Add more light. Seems to help in higher nutrient systems imo.
Learning/rebuilding from my epic fail
- Thread starter reefmutt
- Start date
Add more light. Seems to help in higher nutrient systems imo.
reefmutt
Active member
Thanks Josh! Gotta ride the wave now and try not to change much.
Hey Piper, thanks! Like I said, I'm going to try to keep the status quo, pretty much..
That coral you mentioned is the pink Cadillac wannabe. The only difference between it and a true PC is the darker purple polyps.. it really likes my tank and I agree, I really like it too.. I have a second colony of it as well..
As for the jaw dropper, unfortunately I lost it all during one of my alk issues about a year ago. I even brought a small colony to my regular reef shop and it declined there too.. that coral is truly "˜the one that got away'.. I have to find another piece of it..
I'm not really a big fan of the no water change regimen. I know some have success with it but I really only see long term success with people who are supplementing with various trace elements..
Recently, I did the opposite for 10'days. I changed 10% each day. I found that after about 4 -6 days I really liked how the tank was looking..
I think a good turnover of water can really get a tank out of a funk..
I'm not sure if I agree with this.. I have my 3 150w mh, 6 t5 on ghetto fixtures. Two pairs of my t5 are under one reflector each. The other two fixtures are hydroponic fixtures, so I'm not getting 100% out of them. Then I have 4 AI Primes which only push violet and blue (blues at 80% violets 50. Whites max out at 5%)
I don't consider this to be "˜a lot of ligjt'
Not to mention that the t5 and mh really only run from 11:30 am to 7:30 pm. A pair of blue plus run from 11 am to 10 pm along with the leds ramping up and down.. and there's an hour in the middle of the day where all lights except two blue plus shut off..
I don't think I have either a lot of light or a long photoperiod.
Steve, maybe the opposite it true... maybe, Piper, you should consider reducing photoperiod or intensity...
It was only once I reduced my photoperiod.. after reading Big E's thread and a couple others that I began to get the real orange in the polyps of my Orange Passion..
Just a thought..
reefmutt
Active member
Yeah.. and that does make sense.. I guess it has some to do with what one is starting with, in terms of light.. if one has too much light, low or high nutrients, it won’t give optimal colors.. same for too little..
Like everything in this hobby, you have to find the sweet spot..
I’ve always believed that I have just enough light because I have trouble coloring up some real light lovers. Hyacinthus often doesn’t color up in my tank, nor millies. And I have a blue stag that just won’t be happy..
but intensity and duration do play a significant role in coral color..
Like everything in this hobby, you have to find the sweet spot..
I’ve always believed that I have just enough light because I have trouble coloring up some real light lovers. Hyacinthus often doesn’t color up in my tank, nor millies. And I have a blue stag that just won’t be happy..
but intensity and duration do play a significant role in coral color..
Wally.B
Active member
Hey Matt,
Really Sorry about your Loss (friend).
And car thing too (with stuff in it).
Explains why you've gotten a bit on the quiet side.
Sometimes when it rains it pours. You need some sunshine moments to get strength to recover. (My tank [a comforting distraction] was one thing that helped me get over my Dad's Death couple of years ago)
Hope things swing to the positive side for you.
Really Sorry about your Loss (friend).
And car thing too (with stuff in it).
Explains why you've gotten a bit on the quiet side.
Sometimes when it rains it pours. You need some sunshine moments to get strength to recover. (My tank [a comforting distraction] was one thing that helped me get over my Dad's Death couple of years ago)
Hope things swing to the positive side for you.
Wally.B
Active member
Hey Matt,
As you know my NEW Tank is as Pale (no corals) as you can get.
Fish are the only Colors other than Pink/Purple Coraline on rocks.
Love to have some of those Frags (Grow quickly...Even better...I got 110Gal of empty SPS Space).
shih87
New member
New tank!!! I envy you.
In Taiwan, due to our great government energy policy, I start to worry power outage this summer ;-(
Wally.B
Active member
There is no room for Envy in my situation. Admiration for hard work possibly.
Shih,
I didn't wish or plan for the NEW TANK.
My basement flooded (Oct 2017) from a House Plumbing copper pipe leak, and for last 6 months, and in my spare time I personally rebuilt the basement (with a new tank REBOOT as a EXTRA BONUS). With a little help from Insurance for Materials.
Just this week I did the rocks and put back my original fish since for Over 2+ years my sensitive SPS kept dying (a baffling mystery since I was doing everything MORE then Perfect).
