Am I the only one that can't keep SPS?

[GhostCon1]

How far above the surface are your lights? I know your corals may look bad but could you post a picture? It might help us.

Also, did you acquire the tank from someone else? Perhaps they used copper in the tank and it is leaching out into the system and causing problems.

Something is stressing the corals, especially since you said some are bleaching. However, I equate that to too much light which I don't think you have, so that part stumps me.

 

[jfingers8]

This test does not be tested much but what about strontium or potassium?

Have not tested for either of those but those have inaccurate results don't they?

 

[jfingers8]

do you have a sand bed and is it the same one since you setup the tank. have you been moving these corals alot and the rocks and sand stirring things up maybe in the deep sand bed if you have one, you say you move them from tank to tank to perc them up just wondered what else you move around?

I do have a sand bed it's grey coast some people never heard of it before it's basically black sand for those that don't know. I don't move the corals around a lot i only move them to another tank when i see the coral is going downhill. my pink spot goby stirs up my sand bed but like i said this problem has been going on for a long time.

 

[jfingers8]

your lighting is not the problem. there are other factors here that are probably causing you these problems. where did you get your rock for the tank, how old is your sand bed, how did you clean all parts and tank before filling it up, are you sure there is no metal in tank or sump, is it possible that someone accidentally could have moped the floor or sprayed a chemical around your tank? is your tank directly bellow an ac vent, what do you use for flow and is it pounding the corals, are you sure there is no stray voltage in the tank, and are you sure there are n acro pests on your corals?

I got the rock from my local fish store and it was all dry rock, sand bed is from when i set it up so a year and a half, yes i cleaned everything, i looked everywhere for metal and can't find anything, my wife know not to use chemicals in the fish tank room as i have 3 tanks in the same room, no ac vent below tank house is old school and runs on radiators, corals are not getting pounded by flow good flow but no pounding, stray voltage i haven't checked and i need to know how to test for that, no pests and some corals that i have that i can't keep are birdsnest's, stylo's, yellow porites and aefw obviously don't attack them so.

 

[jfingers8]

How far above the surface are your lights? I know your corals may look bad but could you post a picture? It might help us.

Also, did you acquire the tank from someone else? Perhaps they used copper in the tank and it is leaching out into the system and causing problems.

Something is stressing the corals, especially since you said some are bleaching. However, I equate that to too much light which I don't think you have, so that part stumps me.

Lights is 8 inches off the surface of the water, i bought the tank brand new 4 years ago and restarted after 2 and a half years. I had a protein skimmer pump that was rusting in the back (Eco633) so i bought a new one and siliconed all around it so no water could get in from the back.

 

[jfingers8]

is there a way i can test for copper in the tank? i wouldn't think it would be copper though because i have 4 clams on my sand bed 3 fighting conchs and a bunch of mexican turbo's. so even if i did, level is very low.

 

[kttran_2005]

How about water movement? I am still battling some similiar issues like yours. I can keep everything else but not much luck with SPS either. However, I am getting better now. Are you dosing vodka? recently I noticed that I overdosed it and my SPS getting worst. I also recently add move water movement to my tank using the diy tunze 6100 wavemaker. My corals are getting better but still not upto the point of enjoying yet. You are not alone and keep it up buddy. I have many confusions same as yours and don't know what to do. everything (parameters) was check at the recommended level and yet not much sign of improvement. However, i discovered that there will be some other thing that causing all the problems. Most of the times for me, it was the laziness with short cut and by pass dued by impatient. I want to do more to get better results for my corals but got opposite results. So, be patient and just make sure do right things (water change, dosing, etc...) and slowly. Trying to keep ALL parameters as stable as you can. Every little thing we do will effect the corals. My corals are doing a little bit better now. Anyway, I do believe we can get through our issues and make it to the other side some days soon. sorry for a boring response. Good luck.

 

[elijaher]

How your clams doing by the way.

 

[Ralph ATL]

I would suspect phosphates & nitrates. Elos has a super new kit that supposedly matches DD Merck, Hach. I would get a better phosphate kit.

