the skimmer with the miracle mud in the system.
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I did some water testing this morning, nitrates are holding up (haven't dosed in a few days). I may have overshot a little but that is okay, I need to do the high range test to find the real number. Phosphates were at .05 I've only dosed a couple cap fulls of the seachem flourish into the tank.... Not all at once! My feedings and reef roids have been helping.
Now the salinity. I try to test this a couple times a week, I do test when I do water changes (not very often). First result was my salinity was 1.026.. Okay I like that number! I got some standards out of the cabinet and tested it, well either one of 2 things happened. Either my standards are wrong or out of date or my salinity is much lower than I thought. I am going to check the date on the standard tonight and very again, after adjusting the refractometer to the standards my salinity came back at 1.020ish.
A mixture of low nutrients and low salinity means that the SPS corals that were doing okay started to fade pretty quickly. I only have a few pieces left in the tank and the green slimmer hasn't been doing so well. I plan to mix up a gallon or so of saltwater tonight and start topping off with salt water to raise the salinity.
Now the salinity. I try to test this a couple times a week, I do test when I do water changes (not very often). First result was my salinity was 1.026.. Okay I like that number! I got some standards out of the cabinet and tested it, well either one of 2 things happened. Either my standards are wrong or out of date or my salinity is much lower than I thought. I am going to check the date on the standard tonight and very again, after adjusting the refractometer to the standards my salinity came back at 1.020ish.
A mixture of low nutrients and low salinity means that the SPS corals that were doing okay started to fade pretty quickly. I only have a few pieces left in the tank and the green slimmer hasn't been doing so well. I plan to mix up a gallon or so of saltwater tonight and start topping off with salt water to raise the salinity.
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