Frank's LPS Grow Out Contest Update #1

[itz frank]

Tank: 60gal cube(24x24x24)
Sump/refugium: Acrylic eshoppe Refugium combo. approx 20gal water volume. This houses some live sand and my cheato.
Liverock: Approx 60lbs
Livesand: 40lbs
Lighting: Radion Gen3 30rw with reeflink.
Powerheads: (1)WP25 & (1)RW8
Return: I forget the name and don't want to drag it out but it's approx 650gph.
Skimmer: PSK150(just ordered an SRO1000INT)
Heaters: (2)Eheim 150watt

Top Off: Done manually nightly. Approx 3/4gallon.
Fish: 2 Black percs, 2 Cardinals, 1 Clown wrasse, 1 Royal Gamma, 1 Lawnmower Blenny
Feeding: Normally, I feed a mix of LRS Fish frenzy, Frozen Mysis, and occasional Reef Roids. My skimmer has been acting up lately and I've cut back the heavy feeding and will return to it when new skimmer arrives.
Corals: Mixed Reef. Mostly Zoas and softies. Working on adding SPS but I haven't been able to narrow down an issue that has caused me to lose just about every frag that has entered. I end up with STN on everything. Working on watching stability.

I will link my lighting schedule as well but for now: My lights turn on at 7:30a and slowly ramp up to 17k@55%. It then stays there until 6p where it turns 20k@55% and ramps down to moonlights at 10:50p.

Testing my tank nightly now and as of last night:
Nitrate:5ppm
Calcium:450ppm
Alk:8.3dkh
pH:8.3
SG: 1.025
Phosphates: .03ppm@4/15
I'm picking up a mag test today.

Tank shots will be in the following post.

 

[itz frank]

Here's a few photos.

You'll notice the position of my frag in the FTS on the bottom right. I was trying to keep it out of direct light from my LEDs.

You'll also notice that the tissue on my frag is exposing the skeleton around the outside. I've also experienced some zoa melting recently. I was attributing it to temp swings since my reef keeper failed and my heaters weren't coming on at night.

The frag does seem to get quite a bit of flow passed it.

 

[AquamanE]

Nice, Hernando.

IMHO keep it at medium light and flow with stable parameters and it will come right back. Id give you more advice but my LED knowledge is close to zilch, and i prefer it that way., LOL.

 

[itz frank]

Just figured out that my temps are 85 degrees as of right now. In sure it's hotter during the day. Installed the chiller that came with the tank. /facepalm

 

[itz frank]

Ca - 460
Alk - 8.5
Mag - 1275

 

[itz frank]

Temps are fluctuating between 79-81 since introducing new fans to my system.

My heater is set at 79 and a second at 77.

I think now if I can keep the temps steady I should be in the clear. My piece is looking a little rough but my other corals in the tank seem to be doing much better. All I can do now is wait and test.

 

[Lacy]

Tank shot looks nice. Your frag will come back.

 

[AquamanE]

Yeah..85 is a bit much. 79-81 is fine.

I hate heaters because for the less than 5 days a year you might need them (smaller tanks), they are more of a hazard, than good. .. Hare never used one in my few years of reef keeping.

 

[itz frank]

Never used one? The only reason I'm using mine is to create a floor to my temp swings.

The frag looks worse than in the pic now. Has lost more flesh since.

Alk-8.0
Ca-430
Mag-1330

I dosed one half cap of alk tonight. Which raised me from 7.7 to 8.0. I will continue this pattern for a week and see how it goes. Alk dropped some since my last test. Need to stabilize it.

 

[AquamanE]

Never used one? The only reason I'm using mine is to create a floor to my temp swings.

The frag looks worse than in the pic now. Has lost more flesh since.

Alk-8.0
Ca-430
Mag-1330

I dosed one half cap of alk tonight. Which raised me from 7.7 to 8.0. I will continue this pattern for a week and see how it goes. Alk dropped some since my last test. Need to stabilize it.

Yes. Stable Alk is key!!

No never used a heater, but my tanks have never been smaller than 65G, and even that was for 1 year 9 years ago, after that >120G. the bigger the tank the less likely to get cold spikes in our wearther here in SF, unless you open windows in the 2-3 cold days we have a year.

 

[itz frank]

Yes. Stable Alk is key!!



No never used a heater, but my tanks have never been smaller than 65G, and even that was for 1 year 9 years ago, after that >120G. the bigger the tank the less likely to get cold spikes in our wearther here in SF, unless you open windows in the 2-3 cold days we have a year.

Gotcha. I knew a larger tank would give me more stability. But that was the reason I signed up for the 60 instead of a 20. Would like to get something larger than 100 after our floor and kitchen remodel in the coming month.

 

[AquamanE]

Gotcha. I knew a larger tank would give me more stability. But that was the reason I signed up for the 60 instead of a 20. Would like to get something larger than 100 after our floor and kitchen remodel in the coming month.

For a 60 heater is a maybe. But IMHO not until winter. My biggest issue with heaters is we all know the break bown often. And how often do we get a 40-50 degree temperature without a warning. And even with warning, how many days a year? Think about it.

Be more worried about HIGH temp.

 

[AquamanE]

Btw bring up the mag a bit more. That will help with stability of alk/ca

 

[itz frank]

For a 60 heater is a maybe. But IMHO not until winter. My biggest issue with heaters is we all know the break bown often. And how often do we get a 40-50 degree temperature without a warning. And even with warning, how many days a year? Think about it.



Be more worried about HIGH temp.

I run two 150watts. So it would probably take awhile if it did stick on.

Again, I'm concerned that since my high temp is 81.5 as of now, my low at night will be a huge gap. That's the only reason I set it at 79. So I can actually have something semi stable. Lol. I'll start working on lowering it slowly.

 

[itz frank]

Btw bring up the mag a bit more. That will help with stability of alk/ca

I will. I noticed that it actually swung up after small dosing for the alk. It was 1350 this morning on a 7.7alk.

 

[AquamanE]

I run two 150watts. So it would probably take awhile if it did stick on.

Again, I'm concerned that since my high temp is 81.5 as of now, my low at night will be a huge gap. That's the only reason I set it at 79. So I can actually have something semi stable. Lol. I'll start working on lowering it slowly.

I'm not trying to convince you one way or the other. Just trying to help with the thought process.

The likelyhood of you tanks temp dropping below your house temp is not very high. So if your house is at 76-77 that is as low as it will go (and that's an IF since it is still fighting lights, pump heat exchange, etc). Food for thought. Nothing wrong with a 3-4 degree swing.

 

[itz frank]

Yea but at night we drop the indoor temp to about 71. I know you're not. I'm just worried about creating a 6 degree daily swing.

 

[itz frank]

Alk-8.6
Ca-420
Mag-1350

Temps stable. Dosed a half cap of two part alk this morning because alk was 7.7. No dosing tonight. Next test tomorrow night.

 

[itz frank]

Alk-8.0
Ca-420
Mag-1330

Any idea of what is causing alk moves like this daily? Yesterday I left my sump light on all day instead of cutting it off. Is a 1pt alk move something I should be worried about daily?

 

[itz frank]

Alk-7.7
Ca-420
Mag-1320
Phos- can't tell but it appears that my salfert kid is reading .1ppm. Going to set up my gfo reactor in the next day and hit a water change. I think my skimmer is really starting to do a whole lot of nothing. I'm hoping this is my last fix.