ALGONE; An attempt at controlling nitrates...

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
I joined the bandwagon today. My nitrates have been killing my corals, I have a 72 gallon reef with mixed corals and high bioload of fish.

Since the last three months I haven't been able to bring down my nitrates past 10 ppm. They have gotten as high as 25 ppm and I've lost acros.

I also believe it killed out my blue carpet anemone.

I went to my LFS to purchase the AZ-N03 and some water but instead I came back with ALGONE at the recommendation of my LFS.

I came home with 30 gallons of fresh Catalina Water as I only purchase same water from my LFS.

Before doing the water change I used the Salifert Nitrate test on my water and it was easily at 25-30 ppm.

I did the water change which is almost half my water and re-tested and I'm at about 10 ppm.

Then I added 2 pouches of the ALGONE, one pouch is good for at least 125 gallons of water, I was told by the LFS that two bags would not harm anything since it's just absorping nutrients not trace elements.

I placed them in my sump where they are submerged and get the most flow.

What I have noticed is that my ORP is taking a dive, prior to the ALGONE, I was at 390 and my ozone cuts off at 380, then I added the ALGONE and it's just gone down a lot, it's at 302 in one hour. I'm really concerned about this drastic drop rather than an increase. It stopped at 302.

On the flip side my Deltec Skimmer is going nuts pulling out skimmate; it hasn't pulled out anything in a long time even with the adding of ozone which I've added just recently 3 weeks ago.

Man what can be happening in my reef, why did I go down in ORP but skimmate increase?

Am I okay to leave this stuff in as I read tons of posts on the product before I placed it in my sump; all said how great it is and how it won't harm my corals.

Something just doesn't add up...

My coco worm is hidden which is normally always out, but my two other feather duster worms are fully expanded.

Here are some pics...

Getting tank ready for water changes


Changing 30 gallons out


50 percent water change


ALGONE Product


Plancing product in sump


Sump water rushing through product


Salifert nitrate test before any changes


Salifert nitrate test after water change only


Here is skimmate on my skimmer only 1 hour


Here is my skimmer after I fired it back up
 
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sadielynn

New Member
Wow Mike hopefully you can keep em down lower ..I know you have been having some difficulties with them keep us posted on the algone and how it works ...as for the coco worm did he by chance decrown? You said he was having the discharge of stuff and perhaps he is getting ready to give you babies ....since I dont have a coco worm I can not help you more like I want to I am sorry .......
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Update,

My ORP did stop at 302 mv and then started it's climb back up, it's at 377 mv. As for my coco worm, he's out and well extended this morning. I believe it was the sudden water change at 50 percent that stressed him.

About the ALGONE, reefers for the price of these little bags they are TOTALLY WORTH IT, they have made my water even more clear than before I kid you not.

It first made my skimmer go nuts, I pulled out two full cups of green water within the first two hours of this stuff in the sump. And it's still pulling out green tea.

It by no means upset any of my fish or corals or inverts. In fact it seems that everyone is much more active now that the water is clearer than before.

I do have really clean water but this stuff even made it more clear, I give you my word on the difference.

I have vested a lot of expensive corals and critters and was very leary about placing the ALGONE in but I did after I read tons of positive testimonials.

Later on I will test my nitrates again, I want to give it a couple of days more. Only then will I see how much it was able to drop my nitrates.

Any other questions you reefers have, feel free to tag my thread, I'll chime back ASAP.

Mike G
 
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Jordan8008

New Member
Now you added these bags to your sump because thats the easiest way for you but, can you just place the bags in the main tank if you are sumpless like myself??? I am having an extreame case of high nitrates and I have done 5 water chages around 40% in the past week and my numbers are still high......you have had plenty of sucsess with these ALGONE bags and Id love to use them myself...

thanks

Jordan
 
skipm

skipm

Moderator
Staff member
Pretty interesting product. If this is at all similar to AZ-NO3 the reason your skimmer went crazy is that it makes the skimmer work more efficiently by making some kind of changes in the water (surface tension maybe?) that makes the skimmer really pull stuff out. I may order some of this to try on my 92 gallon reef. Thanks alot for sharing, I hadn't heard of this product before.
 
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ShawShank

New Member
Im not a fan of Algone. I tried it once and IMHO, it's pure crap. Did not do anything for my tank or my nitrates.

Continue with the water changes and keep the macro healthy and you will be fine. If you feeding flake - stop it. That is a nitrate factory. Feed pellitized food and cut back on any other food you are feeding. Food in general will cause high nitrates.

Beleive me when I tell you - I used to suffer from 200+ nitrates. Thank the good lord those days have long vanquished thanks to macros :)

BTW - I cut open an Algone packet once because the smell - smelled very familiar. After I cut it open, it appeared to be finely shreded bark which confirmed my sense of smell. I don't know what it is, but it is weird.
 
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