Zacktosterone
Active member
I'll leave it t for a week first. Then I'll drop it to 6".
can not color up coral to save my life
- Thread starter Zacktosterone
- Start date
The corals under the light that you have should be fine. If some in the sides are not as colorful, then it could use more light.
There aren't too many successful reefers that I know that use GFO without a very specific purpose and plan. None of them use it just to use it. It can be very dangerous and take the phosphate level too low. I would suggest that you stop using it, get a baseline for your tank and then have a plan for how low you want to take it. If the tank can stay between .01 and .03 without it, then I would not use it at all.
There aren't too many successful reefers that I know that use GFO without a very specific purpose and plan. None of them use it just to use it. It can be very dangerous and take the phosphate level too low. I would suggest that you stop using it, get a baseline for your tank and then have a plan for how low you want to take it. If the tank can stay between .01 and .03 without it, then I would not use it at all.
You should think about adding some trace elements especially iodine. That is essential and one of the things that heavy skimming and running GFO can remove. Manufaturers of these chemicals don't mention that other things besides phosphate can bind to their media and in some cases quicker and more strongly than phosphate. I'd remove it and add some iodine. Please use caution though as too much can be detrimental as well.
Jeff
Jeff
itche_scratche
New member
Agree with previos post. i would remove gfo.
ThorEffex
New member
How old are your t5 bulbs? I would shell out the 20$ and get a better nitrate test kit. I would reduce the leds if the corals are bleaching I run radions at 50% on and 18" deep tank. I would just give it some time and try to maintain stable permameters. I believe new systems are just building a solid biological foundation. I just want to say When I was in Sualt St Marie last week and went for a walk around the town and I saw some bad *** cockatoo sitting on this guys shoulder in a mall up on Tecumseh Rd I believe, very intresting town.
Zacktosterone
Active member
You seen some bad *** cockatoo an some guys shoulder?
Sounds like sault ste marie to me haha
T5s are 5 months old
Gfo hasn't been in the tank for 3 days
Sounds like sault ste marie to me haha
T5s are 5 months old
Gfo hasn't been in the tank for 3 days
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Dapg8gt
New member
I noticed your other post asking about the other lights. Me personally wouldn't run out and get other lights until you measure your par from that one(if you haven't yet). You basically have one of the top hybrid lights out and I'm guessing your par is pretty high( maybe to high) , especially at the levels you have them at.
I agree it could well be a nutrient issue all together,2 cups of gfo is A Lot, getting better kits or a second opinion on your results can pay dividends, especially if it saves you the $800+ your going to shell out on a new fixture.
Keeping n03 above 0 below 6 and getting an "accurate" measurement of p04 will ime yield you the best success(just my opinion though others may differ) . When my tank was 0 on my ulr/Elos professional my acros looked like crap(most pale/some brown) . Now I'm up to a higher number and corals looking great 2 months later. All while having extremely high par fwiw.
I agree it could well be a nutrient issue all together,2 cups of gfo is A Lot, getting better kits or a second opinion on your results can pay dividends, especially if it saves you the $800+ your going to shell out on a new fixture.
Keeping n03 above 0 below 6 and getting an "accurate" measurement of p04 will ime yield you the best success(just my opinion though others may differ) . When my tank was 0 on my ulr/Elos professional my acros looked like crap(most pale/some brown) . Now I'm up to a higher number and corals looking great 2 months later. All while having extremely high par fwiw.
JPMagyar
New member
Making corals colorful seems like it should be easy, but it's really not. . . . I know thats obvious, right? . . .
Anyways, my point is: Precision is key. All these parameters must be precise and constant:
1) nitrate < 0.3 ppm
2 phosphate = 0
3) alkalinity 7-8 dKH
4) salinity 35ppm(1.0264)
5) calcium 410 to 450
6) magnesium 1200 to 1400
7) temperature 77 to 82 but the steadier the better
In your case I see two immediate issues. First, the presence of algae on your sand is telling you that you have excess nitrate. Secondly, the API nitrate test kit is not sensitive enough for you to check your nitrates accurately. The trick is finding a way to lower your nitrate that works for your budget and time allowance. Ideally the balance in your reef is enough by itself to control nitrate, but sometimes that isn't the case and when that happens you need to find a system to help lower your nitrates. Things like bioballs, biopellets, zeovit, vodka dosing etc. are all proven methods of reducing nitrates. Personally I found that the Red Sea Algae Management System was affordable and easy to understand, and the test kit is accurate to 0.25 ppm nitrate.
Whatever method you choose, being methodical and keeping good records is definitely a requirement. Otherwise you are simply throwing random changes at your reef and can never be sure of what is causing what.
So just one guys advice.
1) Keep a twice daily log of the tank temperature.
2) Keep a weekly log of all the big parameters. dKH, Ca, NO3, PO4, Salinity.
3) Make changes one at a time to lock in any parameters that are not correct or steady.
THEN . . . when everything is stable and you have no nuisance algae . . . then you can look at your corals and if they are still brown you can start thinking about new T5 lamps or a brighter fixture, but that would be at least 2 months later.
Here's one of my favorite examples of the power of constant parameters and clean water, and here's what he said when asked about his clean sand
Anyways, my point is: Precision is key. All these parameters must be precise and constant:
1) nitrate < 0.3 ppm
2 phosphate = 0
3) alkalinity 7-8 dKH
4) salinity 35ppm(1.0264)
5) calcium 410 to 450
6) magnesium 1200 to 1400
7) temperature 77 to 82 but the steadier the better
In your case I see two immediate issues. First, the presence of algae on your sand is telling you that you have excess nitrate. Secondly, the API nitrate test kit is not sensitive enough for you to check your nitrates accurately. The trick is finding a way to lower your nitrate that works for your budget and time allowance. Ideally the balance in your reef is enough by itself to control nitrate, but sometimes that isn't the case and when that happens you need to find a system to help lower your nitrates. Things like bioballs, biopellets, zeovit, vodka dosing etc. are all proven methods of reducing nitrates. Personally I found that the Red Sea Algae Management System was affordable and easy to understand, and the test kit is accurate to 0.25 ppm nitrate.
Whatever method you choose, being methodical and keeping good records is definitely a requirement. Otherwise you are simply throwing random changes at your reef and can never be sure of what is causing what.
So just one guys advice.
1) Keep a twice daily log of the tank temperature.
2) Keep a weekly log of all the big parameters. dKH, Ca, NO3, PO4, Salinity.
3) Make changes one at a time to lock in any parameters that are not correct or steady.
THEN . . . when everything is stable and you have no nuisance algae . . . then you can look at your corals and if they are still brown you can start thinking about new T5 lamps or a brighter fixture, but that would be at least 2 months later.
Here's one of my favorite examples of the power of constant parameters and clean water, and here's what he said when asked about his clean sand
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Zacktosterone
Active member
JPMagyar I sent you a PM
Zacktosterone
Active member
White light is he using??
ThorEffex
New member
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1909479&page=1
A good read if you have time, it's only 19 pages.
A good read if you have time, it's only 19 pages.
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