The struggle continues….
- Thread starter Syntax
- Start date
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
I sent out an icp this morning. I’ll post results once they become available. I have some caulerpa growing in my sump, quite a bit so I wouldn’t be surprised if iron and a few others are low.
I have about 45 gallons of water mixed and ready to go, I’ll have time Thursday to get a change done. Not quite 30% but close. I could get another barrel and make more water for an even larger change.
I changed membranes last summer and carbon and di were replaced in January. I have low tds out of the faucet - around 30-45 depending on season. 0 tds out of the membranes and before di.
Duds
Formerly Known as SrDudley25
Wow I’m jealous of your tds damn well over here haha, I plow through filters.
Do you do regular water changes?
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
10% weekly.
nickeg79
Well-Known Member
This is my opinion but I am not an expert on sps.
You have a ton of flow and a ton of light. Probably needs more nutrients. Cut the algea down in the sump. Start feeding some frozen.
A lot of people keep their systems too clean. If you’re not scraping the glass every other day your system is too clean imo. Many people have success with nitrates in the 20-30 range
You have a ton of flow and a ton of light. Probably needs more nutrients. Cut the algea down in the sump. Start feeding some frozen.
A lot of people keep their systems too clean. If you’re not scraping the glass every other day your system is too clean imo. Many people have success with nitrates in the 20-30 range
Greg Hiller
BRS Moderator
Not sure I completely understand. From the photos it looks like you have hard corals, or SPS encrusting onto the bottom glass of the tank. You also have a lot of frags in your rack that look okay. Is there just the rare frag that does not do well? I'd actually probably keep my alk a little higher, rarely is high a problem in my experience. One other question that I don't understand, you said with regard to your halides "They were about 15 months, but didn’t have a lot of burn hours per day, maybe about 4 to 5 hours as an average." Do you really have a photo period of only 5 hours. Normal photo period in the tropics is about 12, with about a one hour increase and one hour decrease. I'd consider slowly increasing your photo period with the halides to more like 9-10 hours.
SteveDola
Good Tings
You know, Ive watched a few videos lately where people that have these amazing tanks full of SPS, contending that their tank showed positive results when turning down the LED intensity. I personally have dialed down the intensity to see if I have a color shift. I run my lights from 9:30-8:30 with a ramp up period at the start and finish. I also have 4 T5s that turn on at 11 and off at 7.
NeverlosT
Engineer with a reefing problem
There is a lot of evidence that SPS go into photic inhibition when PAR is too high. Could raise up the lights a bit but I feel like stability could potentially be the culprit.
Are you recording your test results in an app or something so that we can see what your alk/ca/mag/other stability is?
Don't give up, I am sure that we can find success for you. Definitely interested in your ICP results.
Are you recording your test results in an app or something so that we can see what your alk/ca/mag/other stability is?
Don't give up, I am sure that we can find success for you. Definitely interested in your ICP results.
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
I have been dealing with recession for over a year and can’t seem to get things to grow consistently growth begins and then either tips or base start to recede. I would say that 50% have or are showing issues.
My photo period is 12 hours of xho led with an hour ramp up and down with the halides coming on for around 6 hours in the middle of the photo period. Do I need more than that?
Here an example of the base recession.
Most of the frags on the rack were purchased at ffm. There are a couple of frags on the rack that have been in the tank for many months, the picture above is one of them…. The frag in the foreground has paled out and seems to be dying.
I’m currently seeing some tip recession on a couple acros, and several with base recession like pictures above.
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
I’m on the par meter wait list, so I should have readings in a month or so. I have a trident, but I can’t figure out how to generate a report that is longer than one month. Alk is very consistent between 7.3 and 7.6
frank180reef
Well-Known Member
7.3_7.6 strikes me as pretty low... Fwiw
ChrisPchef
Well-Known Member
Me too, following along.
Hopefully op didn’t change too many things at once. That way he’s able to pin point what the cause of the issue is.
Mixed Reefer
Well-Known Member
What size tank is this? I have a Red Sea 425xl with two mp40’s and it’s a mixed reef heavy sps. That tank is 102 total gallons. My mp40’s are at 55 percent and that’s all the flow I have. Everything is happy. Your tank maybe a bit too much flow especially if directly on corals. I’ve seen it peel the flesh and then algae grow where it’s dead.
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
5x2x2 about 155 gallons
I’ve lowered the pumps about 25%. Flow is such a challenge, there are some acros in the tank where there is hardly any polyp movement from flow.
I had my parameters checked at my lfs to see if they agree with mine, they do. The shop uses Red Sea test kits.
I’m still waiting for icp results.
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
Going to slowly cut back the caulerpa in my sump and raise nutrients to see if that will make a difference. I’m trying to be patient and not change too much at one time.
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
Me too
NeverlosT
Engineer with a reefing problem
In my opinion your recessions lookd like starvation or alk burn. The hard part is, things could be fine today and the sps are mad because something was off a month ago.
Natural seawater has an alk of ~7dkh and tons of tanks run in that range, so as lomg as it has been stable that isnt it.
Macroalgae strips the tank of nutrients but also many trace elements so icp will be telling.
I highly doubt it is flow either. Ive run veritable hurricanes in tanks with no harm to sps. Think of the flow on a reefcrest.
Natural seawater has an alk of ~7dkh and tons of tanks run in that range, so as lomg as it has been stable that isnt it.
Macroalgae strips the tank of nutrients but also many trace elements so icp will be telling.
I highly doubt it is flow either. Ive run veritable hurricanes in tanks with no harm to sps. Think of the flow on a reefcrest.
NeverlosT
Engineer with a reefing problem
I just read back though. My bet is, its not light, its not flow, its not your alk. You could raise mg a bit and ca a bit but those arent way low. Your nutrients sound good too.
to be honest id just test a bit more frequently, keep a log in excel so you have more than a month, feed well, continue regular water changes, and things will improve. Nothing i have read is a red flag.
Keep us posted.
to be honest id just test a bit more frequently, keep a log in excel so you have more than a month, feed well, continue regular water changes, and things will improve. Nothing i have read is a red flag.
Keep us posted.
OP
OP
Syntax
Well-Known Member
Finally got the results from icp. There was a delay because of the holiday.
Similar threads
