scrubber is done in the new tank

I agree with you macro and ATS not working together, plus a skimmer. But you don't know how much phosphates I have. Right now, my balls of chaeto are doubling in size every 1 to 2 weeks. My scrubber is turning a dark greenish brown, and my other macro is appearing to be growing. My skimmer cup fills about halfway with dark putrid brown (thick stuff) every week, and I still have green algae grow in on the glass within 2 days, along with patches of Hair algae that just will not die..

I also limit my feeding to once every 2 days. I also feed in a very control manner. Just a small amount of mysis / brine shrimp mixed, and occasionally prime reef flakes, gel cyclopeeze. But very small amounts of all. I have 6 fish total int he 125.

My phosphates were detected as high as 2 before I started the macro, ATS, etc.

OH I forgot. I'm also running GFO in a BRS reactor that I'm changing out at least once a week. The last 2 weeks I changed it out every 2 or 3 days.

So, yeah. A short lesson in reusing old sand beds and resuing live rock that went through a 8.0ppm ammonia tank crash.... A) don't crash a tank and get ammonia as high as 8.0ppm. and B) It would have almost been cheaper to thros the rock. As, it has taken all of the above to get phosphates down to under .5. I had 10" strands of HA in huge bunches covering corals everything. Those days are dead and gone!! (finally!)

I'll keep everything running to clean up any nutrients and phosphates still leaking from the rocks. My guess is it could take a year of careful monitoring for the rocks to finish leaching phosphates.

ewwwwwwwwww

I thought about your adjective. And given the smell the living room took on when I took the rock out scrubbed into saltwater and put it into a rubber made tub of fresh RODI salt water with a heater and powerhead.

I let it sit in there for 24 hours, retested ammonia and phosphates for giggles. After 24 hours (Keep in mind FRESH RODI salt water.) brand new di resin. Everyhting. 24 hours and the phosphates were up to .5 and ammonia up to 2.0ppm. (down from 8.0 ppm). I couldn't believe how fast the ammonia built up in fresh salt water. The smell from it was less than desirable....

Your adjective is most appropriate and sums up the last 4 months. But, it's looking very awesome now!!

Macro and ATS do work together but they fight each other a bit. You will hve two things going for the same nutrients. They will not be as efficient but they can both grow fine. I never took out my skimmer or macro when I had an ATS. Had is the key work there, the ATS is gone as my setup didn't allow for a decently built ATS so it was causing more harm than good.