tank is looking ugly...

[sadie]

In trying to raise my Po3 and No4, I have been feeding heavy, skipped a water change and all I'm getting is an ugly tank. Still 0.  I know the algae cosumes the Po4 or something like that so it can read 0, but other ppl have readings, so I don't understand.   Am I doing something wrong?

 

Here is a pic taken on 9/14/19 and a pic I took today. 

 

[sadie]

I am using a Salifert test kit. forgot to mention that

 

[WV Reefer]

16 minutes ago, sadie said:

In trying to raise my Po3 and No4, I have been feeding heavy, skipped a water change and all I'm getting is an ugly tank. Still 0.  I know the algae cosumes the Po4 or something like that so it can read 0, but other ppl have readings, so I don't understand.   Am I doing something wrong?

 

Here is a pic taken on 9/14/19 and a pic I took today. 

 

Don’t chase numbers, you’ll only break your own heart. 😊 you need to achieve balance, not perfect numbers. 

 

new tank uglies are fairly common..... why are you feeding so heavy?

[sadie]

sadly, this is not a new tank. The actual Biocube is about a year old, the rock was from my original tank about 20 yrs ago, and the sand is a mix of 20 yr old sand and new sand I mixed in maybe 2 yrs ago.  So I don't exactly know how old the tank is, but it's not new.  But I keep reading (and ppl keep telling me) I need to raise my No4 and Po3.  Something about it being better for the coral? 

 

I am feeding heavy because I my fish are young and still growing, I have LPS now and I am trying to raise my No4 and Po3.

 

I feed my fish 2x a day (flake food though they spit it out since I started feeding frozen mysis shrimp.)  I also feed the coral zooplankton or reef roids every other day. I also splash a bit of food for my filter feeders (PhytoPlex or Microvert).  I am assuming that's heavy feeding. 

[WV Reefer]

2 minutes ago, sadie said:

sadly, this is not a new tank. The actual Biocube is about a year old, the rock was from my original tank about 20 yrs ago, and the sand is a mix of 20 yr old sand and new sand I mixed in maybe 2 yrs ago.  So I don't exactly know how old the tank is, but it's not new.  But I keep reading (and ppl keep telling me) I need to raise my No4 and Po3.  Something about it being better for the coral? 

 

I am feeding heavy because I my fish are young and still growing, I have LPS now and I am trying to raise my No4 and Po3.

 

I feed my fish 2x a day (flake food though they spit it out since I started feeding frozen mysis shrimp.)  I also feed the coral zooplankton or reef roids every other day. I also splash a bit of food for my filter feeders (PhytoPlex or Microvert).  I am assuming that's heavy feeding. 

Yep that’s feeding heavy. 😄

 

How did the tank look before you started taking this advice?

[sadie]

It looked pretty good.  So do you only want those things (higher No3 and Po4 in a YOUNG tank, and once it's established, then 0s are okay?

 

 I see a lot of ppl who keep their Po4 aound 2 or .2 or whatever it is.

 

I have never been able to grow zoas, they slowly disappear, I was told it was because my water wasn't dirty enough.  I would like to grow zoas eventually, another reason I am trying to get my Po4 and No3 up a little. 

 

I just keep reading on here and it seems all 0s are a bad thing now.  (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, phosphates).  And I was my tank to do good.

[xM3THODx]

55 minutes ago, sadie said:

In trying to raise my Po3 and No4, I have been feeding heavy, skipped a water change and all I'm getting is an ugly tank. Still 0.  I know the algae cosumes the Po4 or something like that so it can read 0, but other ppl have readings, so I don't understand.   Am I doing something wrong?

 

Here is a pic taken on 9/14/19 and a pic I took today. 

 

What was it that prompted you to test for phosphate and nitrate? Was it the corals looking a little unhappy maybe? 

 

With the tank getting some algae growth, it might've been a little too much too soon as far as doing more feedings and not doing water changes. As far as your test still showing 0 after  your changes...maybe consider a different test kit.

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, sadie said:

It looked pretty good.  So do you only want those things (higher No3 and Po4 in a YOUNG tank, and once it's established, then 0s are okay?

 

 I see a lot of ppl who keep their Po4 aound 2 or .2 or whatever it is.

 

I have never been able to grow zoas, they slowly disappear, I was told it was because my water wasn't dirty enough.  I would like to grow zoas eventually, another reason I am trying to get my Po4 and No3 up a little. 

 

I just keep reading on here and it seems all 0s are a bad thing now.  (ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, phosphates).  And I was my tank to do good.

Numbers for each persons tank will be different based on a lot of different variables. What works for mine may not work for yours. 
 

Zoas are known to be a moody coral. I have “dirty” tanks and can barely grow certain types. 
 

I would ease off the feeding and quit trying to reach some perfect number that doesn’t really exist anyway. 

[sadie]

2 minutes ago, xM3THODx said:

What was it that prompted you to test for phosphate and nitrate? Was it the corals looking a little unhappy maybe? 

 

With the tank getting some algae growth, it might've been a little too much too soon as far as doing more feedings and not doing water changes. As far as your test still showing after  your changes...maybe consider a different test kit.

I was reading posts on here, and kept reading how all 0s are bad.  It made me curious, so I kept reading more because when I started out 20 yrs ago you HAD to have all 0s.  Things are so different now so I am trying to do it the way I read on here, instead of the way I use to do it.  BUT, I did have a great tank 20yrs ago, so I don't know.

[sadie]

6 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

Numbers for each persons tank will be different based on a lot of different variables. What works for mine may not work for yours. 
 

Zoas are known to be a moody coral. I have “dirty” tanks and can barely grow certain types. 
 

I would ease off the feeding and quit trying to reach some perfect number that doesn’t really exist anyway. 

Sounds good because I'm goin' crazy.  Will going back to my reg WC and feeding get rid of the algae, or is it beyond that now?

[WV Reefer]

7 minutes ago, sadie said:

Sounds good because I'm goin' crazy.  Will going back to my reg WC and feeding get rid of the algae, or is it beyond that now?

You said it yourself “I had a great tank”. I would revert back to your old routine. Trust your gut. You know what’s best for your tank. 😊

[sadie]

Goin' old school.

[WV Reefer]

2 minutes ago, sadie said:

Goin' old school.

Yay! 

[mcarroll]

How's this tank now?

[sadie]

7 hours ago, mcarroll said:

How's this tank now?

funny, you just posted on my thread about my dinos outbreak.  😆  The tank is doing good, zoas starting to finally open (despite dios) acan got another head, white toadstool is getting bigger.  The only problem is my candycane. 

[GetPsyched2124]

I would go back to what was working before if that is what was working for you, especially since things are now declining.