Sound like you are in tune with your tanks needs by being able to observe when it is time to use a little extra with the poly filter.I’m a big supporter of poly filter. I use it prophylactically in my own tank about twice a year just to catch anything that may be accumulating. It’s non scientific but I have had positive results from doing so.
Believe it or not my tank is very tech limited. It is similar to the type tank you’d see in the year 2000. I don’t dose anything, I don’t run ICP tests, I don’t use controllable leds, I don’t have any type of automated testing devices.
rodi water for water changes and top offs
Weekly water changes
Old school Venturi skimmer straight out of the 90’s
Calcium reactor
Fish food.
nothing else.
like I said I test alkalinity and phosphate weekly to ensure they are balanced and will make adjustments as needed to avoid encountering tip burn or zoox influenced dormancy.
Sounds well balanced also.
That is the fun of it for me, observing and balancing.
We are all here because we love our tanks.