In need of help from experienced sps keepers!

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by jason604

After testing hanna phosphate carefully it was at 0.15!!! No wonder my acros were rtning.

My PO4 has been way higher than that most of this year. Won't cause RTN, sorry.

[straightrazorguy]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

My PO4 has been way higher than that most of this year. Won't cause RTN, sorry.

+1. I had an episode of 0.17 PO4 recently too and no RTN. Algae galore, but no RTN. There must be something else. Alkalinity swing?...

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jason604

God damn I'm a retard. Ryan UR right I did manage to mess up my hanna test. Just re read the back side of the instruction n it said to get accurate reading I should test vile right away after mixing reagent!! I normally mix reagent and then get side track by other maintenance for my tank n normally test it 30-1hr later. Thought it's normal Cuz it's fine doing that with salifert to a certain point. After testing hanna phosphate carefully it was at 0.15!!! No wonder my acros were rtning. I increased my vodka and vinegar dosing a bit and making rO water now. I should be able to do a 20g change tomorrow. I'm not gonna increase my rowaphos Cuz from experience doing too many things too fast causes much more harm than good.

I'm glad I dragged my sunset milli colony rigt away last night as today the base is all dead and 2 frags died. Happy to still have some left alive.
Back 2 frags is pretty much dead




Is it ok to leave large rtn sps in my tank as it is now pretty much just live rock isn't it? Or should I take it out and bleach first before I can re-add? I think my phosphate skyrocketed because 2 of my Hawaiian feather dusters died and 1 was dead beneath the sand bed and rotted. And also adding 5 new smaller fishes did not help. My 15g water change on sat didn't do much I guess to lower it I guess.

you shouldn't increase carbon dosing just to lower high po4 levels , you'll drive nitrogen levels to low( this cant be tested fwiw) ) before po4 drops anything drastically..... remember carbon dosing is aimed to keep nitrogen levels low the bonus is it removes a small amount of p04(take it as a bonus not a plan of attack) you wont be able to target the carbon dosing to attack po4 without attacking nitrates in larger numbers...this will result in its own issues

if you want to remove or lower phosphates id consider something a bit more manageable/controllable

[gobytron]

I would seriously just try running a basic saltwater reef for a while...

Vodka dosing and other methods of maintaining your tank are often just not necessary.

You might find that taking a more simplified approach (like just doing regular, biweekly 10-20% water changes) gives you a better sense of how things are supposed to work.

Once you are comfortable and identify a need, go ahead and try some of the different methodologies out there.

Just my 2 cents.

[reefwars]

honestly i would also go back to the basics, seems you were having issues with the other tank as well so maybe look at the methods applied and start on a simple plan

[jason604]

awe man so take away carbon dosing? that was advised to me when i was having huge algae problems in my old tank and it worked. I dont use that much either. I used Brad's advice of 4-1 ratio of vodka to vineger. I dose very little. Just 1.2ml total split into 4 times a day. And for rowa i use only about 2 teaspoons or so.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by jason604

awe man so take away carbon dosing? that was advised to me when i was having huge algae problems in my old tank and it worked. I dont use that much either. I used Brad's advice of 4-1 ratio of vodka to vineger. I dose very little. Just 1.2ml total split into 4 times a day. And for rowa i use only about 2 teaspoons or so.

you can if you like and i prob would ,its not that it doesn't work but i think at this point your over your skill level lol going back to the basics will help pinpoint what is or isnt working for you and you can expand from there.......i mean something is obviously a miss these were the same issues you had previously correct?


k.i.s.s


then go from there afterwards

[Myka]

The fact that you filled your tank full of dry rock and then tried to put the SPS in there is why you're losing them. I've never found tank swaps go well with dry rock, even if you spend weeks prepping it. There is no quick, fast replacement for live rock. Add high phosphate to the equation and you have disaster. Do you have any of your old live rock left? A holding tank? Someone to babysit the SPS?

FWIW, I would also go back to the basics. Put some GFO in there, but don't be too aggressive lowering phosphate either or you might kill your LPS.

Originally Posted by jason604

And for rowa i use only about 2 teaspoons or so.

1 tablespoon per 50 gallons is a pretty safe dose.

[jason604]

I think I'm just gonna leave everything as is and just do a bunch of 20% water changes back to back if I can. I normally do 20% water changes every week anyways. Yes Myka I kept all my old live rock and sand in a bin in my basement with heater. I'm trying to sell it with my old setup as a package

[whatcaneyedo]

An immature system and less than optimal water chemistry. Change those characteristics and then see what happens.