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Which Nutrient Export system to go with on my Nuevo 25? (Zeovit, NO3PO4X (or Carbon), Chaeto Reactor, etc?)


SonRK

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Hi all,

 

I've had my tank running for a few years and always kind of had issues with algae. I would do massive water changes +  limit feeding, but can't seem to control them. I run GFO/Phosguard and Chemi Pure Elite, so after going through those options, I think it's time I explored other nutrient control systems.

 

Nuvo 25 Lagoon

AI Prime HD (upgrading to Nanobox Duo)

Reef Octopus NS80 Skimmer

Chemi Pure Elite

Purigen

Phosguard

 

Livestock:

2 Clown Fish

Firefish

Tailspot Blenny

 

2 Hermit Crabs

Emerald Crab

Pom Pom Crab

Sexy Shrimp

3 heads of Ricordia Mushroom

5 heads Frogspawn

1 Head Octospawn

2 Heads Torch Coral

4 Heads Hammer Head Coral

15 Heads Duncan Coral

Several polyps of Zoanthids

 

Feeding is a small little piece of LRS Reef Frenzy Nano (I would say 1/5 the cube of PE Mysis Shrimp for reference), diluted in tank water.

20% weekly water change 

 

To preface, I've had great success with using Bacter CleanM and Vibrant (used at different points in the tank's life) to control algae, but I stopped them because I tried to wean my tank off of them (for no reason other than thinking it could be bad long term), and sometimes I would travel to work which limited my ability to maintain a consistent dosing schedule. I moved in with my GF now and she has said she will help me with daily fish maintenance on days I can't tend to it.

 

Now I know some people run nutrient control systems for years without any negatives. I've seen the new BRSTV youtube videos where Chaeto is a great nutrient export option, but since I use an AIO, I can't be putting a 1500 PAR led behind my tank in the media chamber. So my option is to use the more modest sized magnet LEDs, which might not be able to compete the display tank algae's consumption of nutrients.

 

Zeovit seems good, and I wanted to start transitioning to SPS. I just have to be careful since I have a low tank water volume.

 

NO3PO4X is easy enough, and is just dosing similar to what I've done in the past. 

 

Is there anything I'm missing? Perhaps Biopellets, but I think those have fallen out of favor in the community. I will have my Nitrate and PO4 test results posted tonight because my new kits will be in, but I suspect they should read close to 0 because my display tank algae still exists. 

 

Thanks for any input/advice! 

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A Little Blue

I took a look at IM lagoon dimensions and layout of those back compartments and I don’t think converting 1 or 2 of those into a fuge would make desirable difference. Dedicated algae reactor would make much more efficient solution. There are many products to choose from for any budget. 

I never liked biopellets and haven’t done Carbon dosing or Zovite. So I can’t speak on that issue. 

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Nutrient export in our Biocube 32:

 

  • Source water: RO/DI with zero TDS and a quality marine salt (Red Sea Pro).
  • Water changes. 15% water change weekly with a good strong substrate cleaning via gravel vac.
  • Mechanical media: 100 micron filter pads to remove larger organics (changed weekly).
  • Chemical media: Purigen and phos-guard by seachem (changed monthly).
  • Livestock growth: Our corals, fish and inverts binding organics through growth.
  • Macroalgae: We grow chaeto, harvested and removed as needed (usually bi-weekly).
  • Dentrification: Deep in the liverock, converting nitrates to nitrogen gas.

Our numbers:

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate <2 ppm, phosphate undetectable (red sea kit). 

 

Even though our numbers are good, we still have algae and hydroid growth. The CUC takes care of that except for the aiptasia and valonia bubble algae, which is a constant battle. The tank is too small for tangs. My mithrax crabs ignore valonia. Peroxide kills it but spreads it when little chunks of living valonia tissue settle in somewhere else after manual removal. I'm attempting to use Algae Fix to knock it back. For the hydroids, i'm convinced aiptasia-x just spreads them.  I've ordered Bergia nudibranchs which should be here by Thursday next week. If those don't work on the aiptasia anemones, i'll try an aiptasia file fish. 

