Hello, did not find in a search, read a few earlier articles, but I admit to middle age affecting my focus and it seems my memory of chemistry is essentially gone
background:
new tank - 55 gallons,9 weeks old, cycled with bacteria in a bottle, fish in tank now 3 weeks, admittedly feeding heavy, trying to sort appetites, perhaps should keep to meats and avoid flakes.
No sump but small hob fuge for carbon,gfo and macro algae, currently gracillia , handful out q 2 weeks- small effect, I know
Small bullet 3 aquamax hob skimmer, full cup of yuck q 2-3 days
Since feeding the fish my phosphates have risen, up to 0.24, down to o.12 after 48 hours gfo
1 week later 0.29
Gfo back in
alkalinity has kept around 9.2 (salt mix numbers) and calcium ~500
1 week later alk is 8.8
are phosphate and alk related, other than phosphate inhibiting calcium carbonate formation?
Will dosing small amount of kalkwasser q3-7 days create meaningful effects lowering phosphate, as long as alk and ph stay in range?
I am working on better feeding strategies to keep fish well fed but not overdoing it, snails and crabs are keeping things clean
My hair algae is very pretty but getting better with CUC and a sea hare, in a week ~ 20% reduction so far
thanks for time and thoughts.
Cheers
background:
new tank - 55 gallons,9 weeks old, cycled with bacteria in a bottle, fish in tank now 3 weeks, admittedly feeding heavy, trying to sort appetites, perhaps should keep to meats and avoid flakes.
No sump but small hob fuge for carbon,gfo and macro algae, currently gracillia , handful out q 2 weeks- small effect, I know
Small bullet 3 aquamax hob skimmer, full cup of yuck q 2-3 days
Since feeding the fish my phosphates have risen, up to 0.24, down to o.12 after 48 hours gfo
1 week later 0.29
Gfo back in
alkalinity has kept around 9.2 (salt mix numbers) and calcium ~500
1 week later alk is 8.8
are phosphate and alk related, other than phosphate inhibiting calcium carbonate formation?
Will dosing small amount of kalkwasser q3-7 days create meaningful effects lowering phosphate, as long as alk and ph stay in range?
I am working on better feeding strategies to keep fish well fed but not overdoing it, snails and crabs are keeping things clean
My hair algae is very pretty but getting better with CUC and a sea hare, in a week ~ 20% reduction so far
thanks for time and thoughts.
Cheers