Battling Nitrates & Phosphates

[amado]

I am going no faster than my smaller AIO tank - and that tank is (knock on wood) doing great. I went so incredibly slow with the frag tank. Let it cycle for 2 months without touching it.. I than added CUC waited another month and than added fish & corals. I think algae came in on a frag and it multiplied & now my nutrients are all over the place.

Truthfully everyone has a different approach - and i am still trying to figure out what to do here. If i get an ICP test what is that going to do? Won't it still show false zero for nitrates?

icp test will confirm your numbers or give you new numbers to work with. It’s very different when a lab technician is doing the testing in a lab. With lab grade instruments. Instead of you in your basement with hobby grade test kits. Just like you go to the doctor once a year to get a physical you should also
Send out a water test to really see how your tanks are doing. Especially when you are having problems like algae.

 

[Hallowhead]

icp test will confirm your numbers or give you new numbers to work with. It’s very different when a lab technician is doing the testing in a lab. With lab grade instruments. Instead of you in your basement with hobby grade test kits. Just like you go to the doctor once a year to get a physical you should also
Send out a water test to really see how your tanks are doing. Especially when you are having problems like algae.

What ICP test do you recommend?

You don't think I should add some more CUC members? snails? in the meantime?

Should I continue to raise my lights intensity 10% per week?

Should I get some chaeto to put into my fuge to get some nutrient export going?

 

[amado]

What ICP test do you recommend?

You don't think I should add some more CUC members? snails? in the meantime?

Should I continue to raise my lights intensity 10% per week?

Should I get some chaeto to put into my fuge to get some nutrient export going?

you can go ahead and put your lights at 100% tonight. You don’t have to do it slowly.
even at 100% I don’t think youhave enough light over that tank.
don’t add anything until get the icp test back.
if you have a refugium you can get chaeto from a trusted source. Like algae barn not someone else tank.

 

[Hallowhead]

Are you sure raising from 35% intensity to 100% over 3 days is okay?? That's almost tripling the intensity.

I have a refugium and a light ready to go, I may get chaeto from absolutely fish tonight.. is that trusted enough? I will be replacing a turbo snail that passed away 1.5 weeks ago.... yes I took his body out.

 

[Cjk90978]

Aquarium Test Kits

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.marinedepot.com

link to the ICP test I used. Some lfs have them as well.

Stupid question, maybe not, are you doing weekly water changes? I stopped my similar problem by adding a BRS reactor with gfo and reverting back to weekly water changes instead of bi-weekly.

 

[Hallowhead]

Aquarium Test Kits

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.marinedepot.com

link to the ICP test I used. Some lfs have them as well.

Stupid question, maybe not, are you doing weekly water changes? I stopped my similar problem by adding a BRS reactor with gfo and reverting back to weekly water changes instead of bi-weekly.

I am doing weekly water changes - sometimes bi-weekly.

 

[amado]

Are you sure raising from 35% intensity to 100% over 3 days is okay?? That's almost tripling the intensity.

I have a refugium and a light ready to go, I may get chaeto from absolutely fish tonight.. is that trusted enough? I will be replacing a turbo snail that passed away 1.5 weeks ago.... yes I took his body out.

I would raise it today from 33% to 100%
I am currently running 8 x the light you are running on the same tank. And I am looking to add more light because 90 is enough for some corals in the corners.

 

[Hallowhead]

The 34 Deep blue or?

Anyone else feel that this is okay?

 

[amado]

The 34 Deep blue or?

Anyone else feel that this is okay?

So your lights are 1/2 the numbers on the screen at 100%. Your running 30%-40% of 1/2 of these numbers your coral are very unhappy.

Your tank the middle of the tank should be at 150 with your lights at 100%.
You are running them at 40% so your lights are 60-70 par in the middle

 

[Hallowhead]

They seem happy just not growing.. hey I'll raise the intensity to 70 peak right now and monitor closely this weekend

 

[Hallowhead]

What do you think for now ?

 

[amado]

What do you think for now ?

This makes me very sad. Your corals are not getting enough lights.

You shouldn’t run intensity lower than 60%
You need a par meter ASAP.
25% at noon that’s should be the heightest at 100% and you should run a 100% all the way until 7pm and then start ramping down if you must

 

[Hallowhead]

Every thread I've ever read on the 160 says to not hit 100 and to have it peak and ramp up. You're the first person to tell me otherwise .. I feel so confused

 

[Hallowhead]

What do you run your kessil a160 at?

Hello everyone I have 2 kessil a160 tuna blues over my 60 gallon tall reef tank, I was just wondering what you guys run your cycle with these lights and the max intensity you have yours set at and what you would recommend for my tank. Thanks

www.reef2reef.com

Here's a thread with people using 75 % on a 75 gallon deep tank... I have no sps just softies and lps. I think with the kessil a160we I am probably emmitting too much intensity now being at 75%

Anyone else wanna weigh in

 

[amado]

What do you run your kessil a160 at?

Hello everyone I have 2 kessil a160 tuna blues over my 60 gallon tall reef tank, I was just wondering what you guys run your cycle with these lights and the max intensity you have yours set at and what you would recommend for my tank. Thanks

www.reef2reef.com

Here's a thread with people using 75 % on a 75 gallon deep tank... I have no sps just softies and lps. I think with the kessil a160we I am probably emmitting too much intensity now being at 75%

You are listing to the wrong people
I that tread this guy is the pro and he is saying the same thing I am saying



Anyone else wanna weigh in

 

[Hallowhead]

Remember my tank is 34 gallons not 75

 

[amado]

Ok I am done with this tread.
Good luck

 

[Hallowhead]

Ok I am done with this tread.
Good luck

Thanks again - I'm not saying you're right or wrong just asking for someone else to weigh in.

 

[Cjk90978]

Thanks again - I'm not saying you're right or wrong just asking for someone else to weigh in.

I would definitely get a PAR meter (rent one or find someone to share), because you wont get more definitive answers otherwise. You'll keep guessing.

MY input about ramping from 35% to 100% is I wouldn't do it so fast. If your not losing coral, increasing your intensity by 5-10% per week would be the way I would go (10% being max). Since they aren't dying, there's no need to flash them with 100%. You could increase them maybe 5% every 3 days and see how they react.

 

[Justin]

I sent kessil an email about these lights a year ago and I was inquiring about the par these put out and they told me that there lights shouldn't be judged by par alone, I believe they were saying something about the lights having good pur. I'll see if I can dig up the email. I wouldn't go right to 100% though , seems like a good way to shock the coral.