Help Please with sps

[falcon41176]

DKH 8, Calcium 425, Mag. 1260, Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, Phosphate .04, metal halides, 2 20k 250 watt, and 110 watts of t5, 1 10k, and 1 atinic. I run the t5 in the morning and at night for 2 hours, i run the halides for 8 hours a day. i have 7500 gph of flow in a 90 gallon tank. 50% of my acros are very light in color. I switched my halid bulbs 3 months ago. The only thing i really noticed is that the skimmer is not really pulling much. About the only time the skimmer goes nuts is when i do a water change, which leds me to belive I am over skimming. Dont know if this is right that is why i am asking for your guys help. I also have 11 fish in a 90 gallon tank. I feed the fish once a day.

Please help me guys. All my specs are spot on. Also Tank temp stays at 79.

Thank you. Josh

 

[jay24k]

I would feed more. I've seen either too much light or not enough feeding cause acros to lighen up. I'd say your light isn't too much. Try feeding your fish twice a day for a month and see how it goes.

 

[falcon41176]

should i back the skimmer of some

 

[jay24k]

If it isn't really pulling much, that alone probably would not help. While you want to have some nutrients in your tank, I wouldn't risk leaving the skimmer off. I run mine 24/7 and feed 2 to 3 times per day. Unfortunately, the only thing you can do is test. You can try leaving it off at night for a month and see if any change is apparent. Use pictures as you can compare easier.

 

[cecilturtle]

What kind of skimmer? How are you maintaining alk/cal? SPS colors need stability not just parems. Fish list sounds plenty so I would rule out lack of nutrients, although I think you could lower your phosphate a bit.

Anyway, right off the bat I would say your lighting is low. IMO 20K bulbs are pretty dim and you are adding actinic as half of T5 at reduced hours at that.

BTW, I would NOT back the skimmer off.

 

[jay24k]

Just my humble opinion, but if you were having a light or nutrient issue, your corals would be brown, not lightening. Read up on nutrient deficient tanks and you will see. Your skimmer barely pulling anything gives that away.

 

[falcon41176]

coralvue 20k had a good par. i use a cal reactor. jay24k do you have a link so i can read about that. thank you very much jay

 

[cecilturtle]

So why would 50% of the coral be ...opposite of light or assuming "better colored" ?

 

[falcon41176]

some sps are not showing the same signs yet. just like people you put a light skinned person in the sun for 8 hours they get burned and you put a dark skin person in the sun for the same amount of time. they get a tan

 

[jay24k]

Not all corals are affected by nutrient defecient tanks. You will want to look on here for issues people have with BB cause it seems exactly what you are having. It's possible it could be something else but a tank that has high nutrients or phosphates go darker toward the brown spectrum.

 

[falcon41176]

i will do that . thanks much jay. you have been a great help.

 

[javajaws]

I feel for you - I have the same problem and I've done a couple things to start my path to recovery. In addition to shortening my photoperiod by about an hour (to 8.5 hours of 2x250 14k), I've added more fish and increased feedings (from once every couple days to once/twice a day). Unlike you though, I still don't have detectable nitrate/phosphate readings and I know I'm still nutrient poor. More fish and feedings on the way...

Also, add as many different kinds of food as you can in to the tank (no target feeding necessary)...frozen cubes, phyto, oyster eggs, GP, amino acid supplements (CZ AAHC & CV), etc.

After a few weeks of this you should start to get better colors. Just back off a bit if you start to get poo poo colors. Find the one coral in your tank that seems the most sensitive to nutrient changes and use it as your early warning system for too little/ too much nutrients. It'll be more accurate and efficient than relying on test kits.

 

[falcon41176]

somebody needs to come out with a nutrient meter. sometimes it can be a pain in the butt to fight back and forth. but it does make me understand my corals better. but i dont like when they get sick cause it makes me feel sick.

 

[turbonegro]

Falcon what kind of skimmer do you have? And how often do you do water changes and how big?

 

[falcon41176]

bullet 2 skimmer and change 10 gallon to 15 gallons a week