Best way to reduce Nitrates and Phosphates and best light for refugium

[ghrorick]

I have been using an algae turf scrubber for about a year now on my 300gal system, nitrates were sky high when I installed, no problems since it got going. No hair algae, still have to clean glass once every week to two weeks.

[binford4000]

Couple of questions:
What's your favorite way to keep Nitrates in check?

I've started a refugium in one 100g tub. I put in cheato and another unknown macro algae. The cheato and macro have stalled and a red fluff is taking over. I'm using a 6500k bulb. Should I use a lower Kelvin to grow the macros better and faster?

I Don't show any phosphates according to Salifert, but I know how that goes. I have a slight hair algae problem and a large bryopsis problem. I've started with the Tech M, but would rather just reduce phosphates. Do you guys have a specific way to do this that you like?

What foods have the least phosphates?

I have a large skimmer
I have a pellet reactor going with about 700ml
Lots of very small fish
Feed somewhat heavily but have cut down gradually. Keeping Anthias alive.
Use I/O for water
nitrates 30ppm
TDS from r/o is 0 thanks to spectrapure membrane

Is the problem in the new tank or your sps system? If it's the new tank you just swaped wouldn't be a surprise to me to see the No3 spike due to it still developing it's bacterial base. Just wondering is all ? I have not had much luck with the bio pelet's and feel with a new system consitant water changes and time will do you better IMO

[Tom Toro]

I know what you're saying Chuck. I am in a transition with the new sand.

I'm really thinking long term, cause with the present system before I swapped, it wasn't very clean and tended to have some small algae issues. I'm hoping to start this one out right and maybe a little overkill. I'm keeping up with the water changes and am doing 25% every couple of weeks. I would still like to feed my fish a lot and that's been my downfall in the past. I still have a lot of room in the sumps for more equipment, lol.

I ran the biopellets before, but not sure I was running them right. I'm going to follow Don's instructions this time, including the gfo and see how that goes. I also just recently installed an AquaC 180 into another tee off from the Hammerhead and it's already pulling. I have to get a handle on this thing.
thanks,
Tom

Is the problem in the new tank or your sps system? If it's the new tank you just swaped wouldn't be a surprise to me to see the No3 spike due to it still developing it's bacterial base. Just wondering is all ? I have not had much luck with the bio pelet's and feel with a new system consitant water changes and time will do you better IMO

[binford4000]

I know what you're saying Chuck. I am in a transition with the new sand.

I'm really thinking long term, cause with the present system before I swapped, it wasn't very clean and tended to have some small algae issues. I'm hoping to start this one out right and maybe a little overkill. I'm keeping up with the water changes and am doing 25% every couple of weeks. I would still like to feed my fish a lot and that's been my downfall in the past. I still have a lot of room in the sumps for more equipment, lol.

I ran the biopellets before, but not sure I was running them right. I'm going to follow Don's instructions this time, including the gfo and see how that goes. I also just recently installed an AquaC 180 into another tee off from the Hammerhead and it's already pulling. I have to get a handle on this thing.
thanks,
Tom

Sounds like a plan ! I was just wondering not judging. I know Don has had great results with Bio pellets ,great person to get instructed from IMO . Lookin forward to seeing the results !