 

[jfingers8]

How about water movement? I am still battling some similiar issues like yours. I can keep everything else but not much luck with SPS either. However, I am getting better now. Are you dosing vodka? recently I noticed that I overdosed it and my SPS getting worst. I also recently add move water movement to my tank using the diy tunze 6100 wavemaker. My corals are getting better but still not upto the point of enjoying yet. You are not alone and keep it up buddy. I have many confusions same as yours and don't know what to do. everything (parameters) was check at the recommended level and yet not much sign of improvement. However, i discovered that there will be some other thing that causing all the problems. Most of the times for me, it was the laziness with short cut and by pass dued by impatient. I want to do more to get better results for my corals but got opposite results. So, be patient and just make sure do right things (water change, dosing, etc...) and slowly. Trying to keep ALL parameters as stable as you can. Every little thing we do will effect the corals. My corals are doing a little bit better now. Anyway, I do believe we can get through our issues and make it to the other side some days soon. sorry for a boring response. Good luck.

Water movement is good i got 2 Tunze 6105's. I don't dose Vodka

 

[jfingers8]

How your clams doing by the way.

Clams are as happy as could be.

 

[jfingers8]

I would suspect phosphates & nitrates. Elos has a super new kit that supposedly matches DD Merck, Hach. I would get a better phosphate kit.

Anything is a possibility at this point but like i said before Nitrates is 0 and that is backed up with Salifert test kit and i haven't got the phosphates checked by anything else but i mean i barely have any algae in the water. You could basically eat off my rocks.

 

[jfingers8]

Someone suggested to me to take out the Grey Coast as they have heard that it leaches something in the tank, but i don't know i would have to rip my tank apart for that.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

you DID say you had room to remove the peices. I dont know, ive been reading your thread and thats the only thing i can think of too.

 

[jfingers8]

yea i'm really starting to wonder if that is it.

 

[allsps40]

I saw you are using 150 watt Phoenix 14k bulbs. I will bet you 1 million dollars(not really) that is your problem. I switched to the the same exact bulb you did and had several sps start to die or bleach or no PE. As soon as I switch back to my old bulbs thing got better within days. Try a 20k bulb like Coral Life I have grown my sps from frags over 2-3 year with these bulbs gives great color and good growth. I just got some Odysea 20ks because I spent all the money on the Phoenix bulbs. So far they look and perform the same a the Coral Life.
Oh and some one said to switch to 250 watters. I have been using 2 150 watters for 3 years now with great results. 150 watt lights work great over the right tank size.

 

[jfingers8]

I saw you are using 150 watt Phoenix 14k bulbs. I will bet you 1 million dollars(not really) that is your problem. I switched to the the same exact bulb you did and had several sps start to die or bleach or no PE. As soon as I switch back to my old bulbs thing got better within days. Try a 20k bulb like Coral Life I have grown my sps from frags over 2-3 year with these bulbs gives great color and good growth. I just got some Odysea 20ks because I spent all the money on the Phoenix bulbs. So far they look and perform the same a the Coral Life.
Oh and some one said to switch to 250 watters. I have been using 2 150 watters for 3 years now with great results. 150 watt lights work great over the right tank size.

i just switched to phoenix 14k bulbs like 3 weeks ago. i was running ushio 14k but to yellow for me and i've had the problem over a year and a half.

 

[allsps40]

Ok, I still dont think the phoenix bulbs are helping, they put out a high PAR and really only are good on Icecap ballasts. Coral Life, Current and other similar ballasts over drive the phoenix bulb. Where do you get your water for changes? Is it tap or RO? You could be having a low nutrient issue, not enough food for your corals. What do you feed your fish and corals, how many fish do you have?

 

[M007]

2 x 6105 may sound like alot but i've found that lack of water flow around acros is one of the major causes for death from the bottom, barring any pests of course. You might want to try some cycopeeze as a food source as they are a great visual indicator to how the water is moving in your tank. How often do you do water changes? There are a number of acro reefers getting excellent results just with water changes and fish feeding. Good luck

 

[zsuzsu21]

You did not mention if you are using carbon or not. If not it should help with most of the nasties the skimmer is missing,.. also I (over)feed my fish to help feed my sps reef as well as daily broadcast feeding with zooplankton. it sounds like your tank is starving. dont be afraid to feed the tank, it appears that you are keeping up with testing so you are able to control your nutrient params. I run 8 oz gac in a cannister and 8oz passively in bags in the sump (replaced monthly) feed the tank, run carbon, change 15% water/week ,test