While the skimmerless was great and I received no algae from it, the SPS all lacked color. Going skimmerless will make LPS explode with growth and the softies loved it as well. It was one of those things I was just trying to see if I could do it or not and what would happen. If I had no SPS in the tank I would still be skimmerless. I made it 6 months and could have went longer.
So about 3 weeks ago I started to dose vinegar to get the nitrates down (about 10) and lower the P04. I started the minimum dose and boy did the skimmer start pulling some junk out. I was worried about stressing the corals going from one extreme to another so I started very slowly. I'm up to 20ml a day only dosing vinegar and could not be happier. Everything has great color and no algae to speak of. The tank is very clear. I plan to settle in carbon dosing and try to get a maintenance plan together in the future. I have added a 1/2" of sand to the tank going from bare bottom a few weeks ago and added a 7 gallon bucket RDSB to my sump full of aragonite oolitic sand to also help with denitrification and buffering capabilities.
Here's to carbon dosing!
So about 3 weeks ago I started to dose vinegar to get the nitrates down (about 10) and lower the P04. I started the minimum dose and boy did the skimmer start pulling some junk out. I was worried about stressing the corals going from one extreme to another so I started very slowly. I'm up to 20ml a day only dosing vinegar and could not be happier. Everything has great color and no algae to speak of. The tank is very clear. I plan to settle in carbon dosing and try to get a maintenance plan together in the future. I have added a 1/2" of sand to the tank going from bare bottom a few weeks ago and added a 7 gallon bucket RDSB to my sump full of aragonite oolitic sand to also help with denitrification and buffering capabilities.
Here's to carbon dosing!