How to get to SPS Nirvana

[RxMike]

Hello,

I am working on building my SPS reef. I am currently running Rowa Phos, my paramaters are good but not ideal. I am wondering what I need to do to get my phosphate and nitrate to goal. Goal phosphate is 0.03 goal nitrate is 0.25

I am currently at 0.06 phos and nitrate is 1
Alk is 8
Calcium 440


Mag 1300
K= 420


Other than starve my fish and do frequent large water changes I am not sure how I will reduce the nitrate below 1

Any help is appreciated

 

[ssscuz]

Biopellets might help u to get down that far without having to starve the fish. I have had good results running them and still having a high bioload. As long as you go by the directions and not put to many pellets in at the start.

 

[hedgedrew]

Dont need to go that low. Your numbs are great.

 

[tcmfish]

Don't chase numbers.

 

[RxMike]

Thanks

I have a lot of fish. I very big bio load.
Some SPS frags are doing great others are dying on me. Some acros are brown while othes have good color. I was told that I need to get my phos down to 0.03 and my nitrate down to 0.25

Interesting thing is I know some reefers who have awesome SPS who don't even check levels. They know by looking at coral. I guess it is true the hardest thing to do is do nothing.

:deadhorse1:

 

[Peter Eichler]

Thanks

I have a lot of fish. I very big bio load.
Some SPS frags are doing great others are dying on me. Some acros are brown while othes have good color. I was told that I need to get my phos down to 0.03 and my nitrate down to 0.25

Interesting thing is I know some reefers who have awesome SPS who don't even check levels. They know by looking at coral. I guess it is true the hardest thing to do is do nothing.

:deadhorse1:

I can guarantee you that the corals thar are dying aren't doing so because of any of your listed parameters. Something else is wrong...

 

[RxMike]

SPS Nirvana

SPS Nirvana

Hmmm.. interesting Peter

I did have an alk swing that might have caused some of my coral to burn out. My Alk shot up to 10 while I was not paying attention to tank for a few days. I had a beautiful piece of setosa and undata that are mariculture. They lasted about a month then started growing algae. I purchased these frags from a local LFS. I am starting to realize that everything that comes from this LFS and comes out of the ocean does not do as well long term. I find that frags that are raised in our aquariums do a lot better.

 

[Peter Eichler]

Are you using 0 TDS make-up water? Some other details such as lighting, skimming, and maintenance practices would be helpful as well.

 

[RxMike]

I do use RODI water and it is 0 TDS

i have a 300 gallon display.. with LED lights( Fathom LED) a total of 500 gallons of water

I have a SRO 8000 External skimmer

i run Rowa Phos

Do 10 % water change every week

 

[MHG]

Define Brown... brown as in the color of a penny or rust? Or brown as in tan, loss of color? If it is the later, you are likely starving your corals. .25 is fine, but in my tank, my sps like it better around 2-3.

I would get the phosphates lower, but I would not sweat those unless you have algae issues....


I had the same issues, some would grow, most would lose color and a few would die. Once I got my nitrates up all is well. Takes about 6 months for the color to come back...

I don't know how the low nutrient guys do it....

 

[RxMike]

SPS Nirvana

SPS Nirvana

Brown as in the loss of color. I can see polyp extension on the coral but the color is just horrible. Same coral in my freinds tank is orange, in mine it is brown. I dont really have algae issue other than the coral that begin to die grow algae on their tips.( brown dust)


It is hard to say why this happens. Some pieces are doing great others not so much.

 

[M007]

I can guarantee you that the corals thar are dying aren't doing so because of any of your listed parameters. Something else is wrong...

+1. My N03 .02 / P04 .10 - Good colour and growth. Stability is key. Any adjustments to water perams should be gradual. Swinging ALK numbers are never good. What lighting are you using.

 

[ksicard]

The alk swing is what most likely caused the color loss. Focus on keeping your alk stable and your sps will slowly recover. Your nutrient levels are perfectly fine. Alk IMO is the single most important parameter, it tends to be what SPS are most sensitive to IME.

 

[Acronic]

I find when sps get those brown dust algae on the tips it is related to flow and most likely from being blasted by flow.

 

[mylittlejade]

I find when sps get those brown dust algae on the tips it is related to flow and most likely from being blasted by flow.

This is true but also burnt tips from alk swings could cause this. If my newly acquired frags start to do this I move them to a new spot in the tank. I have sps that do well when blasted with flow and others that will do this exact thing when blasted. When I place an newly acquired acro in the tank it usually moves a couple times before it's completely happy.

RxMike- if your corals are browning out slowly it could have been the alk swing that caused it. My experience with alk, depending on how much of a swing has occurred is browned out acros or burnt tips. Alk is something you want to always keep an eye out for. I do weekely test on alk and calcium because any growth spurts will effect these numbers especially when you start to grow bigger colony's. If you have swings you need to check your reactor or dosing regiment and make it stable. I feel that successful sps system really are based on how stable your system is and not so much on exact numbers.

Bryan

 

[MHG]

I must have missed a comment on the alk swinging. but if it is stable at 8 then that is not your issue...

IMO your starving them on low nitrates. If they are dark grown, then I would say low lighting...

 

[k_red_raider]

i can guarantee you that the corals thar are dying aren't doing so because of any of your listed parameters. Something else is wrong...

+1

 

[k_red_raider]

I purchased these frags from a local LFS. I am starting to realize that everything that comes from this LFS and comes out of the ocean does not do as well long term. I find that frags that are raised in our aquariums do a lot better.

A bunch of wild colonies/frags that come in do not make it or the color will not stay what they were. Most will brown out due to not being in its natural habitat. This is one reason that I try to only buy coral that is not wild or that has been out of the ocean for a few months. Talk to your LFS and see if the corals that you bought from them are wild cuz this could be part of the problem.

 

[Alex T.]

Don't chase numbers.

^^^This.

 

[Touring]

Don't chase numbers.

^^^This.

Tcmfish, that is the smartest thing i have read on this forum in a long time. It seems like people are testing to much when all we can assume is to be around NSW.