Nutrient export

mpderksen · 07/07/2016, 09:00 PM

Getting the GHA growing again after almost a year of keeping it at bay. Seems to be about when I started adding some oyster feast and DT phyto to the schedule. I alternate them, and add some only once or twice each week, total. Does it just take time for the system to adapt to the increase? The fish are fed 3 X each day with an autofeeder holding NLS pellets, and everyone is fat. I was trying to get better coral growth and color.
In my mind, an ATS deals with the symptom of too many nutrients, and not the root cause. Maybe my tank is too sterile that there isn't enough LIFE in there, so the excess just fuels the GHA?
I don't want to just to GFO crazy and strip the water, but maybe I should?
I'll test everything tonight, since the follow up is, "what are your parameters?". I'm pretty sure everything is in the acceptable range, and I see a lot of posts that just say, "your ALK is 9? I run mine at 8.3567543 and have no problems, so bring it down."

OrQidz · 07/07/2016, 09:15 PM

Better coral growth and color...what's your light situation? Could it be that?

It sounds like excess nutrients to me, if they worsen with additional feeding. I'm trying to decide about your thoughts on the ATS treating the symptoms, not the cause of the excess nutrients. I see where you're going with that, but there will always be nutrients going into the tank via food and fish waste breakdown. So you need some kind of export.

mpderksen · 07/07/2016, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrQidz

Better coral growth and color...what's your light situation? Could it be that?

It sounds like excess nutrients to me, if they worsen with additional feeding. I'm trying to decide about your thoughts on the ATS treating the symptoms, not the cause of the excess nutrients. I see where you're going with that, but there will always be nutrients going into the tank via food and fish waste breakdown. So you need some kind of export.

I've only ever had LEDs on my tanks (4 of them so far). So I have no gauge of what "fast growth" actually is. I only have my on experience. Currently, on my 75g, I have 2, RapidLED fixtures, with 24 LEDs each. Everything looks really pastel, not vibrant. Certainly not like some of the photos I see here from other reefers (I don't count web photos that are doctored). I seem to have healthy corals, from some SPS, LPS, and great Florida Ricordia colonies. I don't care how fast they grow, I just was looking for deeper, richer colors. I thought, maybe they need more than just light? So I bought a few of the foods I see mentioned here by reefers I respect.
As far as nutrient export, I have the obvious live rock, and maybe not enough. A sand bed that isn't deep by any means, but no worms or other sifters. The sump has a bunch of Marine Pure balls, which I figured would supplement. I don't have any type of macro in the fuge, but certainly could.
No, I don't think GFO is the ultimate answer, and lots of successful tanks don't run it at all. I used to change it monthly, but honestly I did get lazy in the last few months. Maybe my tank is used to low Phosphate from the GFO, and getting behind was the tipping point? Then I added more food, too much, too fast, and now I get to spend 6 months slowly fighting the classic battle?

OrQidz · 07/07/2016, 09:43 PM

It could very well be! Maybe try adding the GFO back and seeing how it goes? You might try adding some macro in the fuge.

I have color envy as well with some of the pics I see. I have mostly softies and cheapo lights. It sounds like you have decent lights....I wonder if the pics you're looking at are using real high end lights? I have found that I like my reef's colors a lot more with a more blue light. My current ones are kind of white and not that exciting.

mpderksen · 07/08/2016, 10:05 AM

Perhaps a better way for me to say it might be "what are my nutrient export options?". I'm not down on ATS at all, I just feel they are potentially covering up an imbalance that may be solved differently. That's for another thread.
Consider vodka/sugar dosing. My understanding there is that we are supporting the beneficial bacteria, which helps bring down nitrates, right? Slacking on the GFO, and then increasing my feeding was likely a double whammy. Once GHA takes off, it's a long road back, so I want to jump on it. Going crazy with the GFO could strip the water "too clean"? But I thought I needed to out compete the GHA for the phosphate and nitrate.
A natural system has macro algae all over the place. At least in the sites I've dove. So that may be the route to go. I'm open to hearing other thoughts.

07/07/2016, 09:00 PM	#1
mpderksen Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Manteca, CA Posts: 1,853	Nutrient export Getting the GHA growing again after almost a year of keeping it at bay. Seems to be about when I started adding some oyster feast and DT phyto to the schedule. I alternate them, and add some only once or twice each week, total. Does it just take time for the system to adapt to the increase? The fish are fed 3 X each day with an autofeeder holding NLS pellets, and everyone is fat. I was trying to get better coral growth and color. In my mind, an ATS deals with the symptom of too many nutrients, and not the root cause. Maybe my tank is too sterile that there isn't enough LIFE in there, so the excess just fuels the GHA? I don't want to just to GFO crazy and strip the water, but maybe I should? I'll test everything tonight, since the follow up is, "what are your parameters?". I'm pretty sure everything is in the acceptable range, and I see a lot of posts that just say, "your ALK is 9? I run mine at 8.3567543 and have no problems, so bring it down."

07/07/2016, 09:15 PM	#2
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	Better coral growth and color...what's your light situation? Could it be that? It sounds like excess nutrients to me, if they worsen with additional feeding. I'm trying to decide about your thoughts on the ATS treating the symptoms, not the cause of the excess nutrients. I see where you're going with that, but there will always be nutrients going into the tank via food and fish waste breakdown. So you need some kind of export.

07/07/2016, 09:43 PM	#4
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	It could very well be! Maybe try adding the GFO back and seeing how it goes? You might try adding some macro in the fuge. I have color envy as well with some of the pics I see. I have mostly softies and cheapo lights. It sounds like you have decent lights....I wonder if the pics you're looking at are using real high end lights? I have found that I like my reef's colors a lot more with a more blue light. My current ones are kind of white and not that exciting.

07/08/2016, 10:05 AM	#5
mpderksen Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Manteca, CA Posts: 1,853	Perhaps a better way for me to say it might be "what are my nutrient export options?". I'm not down on ATS at all, I just feel they are potentially covering up an imbalance that may be solved differently. That's for another thread. Consider vodka/sugar dosing. My understanding there is that we are supporting the beneficial bacteria, which helps bring down nitrates, right? Slacking on the GFO, and then increasing my feeding was likely a double whammy. Once GHA takes off, it's a long road back, so I want to jump on it. Going crazy with the GFO could strip the water "too clean"? But I thought I needed to out compete the GHA for the phosphate and nitrate. A natural system has macro algae all over the place. At least in the sites I've dove. So that may be the route to go. I'm open to hearing other thoughts.