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A Little Blue
8 minutes ago, OPtasia said:

Nutrient export in our Biocube 32:

 

  • Source water: RO/DI with zero TDS and a quality marine salt (Red Sea Pro).
  • Water changes. 15% water change weekly with a good strong substrate cleaning via gravel vac.
  • Mechanical media: 100 micron filter pads to remove larger organics (changed weekly).
  • Chemical media: Purigen and phos-guard by seachem (changed monthly).
  • Livestock growth: Our corals, fish and inverts binding organics through growth.
  • Macroalgae: We grow chaeto, harvested and removed as needed (usually bi-weekly).
  • Dentrification: Deep in the liverock, converting nitrates to nitrogen gas.

Our numbers:

Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate <2 ppm, phosphate undetectable (red sea kit). 

 

Even though our numbers are good, we still have algae and hydroid growth. The CUC takes care of that except for the aiptasia and valonia bubble algae, which is a constant battle. The tank is too small for tangs. My mithrax crabs ignore valonia. Peroxide kills it but spreads it when little chunks of living valonia tissue settle in somewhere else after manual removal. I'm attempting to use Algae Fix to knock it back. For the hydroids, i'm convinced aiptasia-x just spreads them.  I've ordered Bergia nudibranchs which should be here by Thursday next week. If those don't work on the aiptasia anemones, i'll try an aiptasia file fish. 

Where are you getting your nudis from? I don’t have aiptasia issue but having a source just in case wouldn’t hurt. 

(I assume you know how to introduce Bergias to your tank to be most effective)

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Salty Underground, and yes I know how to add them in theory. Youtube videos helped with that.

 

Pour the bergia in a floating tank cup, add a small aiptasia into the cup for them to munch on while they acclimate. I like to acclimate via shotglass method rather than drip acclimate. Just pour a shot glass worth of tank water into their cup every 15 minutes for two hours.

 

Since they're so fragile, I prefer not to use the plastic pipette they send you. I'll use a wider mouthed turkey baster to seed them next to aiptasia nems.

 

I have five of the 1/2" sized ones coming, so hopefully they'll be encouraged to feed and breed as a group. My only real worry is that something in the tank will find them delicious, which I doubt since they store the hydroid nematocysts in their bodies after they eat them.

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A Little Blue
37 minutes ago, OPtasia said:

Salty Underground, and yes I know how to add them in theory. Youtube videos helped with that.

 

Pour the bergia in a floating tank cup, add a small aiptasia into the cup for them to munch on while they acclimate. I like to acclimate via shotglass method rather than drip acclimate. Just pour a shot glass worth of tank water into their cup every 15 minutes for two hours.

 

Since they're so fragile, I prefer not to use the plastic pipette they send you. I'll use a wider mouthed turkey baster to seed them next to aiptasia nems.

 

I have five of the 1/2" sized ones coming, so hopefully they'll be encouraged to feed and breed as a group. My only real worry is that something in the tank will find them delicious, which I doubt since they store the hydroid nematocysts in their bodies after they eat them.

Thanks for info. You can introduce them after lights out. Just make sure to cut the pumps for 5-10 minutes, so they don’t get blown all over. 

 

Edit: I see that they have all that info on their website. Silly me. Lol 

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Yup. Will do. I'm sure they'll do fine as the only thing in the tank that might find them edible would be unknowns (worms, etc.) and maybe our mithrax crab. I've never heard of them going after nudibranchs so i'm not super worried, and our tomato clown and pistol shrimp goby should ignore them. No wrasses or anything like that in the tank. 

