Tank parameters help

Jdavis8824 · 12/22/2015, 04:08 PM

I have a 20g IM reef. I had a problem with brown algea and after countless months trying to figure out why and buying a lot of equipment and trying different chemical products, I realized the silicates where coming from the water changes I did weekly. I changed 2 1/2g each week. It wasn't the rodi but silicates where present after adding the Red Sea salt. So I started over with all new life rock and tank looks great. So I only have around 8 small to med sized frags. All LPS except one easier to keep sps. I'm trying to dial in my parameters and need help optimizing them. I've dosed just a tad to get my cal 420, alk 8.4 and mag at 1360. The issue I'm having is 0.0 nitrate and phosphates. My corals began to dull in color and I believe this is why. I have 2 clowns one dottyback and 3 turbo snails in right now. I feed very little once everyday or two. I need more nutrients in my water but not sure how to go about raising them safely? Any advice on those or what my other parameters should look like.

Equipment: radion xr15, nano skimmer 2, mini max reactor w/ rowa, upgraded baskets w/ chemipure elite, purigen, and nano tunze auto top off.
Temp 78
Salinity 1.026
Radion ramps from 20k to 14k and back down. 11hrs total

FortyFour · 12/22/2015, 04:18 PM

I'd say your options are adding fish or feeding more, although I've seen a thread about people dosing nitrates in one of the forums. You might be able to find more talking points there.

Jdavis8824 · 12/22/2015, 04:45 PM

I would like to add fish but the neon dottyback makes that impossible at the moment.

Bogue Chitto · 12/22/2015, 08:13 PM

Just feed them a little more and feed them every day. Your nitrates will come, but take it slowly and don't raise them too high.

Dkuhlmann · 12/23/2015, 04:08 AM

You have the water is too clean syndrome as I call it. In addition to what others have suggested if you have a skimmer stop running it and see if your nitrates and phosphates don't come up a bit. Beware that you could get algae blooms with doing this. If you do just add to your cuc to consume them and let the algae bloom run it's course.

12/22/2015, 04:08 PM	#1
Jdavis8824 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 371	Tank parameters help I have a 20g IM reef. I had a problem with brown algea and after countless months trying to figure out why and buying a lot of equipment and trying different chemical products, I realized the silicates where coming from the water changes I did weekly. I changed 2 1/2g each week. It wasn't the rodi but silicates where present after adding the Red Sea salt. So I started over with all new life rock and tank looks great. So I only have around 8 small to med sized frags. All LPS except one easier to keep sps. I'm trying to dial in my parameters and need help optimizing them. I've dosed just a tad to get my cal 420, alk 8.4 and mag at 1360. The issue I'm having is 0.0 nitrate and phosphates. My corals began to dull in color and I believe this is why. I have 2 clowns one dottyback and 3 turbo snails in right now. I feed very little once everyday or two. I need more nutrients in my water but not sure how to go about raising them safely? Any advice on those or what my other parameters should look like. Equipment: radion xr15, nano skimmer 2, mini max reactor w/ rowa, upgraded baskets w/ chemipure elite, purigen, and nano tunze auto top off. Temp 78 Salinity 1.026 Radion ramps from 20k to 14k and back down. 11hrs total

12/23/2015, 04:08 AM	#5
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	You have the water is too clean syndrome as I call it. In addition to what others have suggested if you have a skimmer stop running it and see if your nitrates and phosphates don't come up a bit. Beware that you could get algae blooms with doing this. If you do just add to your cuc to consume them and let the algae bloom run it's course. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

12/22/2015, 04:18 PM	#2
FortyFour Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 371	I'd say your options are adding fish or feeding more, although I've seen a thread about people dosing nitrates in one of the forums. You might be able to find more talking points there.

12/22/2015, 04:45 PM	#3
Jdavis8824 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 371	I would like to add fish but the neon dottyback makes that impossible at the moment.

12/22/2015, 08:13 PM	#4
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	Just feed them a little more and feed them every day. Your nitrates will come, but take it slowly and don't raise them too high.