Desperate For Help

Discussion in 'Algae' started by YellowBelly, Jul 27, 2015.

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  1. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

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    My ZeoStart3 smells like vinegar, and as I understand it, this is a main ingredient, reading that it does contain NO3 as well. Fuel for your bacteria. I understand ZeoFood7 to be an amino supplement, adding PO4. I agree that you should continue the Zeo routine. If you stop that and the additional bacteria die off, you'll be in a whole other mess.
     
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  3. Servillius

    Servillius Montipora Digitata

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    Your friend is almost correct. It contains sodium nitrate and glacial acetic acid. There may be other stuff as well so citric may be in there. In combination they should keep your nitrates very close to zero, but with enough to keep the corals healthy.

    I would kill the phosphate remover as well. Zeovit discourages it and though I'm not sure why, when using it I always had problems. The Zeostart is there to remove phosphate as well. It does so by adding nitrate as bacteria food then skimming out the bacteria.
     
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  4. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Well it's official, I started my 120 gallon algae grow out tank today. I removed all the corals from the display to battle this issue. My frag tank is doing better than my display and will be housing my corals until the 120 is ready.
     
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  5. YellowBelly

    YellowBelly Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    I added 1/4 tsp. of sodium nitrate powder to my 120 last night and tested the water this morning. I am still dosing 0.5 mL ZEOstart3 and 4 drops of Sponge Power daily.
    Salinity - 1.026 (35 ppt)
    Alkalinity – 7.4 (Salifert) 7/19 exp.
    Calcium – 470 (Salifert) 2/20 exp.
    Nitrate - 1.0 (Salifert) 6/16 exp.
    Phosphate – 0.02 (Hanna) 3/17 exp.
    Nitrates bumped up from 0 and phosphates went down from 0.06. I stopped using GFO and dosing lanthanum chloride. I believe I truly was nitrate limited and now the bacteria can do their work! I need to turn my calcium dosing pump off as 470 is too high for ZEOvit. I added another 1/4 tsp of sodium nitrate and will test again tonight.
     
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  6. FaceOfDeceit

    FaceOfDeceit Hockey Beard

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    Good progress. Following along hoping that the algae begins to recede.
     
  7. oldfishkeeper

    oldfishkeeper Giant Squid

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    An algae grow-out system - that is a first to read here :) I wish you the best of luck that you conquer this issue once and for all!
     
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  9. Zoa Te

    Zoa Te Plankton

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    Try to lower your nitrates to 0. Nudibranches (a kind of sea slug) will eat the algae very well, especially lettuce nudibranches.