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A Little Blue
1 minute ago, OPtasia said:

Yup. Will do. I'm sure they'll do fine as the only thing in the tank that might find them edible would be unknowns (worms, etc.) and maybe our mithrax crab. I've never heard of them going after nudibranchs so i'm not super worried, and our tomato clown and pistol shrimp goby should ignore them. No wrasses or anything like that in the tank. 

Report back your experience. It might be useful for others looking to remedy those kind of pests from their tank. 

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My Hanna phosphate reagent refills came in and so did my Red Sea nitrate test kit. 

 

Nitrate 1-2ppm

Phopsphate 0

 

Probably unsurprising since I have growing green hair algae and cyano spreading. Im probably leaning towards NOPOX or Biopellets. I think carbon dosing is going to be my easiest option.

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On 4/30/2018 at 12:15 AM, SonRK said:

My Hanna phosphate reagent refills came in and so did my Red Sea nitrate test kit. 

 

Nitrate 1-2ppm

Phopsphate 0

 

Probably unsurprising since I have growing green hair algae and cyano spreading. Im probably leaning towards NOPOX or Biopellets. I think carbon dosing is going to be my easiest option.

Keep in mind carbon feeds bacteria and cyano is a bacteria. Some people get cyano after they start carbon dosing for this reason. 

 

Do you regularly clean the sand bed and such? 

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On 5/5/2018 at 10:26 AM, Tamberav said:

Keep in mind carbon feeds bacteria and cyano is a bacteria. Some people get cyano after they start carbon dosing for this reason. 

 

Do you regularly clean the sand bed and such? 

 

I used to clean the sand bed during my water changes, but have been using new sand since I downsized my tank (about 4 weeks ago). Haven't done a siphon of it since I assume it's fairly clean at the moment. Also have a bunch of coral on the sandbed right now that I need to attach to rock before I can access the sand

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HarryPotter

I mix up my sand every two weeks or so. I mean really mix it up- blast it using a powerhead. An hour later I’ll come back and change floss. Super effective. 

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I installed a chaeto reactor several month again and never looked back. Nitrates and phosphates not detectable.    No real algae to speak of that my cuc can’t handle.  

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16 minutes ago, Duane Clark said:

I installed a chaeto reactor several month again and never looked back. Nitrates and phosphates not detectable.    No real algae to speak of that my cuc can’t handle.  

What reactor/lighting are you using? I have always loved fuges but no place to put one on the 22g. Interested in trying one of these over PO4 remover and skimmer.

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4 hours ago, Tamberav said:

What reactor/lighting are you using? I have always loved fuges but no place to put one on the 22g. Interested in trying one of these over PO4 remover and skimmer.

I used the chaeto kit from marine depot. Comes with led lights (white) pump and an aquamax reactor.  I added a bit more hose (it comes with 3 ft I believe) .  Very pleased with it.  I have no phosphate or nitrate and in fact dose about 1 ml of nitrate in my ATO just to keep a little available for the corals.  

553EC33B-0BB4-4657-BB90-B3D516704885.jpeg

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7 minutes ago, Duane Clark said:

I used the chaeto kit from marine depot. Comes with led lights (white) pump and an aquamax reactor.  I added a bit more hose (it comes with 3 ft I believe) .  Very pleased with it.  I have no phosphate or nitrate and in fact dose about 1 ml of nitrate in my ATO just to keep a little abailable for the corals.  

553EC33B-0BB4-4657-BB90-B3D516704885.jpeg

 

Nice... my nitrate is too low, I need to dose it and PO4 is low too. However I am using a skimmer and PO4 remover and wouldn't mind ditching it if I can get cheato to work. I always loved fuges but no place for one in this tank. 

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1 hour ago, Tamberav said:

 

Nice... my nitrate is too low, I need to dose it and PO4 is low too. However I am using a skimmer and PO4 remover and wouldn't mind ditching it if I can get cheato to work. I always loved fuges but no place for one in this tank. 

yeah all I have in my yank is a bag of carbon and the chaeto reactor.  highly recommended for sure. 

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