Low Nitrates and Phosphates - Pale Acros

[Wunderpus]

1. Gross water volume of your complete system (incl. sump etc.) – 180g
2. Net water volume (incl. sump etc.) - ~150g with rock work factored in
3. Are you using a CaCO2 reactor or other technique – BRS 4 part w/ trace elements at 50%
4. Are you using a PO4 reactor - No
5. Are you using Ozone - No
6. Are you using UV - No
7. What skimmer are you using (type, rated water volume) – Eshopps X-220 (rated for 200-250g)
8. What are your actual PO4 and NO3 levels – Po4= 0.04ppm, No3= 0 (Multiple Icp tests as well as, Hanna, Salifert and Nyos tests to confirm this)
9. What are your actual Ca, Alk and Mg levels – Ca= 450, Alk= 8.9 dKH (maybe lower this?), Mg= 1240
10. What filtration method do you use (refugium, DSB, Miracle Mud, etc.) – ZeoVit reactor w/ carbon dosing (Zeofood, ZeoStart, etc.)
11. Type of light (Watt, color temp, how old, etc.) – Radion XR30 Gs and Reef Brite XHO blues
12. What corals do you keep – SPS only, mostly acropora mille, spath and tenuis
13. Tissue color (light or dark) – LIGHT tissue/pale
14. How long has the tank been running – 2 years with ZeoVit from day 1
15. Why do you want to use the ZEOvit system – Good growth and coloration
16. Any supplemental dosing (type, amount, why, etc.) – Pohl’s Xtra Special @ 6ml/day, Coral Vitalizer @ 6 drops daily, KZ Amino Acids @ 6 drops daily, Flatworm Stop 6ml day, Coral Booster 3mls every other day, ZeoFood Plus 12 drops MWF.
17. Live rock (how much, how old, etc.) – 2 year old dry rock
18. Any present problems – SUPER light tissue in many Tenuis, and other SPS. Millepora and spathulate have normal/bright coloration.
19. Problem description (tissue loss tips, tissue loss base, diatom bloom, algae, etc.) – Luckily no tissue lost, just ULTRA pale corals minus certain species (mentioned above)
20. What test kit do you use (how old, recently switched, etc.) – ATI ICP, ICP analysis, Neptune Trident, Hanna Checkers and Nyos & Salifert hobby tests.
21. Present dosing, amounts and intervals (ZEOvit, ZEObak, ZEOfood, ZEOstart, ZEOspur2, etc.) 1.5l ZeoVit, 6 drops Zeobak 2x a week, ZeoStart 0.6mls daily (0.3ml 2x a day), ZeoFood 12 drops 3x a week, Pohl’s Xtra Special @ 6ml/day, Coral Vitalizer @ 6 drops daily, KZ Amino Acids @ 6 drops daily, Flatworm Stop 6ml day, Coral Booster @ 3ML every other day.
22. Other water parameters and water stability (salinity, temp, etc.) Specific gravity is 1.026, temp stays at 78f. No issues in these areas.
23. Which salt brand do you use – HW Reefer

So, any idea what to do in order to fix these paled out corals? All parameters are good minus low No3 and Po4....

[iMemphis]

I'll let others chime in, but your Calcium and Alk are a little high for Zeovit. Try dropping the calcium to around 400-420, and Alk to 6.5-7.5. I run mine around 7.3 alk to give myself a little buffer room.

[Wunderpus]

I'll let others chime in, but your Calcium and Alk are a little high for Zeovit. Try dropping the calcium to around 400-420, and Alk to 6.5-7.5. I run mine around 7.3 alk to give myself a little buffer room.

Yes, I agree. I believe it's largely due to my Trident being off (my fault for depending on it). But, I'm SLOWLY lowering the Alk... However, in the mean time, I feel as though the other issue impacting coral coloration has to be nutrients being undetectable... Thoughts?

[jacky]

The basic water parameters seem to be high, starting from the salinity check, make sure they are correct, and keep the parameters in NSW as much as possible.

1. What is the actual potassium level? Have you tested it.
K+~380g, please remember to gradually increase the level slowly.

2. What is the actual flow of the zeolite reactor, please also use a small container, collect the reactor outlet for 30 seconds, the volume x120, so that you can know the actual continuous flow

3. What is the brand of activated carbon, and how to use it

[Wunderpus]

The basic water parameters seem to be high, starting from the salinity check, make sure they are correct, and keep the parameters in NSW as much as possible.

1. What is the actual potassium level? Have you tested it.
K+~380g, please remember to gradually increase the level slowly.

