Fairly new to SPS, would like some advice on my setup

[Shooter7]

I'm trying to do some fine tuning here. I got my 120 going the first of this year and things have gone pretty well with it overall. I have a wide assortment of softies, LPS, and a monti cap in there. Back in May I decided I finally wanted to give it a go with some SPS corals. I got an Aquacontroller Jr to monitor temp and pH, as well as time my lights and such. I am dripping kalk (mrs. wages pickling lime) as topoff right now. So now, the issues I would like some feedback on:

1. One of my milles was described as a "super hairy" one and it was, indeed, just that when I first got it. However, lately I've noticed that it and the 3 other milles I have in there are not extending their polyps like they were when they first went in. All seem to be doing a very good job of encrusting their bases though. Just wondering about this less than spectacular PE.

2. I have recently had a bit of an algae bloom. It occurred on my back glass and on my pumps. Nothing on my rocks. It covered like a thin moss, green...but then very quickly looked like it wasn't very happy anymore, turned somewhat brownish green, and the snails are mowing it down right now and it isn't growing back. Additionally, I am getting a daily very very thin growth of some algae on some areas of my sandbed. Mostly on the larger granules of sand, as I have a mix of sugar fine and some larger aragonite. I'm also getting some cyano in my sump/fuge. Not sure why I'm getting this now.


So those are some issues I'm looking at, here are some tank facts and specs:

For flow, I have a Mag 12 return, 2 Seio 1500's - one open full, the other about a third and I need to get a magnet mount for it too so I can position it better to open it up full. Also have 2 MJ 900's behind my rocks to help blow stuff out of there.

Lighting is two Reeflux 250w 12k's on a 9 hour light cycle, mounted about 6 inches above the water surface - highest coral in the tank is about 12 inches below the water surface.

Fish get fed once a day with formula one flakes, Nori for the veggie guys, sometimes they get treats of frozen (strained) spirulina enriched brine or cyclopeeze too. Fish stock is one foxface, two small ocellaris, one chromis, 3 lyretail anthias, one scopas tang.

For tonight, values are (btw, these are without the kalk drip for over 24 hours due to other circumstances not tank related):

Temp. 80.5
pH 8.15
Ca 400
Alk 9.0 dKH
Mg 1110
PO4 is undetectable
NO3 is almost undetectable, maybe 1


So anyway, I would really, really appreciate any and all feedback on the above issues, tank parameters, and possible revamping ideas. I'm trying to make this tank as good an enviroment as I can for these SPS corals as these are a primary reason I got into this hobby. Thanks in advance.

 

[kirstenk]

Your tank is fairly new and I think the algae issues kinda come with the territory. Your Mg is a little low so I would bump it up. What kind of soft corals do you have? PE could be related to that. Ya might try to run some carbon to help and do weekly water changes.

 

[Shooter7]

Thanks Kirsten! I've had a toadstool leather in there, but removed it about a week ago. Also have a coral that I'm asking for ID help on in the softy forum, some say nepthea, others say sinularia. I have several ricordia, blue striped shrooms, multiple types of zoanthids, GSP's, and frilly shrooms. Running the carbon is something I don't do all the time but one of the things I'm wanting to look at. Considering doing what someone was suggesting in the chemistry forum of getting a phosban reactor and running carbon and rowa simultaneously in it. Thinking of doing an overhaul on my fuge to and putting it in a separate tank from my sump because I don't think I'm getting the full benefit of it the way it's set up now. Some of my SPS I'm getting great PE and color on constantly, others have great PE but are more brownish than anything, and others like the milles have sporadic good PE. Been hashing this out with some others as well and think I'm going to have to break down and run some sort of PO4 removal system, even though my test doesn't pick up any at all. I am happy that my nitrates are extremely low. Overall, I'm pretty happy with stuff, but like I said, trying to do some fine tuning here.

 

[kirstenk]

Sinularia puts out strong voodoo. If it is large, get it out.

From your description it sounds like a maturity issue as well. As time goes by and with the changes you are doing things will start to color up, grow and take off in general. Best of luck to you.