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cflow · 02/17/2018, 03:52 PM

After months of starving my corals I've simplified my AF additives to the point where I'm now only using ABEV, components 1,2,3, carbon, and siporax. I also exchanged my skimmer for one that has no pin wheel and is hardly rated for my tank volume. My NO3 and PO4 have been 0 by salifert, red sea, and hanna test kits. I started dosing food KNO3 to get some nitrate in the water. Within a few days my corals started growing again, my alkalinity, Mg, and Ca consumption increased and my colors got MUCH better. The flip side is I started developing a bryopsis algae which is just annoying. I've been acquiring a heavier CUC to take care of it but I'm not sure they can handle it. My question is would reintroducing bacteria /carbon dosing be a recipe for disaster at this point? The algae is annoying but I'm afraid of a giant cyano or other algae/bacteria bloom. I struggle to keep my NO3 at ~2. PO4 0 regardless of my efforts. I imagine some PO4 is in the system, but the algae is using it before it can be measured. I'm having some difficulty finding the right balance for my tank.

02/17/2018, 03:52 PM	#1
cflow Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 792	Dosing KNO3 with AF After months of starving my corals I've simplified my AF additives to the point where I'm now only using ABEV, components 1,2,3, carbon, and siporax. I also exchanged my skimmer for one that has no pin wheel and is hardly rated for my tank volume. My NO3 and PO4 have been 0 by salifert, red sea, and hanna test kits. I started dosing food KNO3 to get some nitrate in the water. Within a few days my corals started growing again, my alkalinity, Mg, and Ca consumption increased and my colors got MUCH better. The flip side is I started developing a bryopsis algae which is just annoying. I've been acquiring a heavier CUC to take care of it but I'm not sure they can handle it. My question is would reintroducing bacteria /carbon dosing be a recipe for disaster at this point? The algae is annoying but I'm afraid of a giant cyano or other algae/bacteria bloom. I struggle to keep my NO3 at ~2. PO4 0 regardless of my efforts. I imagine some PO4 is in the system, but the algae is using it before it can be measured. I'm having some difficulty finding the right balance for my tank.