Ace's N/P Test Log

[Ace25]

In an effort to get more information out there I am encouraging everyone to start their own N/P Test Log to document results. This is my idea of a Log post. Each week I will provide updated test results and mention any changes I have made to the tank (flow, lighting, feeding, additional filtration methods).

60G mixed reef. Tank has been run on a ATS only using a 42w CFL light on each side of a 10x12 screen. One month ago I removed the reactor I was using with phosguard. I had my phosphate levels down to .13 the day I removed the reactor. ATS screen grows very good and healthy each week. No water changes in exactly 12 months. Screen cleaned yesterday.


75G mixed reef. Tank has been run on ATS using LEDs on a 8"x8" screen + skimmer for the past 30 days. When I turned off my reactor with phosguard my phosphate readings were .09. No water changes in the last 18 months (other than when I used dirtier water out of my clownfish tank). Phosphates have really spiked in the last 7 days, last week it was about 1/2 if what it is today and last weeks test were actually lower than the weeks before, so I thought I was on a down slope, even tested twice to make sure, but obviously something has changed in the last week. This fluctuation could be caused by my change in lighting in the last month (adding 420/660 LEDs to the display) and my tank going through ups and downs in a bacteria phase. One other variable to throw in the mix, I have been running a fan over the ATS for the last 3 weeks during the day (dark period for algae). Screen cleaned yesterday and it was one of the healthiest/heaviest harvests I have had in a while.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I should do this too...

[bigbadwigarus]

I'd like to see it a bit more on the UAS. I'm comfortable that the waterfall scrubber drops phosphate to manageable levels and removes Nitrate completely, but I haven't seen any evidence to suggest that the UAS even significantly removes Nitrate effectively.

[srusso]

I should do this too...

Same here... We need to track these things better.

[Ace25]

Running my test in a little bit and will post results later tonight. In the mean time I just wanted to throw out a vid update of a new fish I bought today. I successfully weaned a pair of orangespotted filefish from eating SPS corals to eating pellets, and they are fat and happy, so I decided to try another 'not reef safe' fish to see if I can do it again, and I have always wanted some type of butterfly fish, this ones common name is a Spotband Butterflyfish.

[Ace25]

75G Test Results - Changes: Added 3 cups of phosguard in a filter bag on Friday (doesn't appear to have made any difference unless my phosphates were a lot higher than my last test when I added the media). Experienced minor bacteria bloom on Wed, had white sticky film on glass, but after cleaning it has not returned. Algae in display appears to be dying off slightly in the last couple days. 60G test results to follow, then screen cleaning. This week I wanted to run my test before I cleaned the screen to see if there was any major difference.

Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - 0.45
Calcium - 360/380 (2 different tests, strontium test has you doing a CA test as a first step)
Alkalinity - 5.3
Magnesium - 1110
Iodine - .06 (perfect)
Strontium - 16mg/L (perfect, PAIN IN THE BUTT TEST!)
Silicates - 0

Conclusion: Alk, CA, and Mg are all on the very low side of acceptable, so I will be working on raising all 3 over the next week. I have been slacking with making kalkwasser top off lately and have just been dosing 2 part but it is obviously not enough to keep up with demand on this system. Adding fresh kalkwasser top off should also help with lowering phosphates. We will see come next week, by then I should have my potassium test kit and supplements to try out also.

[Garf]

Bloody hell Ace. I know you like to keep your ALK low, but that is really low.

[Ace25]

I agree, that is me balancing on the edge of a cliff that results in a tank crash. I will try and raise it up to the 7-9 range over the course of the next month, along with calcium in the 440 range and magnesium in the 1400 range.

60G Test Results - Only change this week was I added 2 cups of phosguard in a filter bag on Friday. It appears to have done some phosphate removal compared to last weeks readings.

Nitrate - 0
Phosphate - .30
Calcium - 415
Alkalinity - 5.6
Magnesium - 1170
Iodine - .06
Strontium - .14
Silicate - 0

[kotlec]

For how long alkalinity is beeing so low ? I feel like it can be somehow related with your big P problem.

[Ace25]

Pretty much as long as the tank has been setup, so 5 years now. Here is a picture of earlier days when I ran my tank at Alk 5.0, CA 380, Mag 1250, N/P 0 and SPS corals grew like crazy, so fast I had to trim them weekly. Alk can go as low as 5 and still be acceptable.. but drop anywhere below 5 and you can have serious problems, so it isn't recommended to run it that low.