Back again, any more ideas, or should I just tap out?
- Thread starter cncguy
- Start date
BrianKC
New member
Red herring. Everyone will debate the right temp but all the issues you're having, throw temp out as a variable (unless your temp swings around a lot. Most will say anything from 76 - even 84 is fine as long as it's stable).
It really sounds to me like a balance stability issue, along with lack of natural bacterial loads.
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Stability
Stability
Hi,
I have had a similar problem. I am now doing much better by keeping the kH stable and down to 7.5 to 8.0 because I discovered thru trial and error that is where my tank wants to be or rather the corals are happier and it was such a useless fight to raise it.
I lowered my salinity from 1.027 down to 1.025 and spent more time keeping as stable as possible. I lowered my light levels on my LED light fixture but its no point listing the figures because every tank and light is different.
I hope this helps.
polaravic
Stability
Hi,
I have had a similar problem. I am now doing much better by keeping the kH stable and down to 7.5 to 8.0 because I discovered thru trial and error that is where my tank wants to be or rather the corals are happier and it was such a useless fight to raise it.
I lowered my salinity from 1.027 down to 1.025 and spent more time keeping as stable as possible. I lowered my light levels on my LED light fixture but its no point listing the figures because every tank and light is different.
I hope this helps.
polaravic
jml1149
New member
Good news, your parameters are solid. Any further changes in that trumpet? Next need to find a maintenance dose of alk, to keep it from going low again. I would have expected your alk to be slightly lower than 10 though. When I did this, I got my alk to around 10, stopped adding alk, then measured it every day for a couple days. Then I could see how much I was using and calculated how much to add back in. So I think that's what to do next, measure every day for three days and see how it drops.
There may be a BRS video on this on two part dosing.
Next, how do you do your water changes?
I think the beneficial bacteria are ok, if you had an ammonia problem we probably wouldn't have gotten this far.
If still not much change in trumpet need to tweak down the lights a bit further.
But hey, great job getting this far, I know how frustrating it can be and even getting through these last three days is progress!!
There may be a BRS video on this on two part dosing.
Next, how do you do your water changes?
I think the beneficial bacteria are ok, if you had an ammonia problem we probably wouldn't have gotten this far.
If still not much change in trumpet need to tweak down the lights a bit further.
But hey, great job getting this far, I know how frustrating it can be and even getting through these last three days is progress!!
homer1475
New member
I personally think 1290 while acceptable, is a little on the low side for MAG. I like to keep mine right around 1350 to 1400, but its negligible at this point. Just keep in mind that MAG is the key to the big 3 and with a low MAG the other 2 won't raise no matter how much supplements you add.
At this point, test daily and write it down. Then after a few days you can see how much ALK your using and dose daily accordingly. If your not seeing improvements in a week or 2, then we should trouble shoot something like turning the light intensity down or up, or something totally different.
At this point, test daily and write it down. Then after a few days you can see how much ALK your using and dose daily accordingly. If your not seeing improvements in a week or 2, then we should trouble shoot something like turning the light intensity down or up, or something totally different.
Thanks for the help guys. I'll check the alk for 3 days straight and see where it goes. Homer, I actually did put a little mag supplement in, cause I'd rather have it closer to the numbers you stated as well.
I'll post pics when I get home
Would you guys rather I start a new thread since this one is getting so long?
I'll post pics when I get home
Would you guys rather I start a new thread since this one is getting so long?
infpalex
Member
I didn't read the whole thread, but I wanted to mention this real quick one more time in case you didn't take a close look at this.
You said in a later post you reduced your photo period so you didn't think it was that. What about the intensity while it's on? I've found corals really like blue light and less white light.
On my Marine Orbit Pro, I had it up MUCH too high at first and it was actually frying everything or things were stagnant. I had to put the blues at 100% and the whites at 35% and now everything is just so happy and pretty. I love it.
Not sure if this is what your problem is, but I just wanted to mention it in case. Also I have a long photo period, about 10 hours, so again it may be intensity, not length that is the problem.
Hope that helps!
yes, that does help. That was also recommended that my chinese LEDs were running to intense. So a few (4?) days ago, I changed the intensity way down, from roughly (not remembering exactly, but it's in one of these posts) 70% blue, and 50% white/color, down to about 40% blue, 25% white/colors
infpalex
Member
Perfect, I hope you are on the right track to your corals taking off!
It might just be me, but in that last picture everything looks a little better..
If that's the case, it looks like you're on the right track. To also help put things in perspective I'm going to give you two quotes that I love to apply to reefing.
1) Only bad things happen quickly.
2) If you think you're fishing slow enough, SLOW DOWN.
It's all speed and stability. Doing too much, too quick can wreck stability. Adding ph buffers is a straight up no-no, there's better ways to achieve the same goals.
So listen to whomever has been guiding you through this fixing journey, and make sure to VERY SLOWLY, start from the bottom (like you've done) and progress until you've fixed, or augmented all the links in the chain of proper reef keeping. It looks like after 2 years you're making a little headway, by fixing the basics -- Not trying to be argumentative or mean, but if the basics are out of whack it's likely other things in the "chain" are too. Looks like you're on the right track, don't stress out too much, and keep following the advice which has helped you so far.
To reiterate my favorite of the 2 quotes; If you think you're reefing slow enough, SLOW DOWN
If that's the case, it looks like you're on the right track. To also help put things in perspective I'm going to give you two quotes that I love to apply to reefing.
1) Only bad things happen quickly.
2) If you think you're fishing slow enough, SLOW DOWN.
It's all speed and stability. Doing too much, too quick can wreck stability. Adding ph buffers is a straight up no-no, there's better ways to achieve the same goals.
So listen to whomever has been guiding you through this fixing journey, and make sure to VERY SLOWLY, start from the bottom (like you've done) and progress until you've fixed, or augmented all the links in the chain of proper reef keeping. It looks like after 2 years you're making a little headway, by fixing the basics -- Not trying to be argumentative or mean, but if the basics are out of whack it's likely other things in the "chain" are too. Looks like you're on the right track, don't stress out too much, and keep following the advice which has helped you so far.
To reiterate my favorite of the 2 quotes; If you think you're reefing slow enough, SLOW DOWN
jml1149
New member
Looks good. However, as part of this tank recovery project, I feel the next critical step is to invest in an iPhone 6S.
I still think the lights are a bit too bright, but lets get through the next couple of days.
jml1149
New member
This is so true. Really, only when I stopped everything did my tank take off. It's like a Chinese finger trap. Stop messing with everything, let it find its own equilibrium, and then good things start to happen.
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