Help with sps please!

[emeraude1484]

Hello!

I'm hoping to get some advice.

My 90galDT 20galsump has been running for 2yrs. Had ushio 2x250w 10000k + 2t5s til about 3 weeks ago switched to 2x250w xm20000k same t5s. Running gfo, Tunze 9005 skimmer, dsb and refugium. Have had ongoing bubble algea issues. Growth has been good in sps and clams. fairly slow in lps, zoas.

Lately, cyano has been wreaking havoc, choking the spsfrom the bottom up. the pink birdsnest doesn't look like it'll make it. My clams are also showing signs of stress I'm thinking might be pinched mantle but with everything else I don't want to assume and stress them more unecessarily.

The only GOOD polyp extension I ever get is with the Yellow birdnest.

Went through 3 days no lights cyano was still strong as was the valonia. Decided to scrape every inch of bubble/cyano I could get to and do a 30gal water change on Saturday.

The parameters today with new API tests:
Ammonia: undetectable
Nitrite: undetectable
Nitrate: 0-0.2
Phosphate: undetectable
Calcium: 360
Salinity: 0.022

Only have 2 clowns, 1 firefish, 1 mandy (finally felt I had enough to sustain his diet) and a yellow watchman.

What do you suggest to get these corals to stabilize again and colour up? I would like to add more colourful pieces of sps and chalices but not until these show better signs....

Thanks!

 

[emeraude1484]

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[RRaider]

Your salinity is 0.022? Typo or am I missing something?

 

[RRaider]

What is your alk at and how steady has it been? Mag? Calcium is a bit lower than I prefer it.

Valonia is best combatted by manual removal and emerald crabs. How much are you feeding? What kind of nutrient removal do you use? Skimmer six? Run carbon and/or gfo? How often and how much water do you change? Something is feeding your cyano.

 

[emeraude1484]

Your salinity is 0.022? Typo or am I missing something?

correction 1.022

 

[emeraude1484]

reading from a refractometer

 

[emeraude1484]

I need a mag and alk test.

I have 4 emerald crabs, I'm hoping my removing a freezer bag full of them helps things along.

Run gfo and carbon, tunze 9005 skimmer, only feed once a day either pellets or half cube of mysis.

I do weekly water changes of 15gals reef crystal salt.

I've added flow, shut blinds since the sun has been hitting the tank in the evening.

 

[RRaider]

1.022 is low for sps, should be 1.025-6 if you aren't testing and dosing alk and cal that is probably why your coral is in the shape it is.

 

[Bill@IA]

Definitely focus on your Alkalinity, Calcium as well as your specific gravity...and that is just a start. Last time I had a clam that big in my aquarium maintaining proper Ca level was extremely challenging. So get some reliable test kits because you will need to use them often.

As mentioned here your Specific Gravity should be 1.025 @ 77 F ...higher if your tank runs a little warmer. (Use a refractometer)

Your system will now require some work to get the mess cleaned up but desirable results will not be achieved or maintained if the proper water parameters aren't kept balanced.

Good Luck!

 

[emeraude1484]

Thanks for the guidelines for Ca and specific gravity readings!

I've Actually been trying to find a new home for that clam! No one in Ottawa seems interested and I honestly have NO clue how to ship it otherwise I would've already put it on here...

Does anyone have suggestions on systems or type of dosing for Alk and calcium?
I don't mind work to get it cleaned up, I've just been being told to leave it be and control phosphates, nitrates and get flow going to get detritue suspended. Now that those things are done and only a small change it's finally time to get my hands dirty I didn'y particularly enjoy the sitting around.

 

[RRaider]

There are several ways to dose alk and cal. I would recommend finding out what your daily usage is and then go from there. You can do it manually, with dosing pumps, kalk, or ca reactor. For the first two you can get the two part starter package from Bulk Reef Supply.

Usually getting bubble algae under control involves the things you mentioned, but requires a lot of manual removal as well.

 

[emeraude1484]

What brand of test kits do you suggest? and as for daily usage: test twice in 24hrs?

Excellent, I'll keep removing as much I can manually every WC then.

 

[yeloowtang]

hey !!!

i'm near Ottawa (gatineau) tha's if your talking about Ottawa ontario and not Australia
not sure i have the room for a big clam like that,but if you think i can help shoot me an email...

like others have said
get the salt level up to .025-6
a few water changes and siphon the red slime while you take water out,do that as often as you can..
you can also use a toothbrush (new) to scrub algea while siphon water to get rid of it..
once your ALK,CA PH and gravity are in check keep a close eye on your sps corals..if they get worst you are best to frag the good parts off to save all that you can.

for ALk their are many ways\easiest is the two part or use the biocalcium all in one..

you can add kalk water for top off or a kalk reactor like i use.
a calcium reactor is another way but i would just get the levels where they shoul be for now and use the two part alk and ca until you stabilize the tank..

if your not far from gatineau feel free to stop by,can even set you off with free sps frags once things are in check

best of luck
steff

 

[klondike4001]

You may want to look into a better PO4 test, API may not be showing anything but there still may be enough in there to be contributing to your algae problem.

I also agree that your salinity is a bit too low for SPS.

 

[cromedogg33]

I'll +1 on the salinity being extremly low IMO.

Ca is low as well, I'd shoot for the 440 range.
I would also start checking out your DKH.

 

[cichlid9]

I have been using 2part from bulk reef supply (have instructions on video which is nice) for about 2 months now to keep my alk and ca levels up. All hair algae is gone!!! Seemed like once I got my water chemistry right the algae would just kinda melt away. Good luck with the 2part.

 

[consumed corals]

What brand of test kits do you suggest? and as for daily usage: test twice in 24hrs?

Excellent, I'll keep removing as much I can manually every WC then.

I really like the RED SEA PRO test kits, little pricey depending where you buy from but deffinetly worth it.
The titration test for cal/ alk are very accurate! I have also had that promblem with a birdnest last year, ended up completely bleached

 

[emeraude1484]

Thanks!!! Did a WC yesterday, still around 1.023 so I'll be adding some throughout the next few days.

Would it be better to dose kalkwasser or go with the 2 part? I'm going for simplicity and something that doesn't take much room at this point.

 

[klondike4001]

We're still waiting to actually find out what your alk, ca, mg levels are before we can even attempt to give you a dosing regiment.

 

[screamincamaro]

The parameters today with new API tests:
Phosphate: undetectable

I didn't see it mentioned but you should be using a Hanna PO4 meter for phosphates. Using most of the common test kits for phosphates is not appropriate for an SPS tank due to them not having sufficient resolution to get an accurate reading that low.

Need to get a reliable read and make sure your Alk, Calc, Mg is in check and also your PO4 before you can expect your problem to improve.