Nitrate / Phostphate control

[Davileet]

I have tried several times with a couple different lights to get chaeto to grow in my refugium and just haven't had much luck with my most recent tank setup. The chaeto normally thins out, withers away, and then dissapears.

I have no nusiance algae in the display tank, and I don't normally do a ton of water changes, maybe a large one every 4-6 months.

Nutrients from most recent ATI test. Did a phosphate test this morning and its back up to .66 since I haven't been keeping up on the Elimi-Phos.

Any recommendations? Possibly considering an algae turf scrubber, but wondering if it will strip elements that I will have to keep a closer eye on.

 

[Formulator]

I don’t think you will have any better luck with an algae turf scrubber that you did with chaeto. You may be low on iron or another trace element. How did your trace elements look on the ATI test?

Your tank sounds like an excellent candidate for carbon dosing as a nutrient export solution if you can’t get algae to grow. Corals benefit from carbon dosing as well since the bacteria serve as a great food source in the water column.

 

[Davileet]

I don’t think you will have any better luck with an algae turf scrubber that you did with chaeto. You may be low on iron or another trace element. How did your trace elements look on the ATI test?

Your tank sounds like an excellent candidate for carbon dosing as a nutrient export solution if you can’t get algae to grow. Corals benefit from carbon dosing as well since the bacteria serve as a great food source in the water column.

I too worry an algae scrubber may not work. I do have some bubble algae where fish can’t get to it, but nowhere else.

I had been dosing chaeto grow and my iron ended up coming in high with the ATI test at the time I still had chaeto dying out. Currently, most of my trace elements are a bit elevated except manganese, iron, and zinc.

I did daily dose a large bottle of NoPox in the past, but I don’t know if I saw much difference with numbers or any lasting effects. Maybe I need to put it on a doser and stay more religious about it.

 

[Formulator]

I did daily dose a large bottle of NoPox in the past, but I don’t know if I saw much difference with numbers or any lasting effects. Maybe I need to put it on a doser and stay more religious about it.

Yes, you have to be diligent with carbon dosing to get that bacteria established and keep feeding it. One and done is kind of pointless. Carbon dosing should be continuous without an end-point. Vinegar is a lot cheaper than NoPox too.

 

[Davileet]

Yes, you have to be diligent with carbon dosing to get that bacteria established and keep feeding it. One and done is kind of pointless. Carbon dosing should be continuous without an end-point. Vinegar is a lot cheaper than NoPox too.

Is the consensus that carbon dosing is better than algae scrubbing you think?

 

[Formulator]

Is the consensus that carbon dosing is better than algae scrubbing you think?

I don’t think one is better than the other necessarily and some people do both. I just think for your particular situation it might be a good solution for nutrient export, rather than chasing your tail trying to get macro algae to grow when it clearly doesn’t seem to like your system. That is perfectly OK, and I’ve heard of very seasoned and successful reefers with the same problem. Sometimes its not worth the journey down the rabbit hole to solve a more complex problem if there is a simple alternative.

 

[Davileet]

I don’t think one is better than the other necessarily and some people do both. I just think for your particular situation it might be a good solution for nutrient export, rather than chasing your tail trying to get macro algae to grow when it clearly doesn’t seem to like your system. That is perfectly OK, and I’ve heard of very seasoned and successful reefers with the same problem. Sometimes its not worth the journey down the rabbit hole to solve a more complex problem if there is a simple alternative.

Yeah, seems weird that I can’t keep my macro alive. Years ago I never had a problem with those old CFL bulbs, but these new grow lights from Amazon don’t seem to work. You would think with plenty of phosphates and nitrates it wouldn’t have any trouble.

Little worried to do carbon dosing and start competing with my acro too much. Seems a turf scrubber might be the safer alternative, but alas may not do anything at all.

 

[Formulator]

Little worried to do carbon dosing and start competing with my acro too much.

Some of the most successful acro tanks are carbon dosed . The nitrifying bacteria that the carbon dosing promotes is an excellent food source for SPS.

Regarding the macro - why not go back to CFL if that worked before?

 

[Davileet]

Some of the most successful acro tanks are carbon dosed . The nitrifying bacteria that the carbon dosing promotes is an excellent food source for SPS.

Regarding the macro - why not go back to CFL if that worked before?

Well, haven't gone back to it because the bulbs aren't easily sourced from my local Home Depot.

 

[Formulator]

Well, haven't gone back to it because the bulbs aren't easily sourced from my local Home Depot.

I guess its been a while since I bought lightbulbs. Didn’t realize they stopped carrying them altogether