Whooooooo! Hoooooooooo!
After 19 months of battling nitrates and phosphates in this tank, using every method known:
large and frequent water changes (20% weekly); refugium with macroalgae; reactor running Rowaphos; reactor running nitrate remover; vodka dosing; Tailored Aquatics phosphate & nitrate destroyer; the Bio pellets are the answer. At times the nitrates would get as high as 30mg/l and phosphates were never lower than .05 ppm. Since using the pellets NO3 & PO4 have been steadily coming down. This morning I did my bi-weekly testing and the results are..... (.......
drum roll please.....)
NO3 on Salifert kit = 0.00 NO3 on Elos kit = 0.00
PO4 on Hanna checker = 0.00 PO4 on Salifert kit = 0.00
Pretty damn good for an overstocked, well-fed tank. And, the pellets are saving me money as well: down to 10% water changes every 2 weeks; no more phosphate & nitrate removers; no more perfectly good vodka going to waste. And, as a bonus, the pellets couldn't be easier to use.
If I sound a little giddy and like I'm trying to promote the pellets: You're damn right I am! I love these guys!
Now, I think I'm going to sit back, watch the soccer game and sample a little, or a lot of that vodka.
