What exactly are these dreaded "Nutrients" we are striving to eradicate?

Xirxes23 · 11/25/2006, 09:20 PM

okok i know looks like a newbie topic, but really, what embodies this umbrella-term "nutrients"?

On my system i have DSB, 145LBS LR, decent sized skimmer, running carbon.

I am not trying to make a case for eradicating water changes here... i just am not sure how to explain to people what they are removing with a water change when they have:

Low Phosphates
almost 0 NH4
almost 0 NH3
almost 0 NH2
pH: 8.2-8.3
Ca:420-430

???

What else is there in the water that we are removing? Arent we spending massive amounts on supplements to put nutrints INTO the water such as Strontium, Magnesium, Iodine, Iron, and a plethora of others? Seems to me that taking those out would be more detrimental than anything.

I want to have the cleanest possible tank. I dont mind doing 10% water change once a week, skimming like a madman and running carbon (soon to be phosban in reactor)... I have a 45G Fuge full of Chaeto and Red Kelp, as well as a growing forrest of Xenia. What else is there to do really?? I have access to a UV sterilizer that i can run in the sump, but have heard mixed reviews about those.

My current issues are: One secluded ares of hair algae. (About 4"x3" on a green mushroom rock), 6-8 sporadic singular bubble algae bubbles, Just recently, very small sections of cyano on my purple frilly gorgonian.

I skim 24/7 and maybe get 1/2 cup in 1 week. Bioload: 2 skunk clowns, 1 b/w Occ., 1 royal gramma, 4 bluegreen chromis, 1 psych. mandarin, 1 scooter mandarin, 1 yellow tang. All pretty small. Should i be seeing more skimmate than this?

Cleanup crew: Initially 100 Turbo snails, 100 Blue leg Hermits, all small. 1 Blue linkia star, 1 6 inch long Cucumber.

Please let me know anything else i can do to A) Clarify my water, B) get rid of ANY problem algaes/cyano. Thanks.

gman0526 · 11/25/2006, 09:59 PM

Skim wet. If you're getting 1/2 cup a week that's not enough. If you have any PO4 reading at all that's too much. How's flow around the rock work and tank? Do you see any dead spots anywhere?

Xirxes23 · 11/25/2006, 10:02 PM

I am sure the flow is pretty dead inside the main rockwork, but the left is a sea-swirl at 500GPH, on the right is 2600GPH wide stream... might be a slower spot directly below the sea swirl about 8 inches down, and behind the rockwork might be pretty dead too... but nothing you can see.

Should i toss a little 75GPH mixer into the rockwork from behind?

I might have been a bit misleading in the skimmate department... i get 1/2 of the SKIMMATE CUP... probably 1-1.5 cups total volume.

Pics of my setup are in the recent gorgonian post i made.

11/25/2006, 09:20 PM	#1
Xirxes23 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 607	What exactly are these dreaded "Nutrients" we are striving to eradicate? okok i know looks like a newbie topic, but really, what embodies this umbrella-term "nutrients"? On my system i have DSB, 145LBS LR, decent sized skimmer, running carbon. I am not trying to make a case for eradicating water changes here... i just am not sure how to explain to people what they are removing with a water change when they have: Low Phosphates almost 0 NH4 almost 0 NH3 almost 0 NH2 pH: 8.2-8.3 Ca:420-430 ??? What else is there in the water that we are removing? Arent we spending massive amounts on supplements to put nutrints INTO the water such as Strontium, Magnesium, Iodine, Iron, and a plethora of others? Seems to me that taking those out would be more detrimental than anything. I want to have the cleanest possible tank. I dont mind doing 10% water change once a week, skimming like a madman and running carbon (soon to be phosban in reactor)... I have a 45G Fuge full of Chaeto and Red Kelp, as well as a growing forrest of Xenia. What else is there to do really?? I have access to a UV sterilizer that i can run in the sump, but have heard mixed reviews about those. My current issues are: One secluded ares of hair algae. (About 4"x3" on a green mushroom rock), 6-8 sporadic singular bubble algae bubbles, Just recently, very small sections of cyano on my purple frilly gorgonian. I skim 24/7 and maybe get 1/2 cup in 1 week. Bioload: 2 skunk clowns, 1 b/w Occ., 1 royal gramma, 4 bluegreen chromis, 1 psych. mandarin, 1 scooter mandarin, 1 yellow tang. All pretty small. Should i be seeing more skimmate than this? Cleanup crew: Initially 100 Turbo snails, 100 Blue leg Hermits, all small. 1 Blue linkia star, 1 6 inch long Cucumber. Please let me know anything else i can do to A) Clarify my water, B) get rid of ANY problem algaes/cyano. Thanks.

11/25/2006, 09:59 PM	#2
gman0526 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 1,278	Skim wet. If you're getting 1/2 cup a week that's not enough. If you have any PO4 reading at all that's too much. How's flow around the rock work and tank? Do you see any dead spots anywhere? __________________ "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." A.E. Current Tank Info: 75 G BB tank

11/25/2006, 10:02 PM	#3
Xirxes23 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 607	I am sure the flow is pretty dead inside the main rockwork, but the left is a sea-swirl at 500GPH, on the right is 2600GPH wide stream... might be a slower spot directly below the sea swirl about 8 inches down, and behind the rockwork might be pretty dead too... but nothing you can see. Should i toss a little 75GPH mixer into the rockwork from behind? I might have been a bit misleading in the skimmate department... i get 1/2 of the SKIMMATE CUP... probably 1-1.5 cups total volume. Pics of my setup are in the recent gorgonian post i made. Last edited by Xirxes23; 11/25/2006 at 10:13 PM.