jtma508
07/16/2012, 08:52 AM
My ~110gal system is a bit over 4-1/2 years old. It's a mix of LPS, zoas and sps. It includes a sump/fuge with a sizable cheato/caulerpa ball. My skimmer is an I-Tech 150 and does a great job. I have struggled with nitrate and phosphate issues from the beginning. I'm convinced I don't over-feed and do weekly 16gal water changes. I've gone through every export/control regimen out there: GFO, POX-4, ChemiPure, Purigen, Vodka/Vinegar and am now on bio-pellets and NoPox. Still, my nitrates have consistently hovered around 10ppm and phophates around 0.2.
Despite periodic supplementation with MB7 and similar bacterial boosters I grew convinced that my system's NO3/PO4 export 'engine' just couldn't keep up so I decided to take desperate measures.
A little background on my set-up: my RO/DI system is in my basement and is plumbed up to my system as my ATO controlled by my RKE. When I do water changes I use a 16gal polypropylene bucket and simply connect extention tubing to my ATO outlet via a John Guest fitting and turn the ATO water on at the RKE. Outlets for my heater and circulation pump are right there. The inlet for my closed-loop is also plumbed through a valve to allow for draining the tank. Makes water changes so easy.
A little over a week ago I did sequential water changes. I filled the 16gal, adjusted salinity and got to temperature and then changed out 8gal. I refilled, readjusted salinity and re-warmed the water repeating 4 times and then changed-out the last 16gal. Total change 48gal. This method prevented shocking the tank and no one seemed to even notice much.
The next day I tested and NO3 was ~5 and PO4 was 0.06. Given the big water change, no surprise. A few days later levels were about the same and now, 9 days out, they've begun to drop. NO3 is running ~3 and PO4 is 0.05. I'm hoping the heavy-handed approach is letting my system get ahead finally. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Despite periodic supplementation with MB7 and similar bacterial boosters I grew convinced that my system's NO3/PO4 export 'engine' just couldn't keep up so I decided to take desperate measures.
A little background on my set-up: my RO/DI system is in my basement and is plumbed up to my system as my ATO controlled by my RKE. When I do water changes I use a 16gal polypropylene bucket and simply connect extention tubing to my ATO outlet via a John Guest fitting and turn the ATO water on at the RKE. Outlets for my heater and circulation pump are right there. The inlet for my closed-loop is also plumbed through a valve to allow for draining the tank. Makes water changes so easy.
A little over a week ago I did sequential water changes. I filled the 16gal, adjusted salinity and got to temperature and then changed out 8gal. I refilled, readjusted salinity and re-warmed the water repeating 4 times and then changed-out the last 16gal. Total change 48gal. This method prevented shocking the tank and no one seemed to even notice much.
The next day I tested and NO3 was ~5 and PO4 was 0.06. Given the big water change, no surprise. A few days later levels were about the same and now, 9 days out, they've begun to drop. NO3 is running ~3 and PO4 is 0.05. I'm hoping the heavy-handed approach is letting my system get ahead finally. Keep your fingers crossed for me.