brad65ford
New member
Thanks for the information KM, do you have a pic of your sump?
Help with SPS color
- Thread starter kissman
- Start date
kissman
New member
Back in May I upgraded my skimmer from a TurboFlotor T1000 to a Warner Marine MF 181. When I did the upgarde I added baffles to my sump so that the skimmer stayed in a water level of 8-8.5". I also added a fuge with a 6" sandbed, macro and a Pod Condo that I made. Here is a video of the upgrade to my sump!
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jstQG1sJUWE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jstQG1sJUWE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
brad65ford
New member
I could be wrong but my guess is your tank has OTS. If it were me I would remove ALL the sand in your system (including the sump) and leave it out or add new LS and also get some new live rock yours may be bound with p04.
Please understand I'm not telling you what to do I'm just suggesting what I would do.
Please understand I'm not telling you what to do I'm just suggesting what I would do.
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kissman
New member
With the way I cleaned the sand and rock while I had not fish I don't think OTS is the problem could be, but I am just not sure. I think at one time my rock was bound with PO4 however I don't think so now. I stopped dosing vinegar and I have not ran HC GFO for 2 weeks now and PO4 is reading 0ppb I say ppb because I use the Hanna HC736 PO4 ULR checker which reads in ppb instead of ppm. Its actually less than when it was while running HC GFO. I think the corals are starving for NO3 and PO4. I also think that the Spectrum of light that I am running could be a factor aswell. Tonight my new bulbs will be here they are on the UPS truck for delivery today. I will be closer to 20k and have a little more PAR. We will see
brad65ford
New member
I do wish you the best since its a pain figuring things out and as we all know this hobby can be expensive.
All the best,
Brad
All the best,
Brad
potterjon
New member
I have to admit I walked away from my tank about 8 months or so ago. I was just frustrated and broke. I stopped water changes for a surprisingly long period of time and stopped gfo and carbon and just let the thing rest. I actually considered selling it. Funny thing is, when I got back into it a few months ago and started my regular water changes and ordered gfo and carbon. Got everything clean and running right. My corals have never looked better.
kissman
New member
good god yes, but its fun and I love the challenge, I think it would be easier to just buy a tank and toss money in it!
kissman
New member
I hope mine does the same! Grats
I see you are in Asheville, NC, I lived in Greenville for about 2 years.
potterjon
New member
I could still use some help with color my self. I have a couple corals that are still pale and always have been which is why I am following this thread. 
My wife is from Lynchburg and we head up that way every once in awhile. Maybe I can steal a day and come visit your tank next time.
My wife is from Lynchburg and we head up that way every once in awhile. Maybe I can steal a day and come visit your tank next time.
kissman
New member
I could still use some help with color my self. I have a couple corals that are still pale and always have been which is why I am following this thread.
My wife is from Lynchburg and we head up that way every once in awhile. Maybe I can steal a day and come visit your tank next time.
Within the next year I will be back in living in Lynchburg. So hang in there for a bit and you can vist it in Lynchburg. Might plan an upgarde when I move back there. We will see baby boy on the way!
kissman
New member
Man I love my new bulb combo. The new bulbs are in and what little color I have in some corals mainly green tips and not, a few red, mushrooms, and ricordias but man athe colors pop better! I really hope the colors come back in the SPS! I will be so happy when my Garf Bonsi is purple and not grey
reefmutt
Active member
this thread is fantastic on so many levels..
the info is priceless and all the response is admirable!
it epitomizes 'community'
im subscribed..
i think the polyp movement looks good.. not loo little flow, for sure, nor too much.
i must say that I am also a little concerned with your old sand bed..
i do see a little more coloration in the newer shots you have posted - it really looks like you are on the right track.
corals that are in the condition that yours are in, are very difficult to 'read' in terms of their proximity to death..
some may be closer than you think- like the one you lost recently, or not so close at all, as the couple of corals that seem to be doing better show.
dont beat yourself up about a coral that spontaneously dies, it happens sometimes.
good luck!
i'm very interested to see results from the 3 or 4 other reefers who have chimed in with similar issues.
the info is priceless and all the response is admirable!
it epitomizes 'community'
im subscribed..
i think the polyp movement looks good.. not loo little flow, for sure, nor too much.
i must say that I am also a little concerned with your old sand bed..
i do see a little more coloration in the newer shots you have posted - it really looks like you are on the right track.
corals that are in the condition that yours are in, are very difficult to 'read' in terms of their proximity to death..
some may be closer than you think- like the one you lost recently, or not so close at all, as the couple of corals that seem to be doing better show.
dont beat yourself up about a coral that spontaneously dies, it happens sometimes.
good luck!
i'm very interested to see results from the 3 or 4 other reefers who have chimed in with similar issues.
kissman
New member
I always thought that OTS usually has high nitrates and phosphates etc...? Could this really be possible the way that I cleaned my sand? When I first started fixing my tank. I pulled all the rock out and vaccumed every inch of my sand all the way to the glass I did this a few times. I was doing 25g water changes every 2-3 days for weeks trying to get my nitrates down and each time I vaccumed deep into the sand bed. It was pretty nasty down in the bottom to. But, I had nothing in the tank to kill so I did it. It started a mini cycle when I did. But, that sand bed was clean and I added some new sand and rock.
brad65ford
New member
OTS IMO can be multiple of things. One of them is lack of bio diversity which IMHO you may have. OTS can also an expression for p04 bound sand or rock again which you can have regardless you did your vacuuming etc... Its be said regardless people GFO their water (have the best water perimeters) their rocks and sand can still be bound with high phosphates.
kissman
New member
I am just trying to figure this out, so don't think I am trying to argue with you please, i thank you for this as it could be possible. If my sand and rock was bound with PO4 wouldn't my levels been climbing quick since I stopped running GFO on Dec. 19th? According to my Hanna HC736 ULR I have gone down from 9ppb to 0ppb.
brad65ford
New member
By no means I'm not an excerpt myself so I'm just going on my own experiences. I'm a firm believer in biological life in the rock and how important it is to keep a health reef tank. When you have OTS is can IMO kill a lot of life needed for success in a reef tank. Again this is just my opinion.
If it were me I would remove all the sand and add new "live" rock from the ocean and call it a day. But they again that's me and I will also admit it worked well too.
If it were me I would remove all the sand and add new "live" rock from the ocean and call it a day. But they again that's me and I will also admit it worked well too.
Laddy
New member
What bulbs did you switch to?
