FarmerTy

In respects to Danny Glover... are you getting too old for this "stuff"? [emoji2]

Was just curious... I know some of those additives like Fuel can really spike your nutrient levels.

I had to double-check myself after reading the >63 ppm on his and then afterwards, testing Juiceman's water and getting ~50 ppm. I was like... my test kit must be going nuts. No way are both of their levels that high! Then I went to test mine and it read right at 0.25 ppm as I always does so the levels should be close to correct. Crazy!

I'm guessing you meant to put ~50 ppm, not ~0.50ppm. But yeah, my nitrate results ended up right about where yours ended up in the picture you texted me. It fell right between the darkest and the 2nd darkest color on the high end nitrate scale. Sounds like you're doing the right thing to rectify your salinity. At least for fish, it's easier to take them down to a lower salinity quicker than it is to introduce them to higher salinity. For corals, I do not know so your gradual decrease seems to be the best route. I'm still baffled that you would have this high of a concentration with biopellets running so indeed check your bacterial dosing to see if that momentarily spikes your nitrates. I'd also check your RO/DI water and make sure it is not contributing in any way. Anything else you dose? Aminos?

Ol Aggie, some of his test kits were API I believe. You guys know my lack of affinity for API test kits in general though. I won't knock their entire line of test kits as I know some on the club use them and find them accurate for the most part.

I like Reburn's water change plan he detailed. I just want to point out that phosphate removal doesn't have as linear of a relationship with water changes as nitrates does. So the general concept of removal is right on point but trying to calculate the actual amounts of phosphate removed is not as accurate due to ability of phosphates to bind to rock/gravel. I'm sure Reburn was just using it for more demonstration purposes as he deals with nutrient control in his planted tanks as well. For any carbon dosing attempts to control nutrients, you do run the risk of overdosing, which is why I cautioned to slowly raise his dosing schedule (there are plenty of spreadsheets online that detail how to gradually increase your carbon dosing to minimize a possible bacterial bloom) but Reburn makes a great point to emphasize the possible danger in increasing your carbon dosing too fast. He has good advice on taking the water change route as the probable safest option for bulk nutrient removal.

It's important to try to figure out where all these nutrients are coming from. Most of all phosphate is sourced from feeding... but some may be attributed to leaching from the live rock if there was any bound there. Nitrates mainly come from fish waste and decomposition of food. I would imagine levels this high of both have built up over time and the processes used to remove them were inadequate. I'd also check to make sure your RO/DI system is running at peak performance and not adding to the nutrient problem. Skim wetter if possible. I'd get aggressive with phosphate removal via GFO... not a ton all at once but start using some if you don't currently use any and if you are already using it, use more of it. For nitrates, you mentioned you were carbon dosing of some sort. I'd work on getting that tuned to your system... either increasing your liquid carbon dosing over time or employing biopellets and starting at the minimal level and start ramping it up slowly to counteract the nitrates. This will take time as the bacterial populations needs to be built up over time. A quicker option to take care of nutrients are water changes. They'll also help in potentially bringing up your low Ca, super low alk, and low Mg as well as lowering your nitrate levels and PO4 levels. For nitrates, the percent of water removed is equal to the percent of nitrates reduced in the water. For instance, change 50% of your water and you'll reduce your nitrate level by 50%. I'm not calling for that drastic of a water change but several smaller ones would be beneficial. The main priority is actually reducing your phosphate level. I think that's the main killer of your corals right now and needs to be a priority to get back to normal levels.

I used Red Sea. I tested my water after yours and got 0.25 ppm for my water, which is about right where it usually is. I would actually be more concerned with the phophate level. I've had corals and fish survive super high nitrate levels but 0.32 ppm of phosphate is enough to kill most corals in my experience.

Alright, here are my results after testing your water: Sal - 1.023 (low) Ca - 400 ppm (slightly low but fine) Alk - 6.1 dKh (low, enough to maybe cause issues ) Mg - 1120 ppm (low) NO3 - 64 ppm (definitely a problem, contributing to coral death) PO4 - 0.32 ppm (definitely causing coral death) With the alk level, I usually probably see rampant STN with that low of a level. The sky-high nitrates and mainly the phosphates is what is killing your LPS/zoas for sure.

Here are my results for your water Juiceman: Sal - 1.029 Mg - 1800 ppm NO3 - ~50 ppm PO4 - 0.08 ppm Ca - 565 ppm Alk - ??? (Forgot what I told you) For sure your salinity is probably causing most of your SPS death but if those nitrate levels are as high as I read, then that would be a contributing factor as well. I know you mentioned you fed right before you took water samples but that's a really high number just off of a feeding alone. I doublechecked by testing my nitrates just to be sure my test wasn't off and my result was around 0.25 ppm for my nitrates, which is what was expected. When you doublecheck with your nitrate test, let me know if you get a similar result.

I'd leave him be. He's beneficial. If you don't want him, just look up how to build a soda bottle trap and catch him that way. Works pretty well.

Not a huge fan of Fusion myself. I wished they would have just revamped their old OS. I was using it just fine as is. I get annoyed that I have to constantly log back into Fusion to have it work. I want something open and ready to go like their app... just prettier.

I'm tempted to have the wife drop me off one day and have a good tasting session there. [emoji6]

The beer there is definitely tasty. I'll be there tonight. Just text me when you're on your way Peter. I'll PM you with contact info.

Yes, I'm by the Domain.

Btw, you have two different readings for your alk if I'm not mistaken. And you're missing some other important parameters... phosphate and your salinity.

I'm never in that part of town Peter but if you'd like to swing water by me to test, I'd be happy to do it. No free stuff needed.

What is it? Looks good.

Real estate agents and grad students don't carry much pH calibration fluids these days. [emoji14]

That's odd that your PO4 level doesn't drop though. Swing that water by Thursday and we'll go test crazy on it sir.

Welcome Larry!

My SPS experience 100% growth in a week Bpb. What are you doing wrong?

Very nice looking build!

I'm out!!!

That's some pretty nice work there Isaac.