Nitrate spike, help please

[Chad W]

Hello All,
About a week and half ago I went from a SSB 30 cube to a reef ready 58 BB. My lighting was changed from a single 250w. radium to 2-250w. DE 20k AB Oceanlights. All water params. were solid but I was having a real time w/ getting rid of some Caulerpa-Racemosa. When I switched tanks I took rock out and started cooking it until this spring when we will move.
So the current 58 is set-up as a frag type system w/o rock. I have been noticeing less PE but was wondering if that might be due to new lights as well as a climbing Alk (8>8.6). The lights were started at 11" off the top frame of the tank w/ a photoperiod of 4hrs. per day and was incresed to 7hrs. per/d. currently. The lights now are about 10" off the top frame of the tank. I have been at 7hrs/per day for 3 days now and have stopped any increases in photoperiod to not stress any further. KH has been solid for the last week and I am thinking of turning off co2 to reactor to let ALK drop to 8KH and then restart it at that level.
I think my problem is due to a nitrate spike old system was always about .2ppm now it is at 2ppm. po4 is as usual at .03ppm. Current zeo dosing: .2ml start daily,bac/food7 3 drops every 3 days,Zeolith-slightly over 2C. w/ flow of 60g/ph 24/7. With sump systems total water content is about 65-70g. I have been running a Al. based po4 remover on my effluent for about a week but have since taken it off line just to eleminate this from being the cause. Was using 3/4C. on eff.drip of 50ml.per/m and a ph ranging between 6.5 and 7.5.
Today many corals showed very little PE. I have a few ideas as to what I might do but seeing as I've gotten myself to this point I should wait and get some other input before continueing w/ any plan of attack .
Thanks,
Chad

[Aged Salt]

Hi Chad, certainly, you're on the correct path. Changing nutrients & parameters by themselves will stress your corals initially. I agree with turning off the CR until KH is back inline--probably ~4-6hrs?? The nutrients will be depleted with the method, so just limit nutrient import. Be sure your source water is low in TDS & RODI. Increase Start to .2ml 2x's/day. Continue your present bak/food7 doing regimen. With your KH ~8, maintain the proper Ca/Mg levels, then with strong current, you're set to go Bob

[Chad W]

Thanks Bob, On the dosing of start .2ml 2x's per day. Do I do this until I have reached low readings on nitrate test (stage 3 level) and back off some on the start? Also on the zeolith volume as I said I am running slightly over 2c (1/2L+) for a total of about 65-70 gal total system volume. When you run w/o live rock do you use the same amount of zeolith as w/ liverock (1L per 100gal)? Also would it be wise to go back to cycling my zeofilter until I reach lower levels of nitrates. Currently I'm running 60gal. per hour 24/7 off my return pump.
Thanks,
Chad
forgot to include I am probably running on the low side for circulation 15x's turnover per hour. I'm waiting for my 6000 stream and multi controller. Should hopefully be here Mon.

[Aged Salt]

Hi Chad, Start dosing will decrease as your nutrients are depleted. Aside from testing, especially when nutrients are undetectable, it really depends on the appearance of your corals, dark/light, tissue tip thinning or tip recession. Therefore, at some point, yes, Start quantity will be less. Other signs of Start excess is brown/green film on the panes or slime accumulating on the LR or tank bottom. Any of the above would signal Start overshoot. Chad, I recommend cycling the zeo-filter al least until the 3rd zeolite change[~4-5mos]. Bob

[Chad W]

I'm not quite clear on the cycling of the filter. I have been using zeo since 6/1/04 on my old tank but have only had the new one up for 1 1/2 weeks. I took all of the stones from the old tank and am scheduled for a zeolith change this weekend. Should I start to cycle the filter again or becouse it came from an established system would it be ok to continue 24/7. Sorry for so many ?'s.
Thanks,
Chad

[Aged Salt]

Chad, cycling your filter depends on the ZEOvit phase. With a new tank & new zeolites every 6wks, cycling is always safe, although again, this is optional based on nutrient level. As one needs to constantly replenish the zeo-bacterial strains & provde specific carbon source for these bacteria, this dyanamic process is always ongoing Bob