Andrew's Red Sea Reefer 250

[Alexander1312]

@PizzaOven

Again, the bleaching might be more 0 nutrient related.

Overall, pretty good results.

Still, the problematic levels are the following:

- Molybdenum should be kept at least at 12, ideally between 15-20.
- For the I-Group, I would less focus on manganese and more on all the other elements in there, specifically iodine (!). I would raise this to 80 ug/L as a priority.

Lastly, F should be adjusted too. How much PAR do you have hitting on your corals? F seems to act like sunscreen. Therefore, I like to keep it between 1.3 and 1.6, or even higher than that.

 

[PizzaOven]

@PizzaOven

Again, the bleaching might be more 0 nutrient related.

Overall, pretty good results.

Still, the problematic levels are the following:

- Molybdenum should be kept at least at 12, ideally between 15-20.
- For the I-Group, I would less focus on manganese and more on all the other elements in there, specifically iodine (!). I would raise this to 80 ug/L as a priority.

Lastly, F should be adjusted too. How much PAR do you have hitting on your corals? F seems to act like sunscreen. Therefore, I like to keep it between 1.3 and 1.6, or even higher than that.

Thanks, I'll look into fixing these values.

I'm wondering if it would be more cost effective and less prone to error to just to do a few large water changes (just add some N and P since I'm already low). I'm using Tropic Marin Pro-Reef. Does your salt mix contain trace elements to your desired levels?

 

[Alexander1312]

Thanks, I'll look into fixing these values.

I'm wondering if it would be more cost effective and less prone to error to just to do a few large water changes (just add some N and P since I'm already low). I'm using Tropic Marin Pro-Reef. Does your salt mix contain trace elements to your desired levels?

Yes, you could if you have a good salt such as the Tropic Marin Pro. But large (artificial salt-) water changes come with their own downsides (higher iron values, temporarily, for example), and I reduced cost by not having to do so many water changes anymore (still do them regularly, but less frequently).

Tropic Marin’s philosophy is to stay true to ocean values. So they will not run inflated traces.

Fauna Marin’s philosophy is to run higher trace amounts by trying them out in their farms and playing around with them, doing daily ICP, until they felt they got the best results.

Both of their salt is essentially the same, both being produced by Tropic Marin, but Fauna’s salt is cheaper and runs higher traces.

If your tank is fully stocked though, none of this will be sufficient and you have to supplement this.

I use Balling light (not balling), which allows me to adjust traces both in block but also individual elements (hybrid to moonshiner).

Alternatively, you can consider Tropic Marin’s block system:

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[Royce023]

I believe the low nutrients would be the reason for the pale coral. My tank was in a similar situation when my nitrates were close to zero. I started dosing ammonium bicarbonate and the colors returned over a couple of weeks.

 

[PizzaOven]

I believe the low nutrients would be the reason for the pale coral. My tank was in a similar situation when my nitrates were close to zero. I started dosing ammonium bicarbonate and the colors returned over a couple of weeks.

I've been meaning to do some research on ammonium bicarb. It's supposed to be a better Nitrogen source for corals compared to Nitrate?

 

[Royce023]

I've been meaning to do some research on ammonium bicarb. It's supposed to be a better Nitrogen source for corals compared to Nitrate?

From what I’ve read from other posts and on several podcasts, corals readily absorb the ammonia as a nitrogen source when compared to nitrate. Corals would have to expend more energy to take in nitrates compared to ammonia. This is very generalized statement and I am not sure if it is true for all corals. So far it’s been working for me. I haven’t had to adjust my dosing to maintain a 10-20 ppm nitrate.

 

[PizzaOven]

I've pretty much stopped water changes and turned my skimmer down to where it's not even flowing into the collection cup, it's just a fancy airstone for now...

Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 0.04ppm

Corals are making a comeback. Almost everything looks better.

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Looking good Andrew!

 

[Alexander1312]

I've pretty much stopped water changes and turned my skimmer down to where it's not even flowing into the collection cup, it's just a fancy airstone for now...

Nitrate: 10ppm
Phosphate: 0.04ppm

Corals are making a comeback. Almost everything looks better.

View attachment 81275
View attachment 81276
View attachment 81277

PO4 at that level could even be lower, due to measurement instrument errors, i.e., Hanna (if this is how you measured it?) might incorrectly read 0.04 while it might actually not really be much left in the water (only ICP can measure that low correctly).

Turning off/down the skimmer - although it primarly reduces organic nitrogen - could be a good short term idea in these borderline PO4 levels, to not having something else compete for low to no phosphates. Same with water changes.

However, I would suggest mid term to increase feeding, specifically more 'PO4-rich/generating food' such as clams, and restart using the skimmer more, as it also removes other unwanted organics.

For now, tanks looks great.

 

[PizzaOven]

PO4 at that level could even be lower, due to measurement instrument errors, i.e., Hanna (if this is how you measured it?) might incorrectly read 0.04 while it might actually not really be much left in the water (only ICP can measure that low correctly).

Turning off/down the skimmer - although it primarly reduces organic nitrogen - could be a good short term idea in these borderline PO4 levels, to not having something else compete for low to no phosphates. Same with water changes.

However, I would suggest mid term to increase feeding, specifically more 'PO4-rich/generating food' such as clams, and restart using the skimmer more, as it also removes other unwanted organics.

For now, tanks looks great.

Yah, long term I need to find a better solution. Feeding more seems like the best route (and what my fish would vote for). I’ll look into phosphate rich foods. I didn’t know clams are high PO4.

 

[FinalPhaze987]

Reef roids is what I turn to when PO4 gets low. You wont see anything register immediately, but after a couple days it creeps up. Just dont over do it, ive made that mistake more than once and had to reach for GFO

I fed it to my tank 4 days ago and it just registered yesterday

 

[spuri87]

Happy to share if you need some from my tank (This is AFTER I started Elimi-Phos Rapid recently haha)