2. What is the actual flow of the zeolite reactor, please also use a small container, collect the reactor outlet for 30 seconds, the volume x120, so that you can know the actual continuous flow

3. What is the brand of activated carbon, and how to use it

The basic water parameters seem to be high, starting from the salinity check, make sure they are correct, and keep the parameters in NSW as much as possible.

- Jacky, yes, I agree. Slowly lowering these figures. Salinity is okay at 1.026 specific gravity.

1. What is the actual potassium level? Have you tested it.
K+~380g, please remember to gradually increase the level slowly.

- Potassium is 364.6 mg/l, so within range it seems.

2. What is the actual flow of the zeolite reactor, please also use a small container, collect the reactor outlet for 30 seconds, the volume x120, so that you can know the actual continuous flow

- The flow is 98 gph (I have tested it previously).

3. What is the brand of activated carbon, and how to use it

- I know you advise using the KZ carbon, however, I am using the BRS ROX 8 carbon... I use very little of it, 1/3 cup for the whole system, changed monthly.

[jacky]

Let's slowly increase the potassium level to 380g. I have no experience in using the carbon brand, so I can't say anything. My ability is not very good. The possible reasons mentioned above are all possible reasons. I hope it is very good. The extra idea is that biological leaks, dry rock (2 years) use. If you reduce the dosage of nutritional products according to the regular Zeo basis 4, the phosphate should gradually be 0ppm instead of 0.04ppm. Maybe consider adding some shallow sand beds, which might help.

In addition, slowly reducing the nutrition to 0 is the right direction. Get an extra BioMate. From the administration plan, it seems to be a large dose. Observe the coral tissue and it should not gradually turn brown. Be sure to keep changing the water 10% every week to refresh the elements.

[G.Alexander]

Additional to Jackies recommendations you can try to do three water changes each 15 – 20% within 10 days to refresh elements in a balanced way.

G.Alexander

[Wunderpus]

Let's slowly increase the potassium level to 380g. I have no experience in using the carbon brand, so I can't say anything. My ability is not very good. The possible reasons mentioned above are all possible reasons. I hope it is very good. The extra idea is that biological leaks, dry rock (2 years) use. If you reduce the dosage of nutritional products according to the regular Zeo basis 4, the phosphate should gradually be 0ppm instead of 0.04ppm. Maybe consider adding some shallow sand beds, which might help.

In addition, slowly reducing the nutrition to 0 is the right direction. Get an extra BioMate. From the administration plan, it seems to be a large dose. Observe the coral tissue and it should not gradually turn brown. Be sure to keep changing the water 10% every week to refresh the elements.

Okay, I have the KZ Potassium, so I'll give that a run. Which test do you use for potassium? I have the Salifert one... Not sure if there's a brand you trust more?

[Wunderpus]

Additional to Jackies recommendations you can try to do three water changes each 15 – 20% within 10 days to refresh elements in a balanced way.

G.Alexander

Sounds good... Ill keep doing them, I have it automatically doing 10% a week, I'll bump it a bit.

[Wunderpus]

Let's slowly increase the potassium level to 380g. I have no experience in using the carbon brand, so I can't say anything. My ability is not very good. The possible reasons mentioned above are all possible reasons. I hope it is very good. The extra idea is that biological leaks, dry rock (2 years) use. If you reduce the dosage of nutritional products according to the regular Zeo basis 4, the phosphate should gradually be 0ppm instead of 0.04ppm. Maybe consider adding some shallow sand beds, which might help.

In addition, slowly reducing the nutrition to 0 is the right direction. Get an extra BioMate. From the administration plan, it seems to be a large dose. Observe the coral tissue and it should not gradually turn brown. Be sure to keep changing the water 10% every week to refresh the elements.

I have Biomate, I can use it if you think it'll help? Keeping in mind, phosphates are 0.01ppm and nitrates are 0ppm... Not sure if reducing nutrients w/ Biomate would make matters worse? I think my system is TOO clean....?

[jacky]

I use the Salifert potassium test kit, I think it can, I also have the Red Sea test kit. Test every few days and follow the procedures in the instructions. As time goes by, you will naturally have experience and observe the overall appearance of the coral, so that you can know more.

Let us use it with confidence, BioMate-different bacteria, reduce nutrition and clean, improve and enhance good and healthy biology. Dosage: 2 drops/25 US gallons every other day.

In natural seas, it is even cleaner. In my experience (although not very good), NP=0, there is no problem with healthy coral growth color.

In addition, some carbon strips off the elements and may be radical to make the coral tissue pale. When the situation is severe, the coral tissue may be eroded.