dull sps

[michael grady]

Hi Guys,

I started a similar thread on the advanced forum and one of the guys suggested I check in with you guys as well

I have 500 gallon system with a 400 display tank. Mostly sps. Actually, just a few fish.

The tank has been running for about 18 months and seems to be doing well. My corals are growing and fish seem healthy.

I am running 3 400 watt radions about 8 hours a day and also 4 two bulb t5 fixtures, and am supplementing light with 4 3ft. led blue strips. The t5's and leds run 12 hours/day.

I have a mac daddy protein skimmer that runs 24 hours, and I grow macro in the sump.

now the issue...

all my corals have all faded over time, despite their continued growth and good polyp extension. My tank sort of looks a lot more gray than colorful as I would expect.

I have a good friend who is a fish guy (operates an aquarium maintenence company). He suggested I cut back on lighting and only run my skimmer during the day.

I was wondering if you guys have any other thoughts??????

SG 1.026
CA 380
ALK 6.5
NITRATES 0 (by the red sea kit)
Mg 1350

Skimmer MRC OcraPro2

Thanks!

Michael

 

[mpsteve]

What's your p04? It's looking like a lack of nutrients. That's why your friend said to cut back lights and skimmer. The algae won't use up as many nutrients and the skimmer won't skim as many out

 

[michael grady]

The PO4 is also zero by the red sea kit. I have been growing Cheato (sp?) in my refugium..it grows along fine, but is not overgrowing.


Should i just increase the feeding ?

I have absolutely zero visible algae in my DT...kinda cool on the one hand.

 

[nmotz]

The PO4 is also zero by the red sea kit. I have been growing Cheato (sp?) in my refugium..it grows along fine, but is not overgrowing.


Should i just increase the feeding ?

I have absolutely zero visible algae in my DT...kinda cool on the one hand.

You're a little low on alkalinity, maybe calcium too. You have fish so I think that you're ok in terms of nutrients in the water. I'd work on slowly bumping up alkalinity to at least 7dkh and calcium up to 400ppm. Afterwards its about maintaining stability.

 

[Grant W]

Feed them fish. Nitrates to about 3-5 and a bit of phosphate will prob do the trick.

 

[Mr.Fishtank]

I have been having the same issue. Losing a lot of color and getting some die back. Also had one of my acro's rtn on me. All of my test kits are new redsea pro's. Tests were saying that everything was where I wanted them. But with the issues I am having I knew that something wasn't right so I sent some water to Aquamedic for testing and was quite shocked on how off my kits were.

Red sea AWT
no3 4ppm 16ppm
po4 0.00 (hanna digital) 0.06
calcium 415 490
alk 7.5 (hanna digital) 7.32 pretty good actually
Mag 1380 1460
S.G 1.025 (red sea refractometer) 1.027
And yes I calibrate with 35ppt solution every time it is used. So mine is off by 0.002 which is alot.

My point is. Don't always trust what your test kits say. I am now bringing down all that are to high and hopefully that will help my corals that are struggling. I would suggest sending in some water to either Aquamedic or Triton. At least you will know where your really at instead of guessing.

 

[Mr.Fishtank]

Sorry it didn't keep the spaces to seperate red sea from Aquamedic's so double post.

Red sea------------------ ---------------AWT
no3 4ppm---------------------------- --16ppm
po4 0.00 (hanna digital) --------------0.06
calcium 415 ----------------------------490
alk 7.5 (hanna digital) ----------------7.32 pretty good actually
Mag 1380 ------------------------------1460
S.G 1.025 (red sea refractometer)-- 1.027

 

[thepotoo]

If you don't need to clean the front glass every day or so, you're not feeding enough.

This could be too little light, too much light, or too little nutrients. A picture might be helpful.

Your big 3 parameters don't look too bad to me - if you're getting good growth, I personally wouldn't mess with them.

Make changes slowly, give it a couple weeks or more to kick in, and change one thing at a time.

 

[maxwell]

Michael
Get your alk up to 7.5 , get loads of fish in there as your tank is starving

1/ get alk on track
2/ get some nitrate in use kno3 to 2ppm( ideal 5ppm) ,get loads of fish in and feed well
3/ get the calc up a bit
4/ check phosphates remember upping the nitrates will reduce the phosphate ,look to the redfield levels
5/ dont do anything else check in 7 days if improving ad some AA.

Bill

 

[codydemmel4]

Michael
Get your alk up to 7.5 , get loads of fish in there as your tank is starving

1/ get alk on track
2/ get some nitrate in use kno3 to 2ppm( ideal 5ppm) ,get loads of fish in and feed well
3/ get the calc up a bit
4/ check phosphates remember upping the nitrates will reduce the phosphate ,look to the redfield levels
5/ dont do anything else check in 7 days if improving ad some AA.

Bill

I second this. I would most importantly get the alk and calc up to around 7.5 and 420. I also would add a lot more fish and feed a lot more.

 

[michael grady]

so, what are you guys feeding your sps? Just by feeding the fish?

 

[kevin_e]

so, what are you guys feeding your sps? Just by feeding the fish?

Fish poop

 

[codydemmel4]

so, what are you guys feeding your sps? Just by feeding the fish?

yup and I also use acropower