Thanks for the quick replies.
Up until very recently (past two months) I have been running my system with 0 nitrates...I mean 0 ppm ..and I tested with several different test kits...all of them show 0. It was truly an ultra low nutrient system. In fact my nutrient level was so low that corals were sadly lacking in color. But I was not really using any nitrate removal methods other than an oversize skimmer.
The xenia were thriving and multiplying all during this time.
I have a theory:
I have a suspicion that my xenia infestation (which I have had from almost day one) is the reason my nitrates have been so low. I have read other threads were people were using xenias as a method of nutrient export (growing them in the sump).
In the past few months I have been actively removing large clumps of xenia and all of a sudden my nitrates shot up. The coral colors took off and the tank looks 100 times better...but the xenias are still in places where i can't reach.
Although my coral colors are much better, I am actually growing very weary of battling these pests. And there does not seem to be much hope of wining at this point. I spend many hours of every weekend hunting them down only to have them grow back the same amount by the next weekend.
As a desperate and last resort, I 'm think of restarting the tank. ...But I will try removing all nitrates first.
Thoughts on this??
Vic
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370 Gallon Mixed Reef,11 x Hydra52, 2 x Apex Controllers, Reef Octopus Skimmer, dual 2600 g/h returns, 120g sump. Mag, Cal. and Alk dosing. Carbon reactor and Algae Scrubber.
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