Hi all, a little background. I have a nuvo 20 that has been up and running about 5 years. AI Prime 16hd (bulk reef settings), MJ900 return, MP 10 (50% constant mode). Mised reef.
For the last 5-6 months I have been battling a bacterial bloom of some kind. My water is not cloudy, but I get this clear gelatinous bacteria that clogs my filter floss in like 12 hours and when it collects on the rocks and glass it gets strings and blows around in the current.
I change the floss daily when I feed and use a baster on the sand and rocks a couple times a week, bi-weekly water changes, but it never goes away.
A little over a year ago I started doing Vibrant. I had some alagae issues...bubble and hair....so I gave it a try. Did half dose for like 6mo and all the algae finally meted and has been gone ever since. I stopped dosing once the algae melted, then a couple months later the bacteria bloom started.
I dont run a skimmer only floss in the overflows. I have both media racks filled with Siporax and carbon in a MiniMax reacto that cloggs in a day due to bacteria rendering it useless.
I am truely at a loss as to what to do to resolve the issue.
I just purchased a Hanna ULR Phosphate kit and the Nyos Nitrate kit. Ive always tested the big 3 but ive never had kits for Nitrate and Phosphate. They were delivered today so I tested everything.
Salinity 1.025 - refractometer
Temp 77 - Inkbird/glass
pH 8.0 - API
Alk 10.8 - Hanna
Ca 450 - Salifert
Mag 1350 - Salifert
Phosphate 0.07 - Hanna
Nitrate 0 - Nyos
All looks good. But I was shocked by my Nitrate reading....probablyfrom the abundance of Siporax. I feed pretty heavy LRS reef frenzy daily with 4 fish....2 clowns, yellow watchman and orchid dottyback.
I am assuming the bacteria is just consuming all of my Nitrate bottoming it out. Luckily my Phosphate isn't too high.
So I guess my question is where do I go from here? My fish and corals are happy, but growth is slow, and color could be better. Bacteria are probably outcompeting the corals for Nitrate which would effect both. So my options are feed more to try and raise levels....feed less to try and starve off the bacteria, remove some Siporax, or something else? Hahaha
Any guidance is greatly appreciated!
For the last 5-6 months I have been battling a bacterial bloom of some kind. My water is not cloudy, but I get this clear gelatinous bacteria that clogs my filter floss in like 12 hours and when it collects on the rocks and glass it gets strings and blows around in the current.
I change the floss daily when I feed and use a baster on the sand and rocks a couple times a week, bi-weekly water changes, but it never goes away.
A little over a year ago I started doing Vibrant. I had some alagae issues...bubble and hair....so I gave it a try. Did half dose for like 6mo and all the algae finally meted and has been gone ever since. I stopped dosing once the algae melted, then a couple months later the bacteria bloom started.
I dont run a skimmer only floss in the overflows. I have both media racks filled with Siporax and carbon in a MiniMax reacto that cloggs in a day due to bacteria rendering it useless.
I am truely at a loss as to what to do to resolve the issue.
I just purchased a Hanna ULR Phosphate kit and the Nyos Nitrate kit. Ive always tested the big 3 but ive never had kits for Nitrate and Phosphate. They were delivered today so I tested everything.
Salinity 1.025 - refractometer
Temp 77 - Inkbird/glass
pH 8.0 - API
Alk 10.8 - Hanna
Ca 450 - Salifert
Mag 1350 - Salifert
Phosphate 0.07 - Hanna
Nitrate 0 - Nyos
All looks good. But I was shocked by my Nitrate reading....probablyfrom the abundance of Siporax. I feed pretty heavy LRS reef frenzy daily with 4 fish....2 clowns, yellow watchman and orchid dottyback.
I am assuming the bacteria is just consuming all of my Nitrate bottoming it out. Luckily my Phosphate isn't too high.
So I guess my question is where do I go from here? My fish and corals are happy, but growth is slow, and color could be better. Bacteria are probably outcompeting the corals for Nitrate which would effect both. So my options are feed more to try and raise levels....feed less to try and starve off the bacteria, remove some Siporax, or something else? Hahaha
Any guidance is greatly appreciated!