Quote:
Originally Posted by tmz
Zero PO4 would concern me but it could just be a testing ghost.Raising alk with zero PO4 could be an issue. Are you using any other PO4 reducers like gfo? If not I'd cut back on the pellets .
I'm not sure a soluble organic like vodka and vinegar would add more bacteria directly to the water column than pellet based polymers, but it might since it diffuses right away . There is still substantial visual evidence of benthic bacteria though. I've used vodka and vinegar for over 5 years(PO4 0.02 to 0.04ppm;NO3 around 0.2ppm,alk 9.5dkh/pH 8.15 to 8.35 daily swing) ) with no dinos m or burnt tips except a few I brought in by accident with a coral and they died off in a day.
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I know that this seems like a super basic, obvious question, but is there any sort of consensus on high vs low nutrients to best battle dinos? I have always looked at low nutrients as being the best tool to battle algae, but I can certainly see that nutrients being low enough to prevent any competitive algaes from being present could give dinos free reign to take off...figured that I need to get a firm handle on that once and for all.
I do have a recirculating biopellet reactor, so I have already backed off the effluent rate a bit in hopes of increasing PO4 slightly so I can slowly bump up my alk. For whatever reason I have had LOTS of trouble with burned tips in the past, so I am fairly cautious, that's for sure.
I am still ultimately making plans to set up an external refugium so I can increase the total amount of live rock for filtration. Hopefully manually removing the dinos every day, keeping the reduced light schedule, increasing my alk, and boosting my ph will slowly turn the tide.