I switched from ATI T5's a few months back (4x24w on a smaller tank, but same depth as new one) to a single 250W Radium on an M80 ballast in a 24x24x24 cube.
My LPS (except the Acans) are not handling it well...as most of them are whiting (not bleaching) out. I have all LPS on sandbed and some under shade and they are still staying white. Furthermore, I am running the lumenbright mini pendant 18" off the water, which is higher than it is supposed to be.
The LPS are as low in the tank as they can be, and I started with the new MH setup 26" off the water and have acclimated over the course of three months. I got a bunch of SPS from a fellow BRS member, most of which have started to color up except for two since I purchased them two months ago.
The good news is that the LPS tentacles come out at night and they still eat when I target feed...something I have done infrequently and inconsistently over the entire time I have had them with no ill effects. Some have suggested that spot feeding would help, but I don't see how. Because the tentacles are out and not thrashing around, I believe the flow is appropriate.
My parameters are as follows:
- Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are all zero. (API and Red Sea)
- Alkalinity 9.5 dkh (Hanna Checker) - equates to ~8dkh on a Elos kit
- Calcium 420ppm (Elos)
- Magnesium 1350 ppm (Elos)
- Phosphate 0.26ppm (Hanna Checker) - tested before 30% water change tonight
- Temp is 78-79 degrees
- SG is 1.025
I have tested these every day for a week now, and they are very consistent. Everything is controlled.
More than a few people have suggested dosing iodine to help, which I may try.
My thought is that I have eliminated all possibilities except the light is too much, unless I have missed something.
The corals that are affected in particular are:
- Bubblegum Monster
- Meteor Shower
- Blastomussa Merletti
- Alien Eye Chalice
- Unknown Chalice
The Kryptonite Candy Cane and the Acans seem to be fine...they are a little less vibrant, but relatively good.
So the questions are, is anyone running 250w radiums on a magnetic ballast and getting good color on the LPS in a 24" or less deep tank?
And if the LPS are faded due to the light - and given they are placed as low as possible in as much shade as possible - will they recover their color and will it take months?
I love mixed reefs and I had good success with them before, but I am puzzled right now. Thanks for the help!
My LPS (except the Acans) are not handling it well...as most of them are whiting (not bleaching) out. I have all LPS on sandbed and some under shade and they are still staying white. Furthermore, I am running the lumenbright mini pendant 18" off the water, which is higher than it is supposed to be.
The LPS are as low in the tank as they can be, and I started with the new MH setup 26" off the water and have acclimated over the course of three months. I got a bunch of SPS from a fellow BRS member, most of which have started to color up except for two since I purchased them two months ago.
The good news is that the LPS tentacles come out at night and they still eat when I target feed...something I have done infrequently and inconsistently over the entire time I have had them with no ill effects. Some have suggested that spot feeding would help, but I don't see how. Because the tentacles are out and not thrashing around, I believe the flow is appropriate.
My parameters are as follows:
- Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate are all zero. (API and Red Sea)
- Alkalinity 9.5 dkh (Hanna Checker) - equates to ~8dkh on a Elos kit
- Calcium 420ppm (Elos)
- Magnesium 1350 ppm (Elos)
- Phosphate 0.26ppm (Hanna Checker) - tested before 30% water change tonight
- Temp is 78-79 degrees
- SG is 1.025
I have tested these every day for a week now, and they are very consistent. Everything is controlled.
More than a few people have suggested dosing iodine to help, which I may try.
My thought is that I have eliminated all possibilities except the light is too much, unless I have missed something.
The corals that are affected in particular are:
- Bubblegum Monster
- Meteor Shower
- Blastomussa Merletti
- Alien Eye Chalice
- Unknown Chalice
The Kryptonite Candy Cane and the Acans seem to be fine...they are a little less vibrant, but relatively good.
So the questions are, is anyone running 250w radiums on a magnetic ballast and getting good color on the LPS in a 24" or less deep tank?
And if the LPS are faded due to the light - and given they are placed as low as possible in as much shade as possible - will they recover their color and will it take months?
I love mixed reefs and I had good success with them before, but I am puzzled right now. Thanks for the help!
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