During the flood renovation I discovered another leak (explaining my SPS death mystery). There was another leak that was hidden and intermittant (dishwasher has a small leak, that was dripping in my RO reservoir (when ever LID WAS OFF (RO Can) and dishwasher running....SO RANDOM), THEREFORE my SPS were drink Soapy, Dirty Food water). For long time (don't know how long), but area under dishwasher was VERY rotten from long Dishwasher Drain leak.
Now that issue is solved and I look forward to a Fresh Start.
AND YES we in Canada also worry about Power since we do have other situations. Grid Meltdown (1 Weeks no Power years ago), Freezing Rain (days no Power), another storm (2 Days no power).
So I have Battery UPS back (with a Battery for 6-8 hours to run Critical Tank Systems, but after that NO POWER.
So I just purchased a Generator (today). Discounted but new, and 4000W of power for Post Battery Insurance on Two Tanks.
Friendly Envy is towards people like you and Matt who have beautiful SPS (After years of Expertise and Meticulous Care).
SPS quality that I wish to have some day. (maybe will never achieve)
Starting from scratch means Years since I will do from Frags).
Both of you are Inspiration to me, and motivation to Try one more time for SPS. I thank both of you for this.
markalot
...
Hey Matt,
question for a more experienced reefer.
I've been measuring my KH over the day to try and figure out when to turn the dosers back on. The reveals the obvious, that KH usage is high during the light cycle and low at night. As our tanks get more and more corals the day to night swing must be increasing since both of us dose 24/7 (you reactor, me two part). Why does this swing not bother the acros, or does it? i figure with 24/7 dosing I have been going from around 8.5KH in the morning to 7KH by lights out. Overnight, since the doser is still dosing, it rises back to over 8 and then starts all over again.
question for a more experienced reefer.
I've been measuring my KH over the day to try and figure out when to turn the dosers back on. The reveals the obvious, that KH usage is high during the light cycle and low at night. As our tanks get more and more corals the day to night swing must be increasing since both of us dose 24/7 (you reactor, me two part). Why does this swing not bother the acros, or does it? i figure with 24/7 dosing I have been going from around 8.5KH in the morning to 7KH by lights out. Overnight, since the doser is still dosing, it rises back to over 8 and then starts all over again.
reefmutt
Active member
Hey Matt,
question for a more experienced reefer.
I've been measuring my KH over the day to try and figure out when to turn the dosers back on. The reveals the obvious, that KH usage is high during the light cycle and low at night. As our tanks get more and more corals the day to night swing must be increasing since both of us dose 24/7 (you reactor, me two part). Why does this swing not bother the acros, or does it? i figure with 24/7 dosing I have been going from around 8.5KH in the morning to 7KH by lights out. Overnight, since the doser is still dosing, it rises back to over 8 and then starts all over again.
Hey Mark, I really didn't know that there was that much an alk swing from day to night.. then again I've never tested.. I'm going to give It a closer look.. test a few times at lights out and in the morning..
I also have a kalk doser that turns off from noon to 7pm.. that would also contribute to a swing...
That's a significant shift you are getting..
Maybe you should time your dosing to only go during daylight hours..
Maybe it does stress corals... I've never really considered this aspect of alk swings... hmm..
Very interesting!!
Wally.B
Active member
That Day/Night Alk swing fascinates me, since I'm just starting up a Tank and have built a Custom Doser that can be programmed any way I want
(That's why I built my own STANDALONE doser, since most Dosers allow equal dosing, few regularity spaced intervals.). Apex Controlled is a solution since you can dose any time, any amount.
I'm going to look into that, since the DIY Doser allows me to dose any time, any amount, any number of times. My Design goal wasn't ALK swing, but to Target dosing to offset PH swing. (Which I can still program for).....
(for Alk swings).....I have a problem.....Tank is so new (-3 days before first SPS frag), and for that kind of swing to happen there must be some hefty Coral Mass/Growth.
See you in a year or two
(That's why I built my own STANDALONE doser, since most Dosers allow equal dosing, few regularity spaced intervals.). Apex Controlled is a solution since you can dose any time, any amount.
I'm going to look into that, since the DIY Doser allows me to dose any time, any amount, any number of times. My Design goal wasn't ALK swing, but to Target dosing to offset PH swing. (Which I can still program for).....
(for Alk swings).....I have a problem.....Tank is so new (-3 days before first SPS frag), and for that kind of swing to happen there must be some hefty Coral Mass/Growth.
See you in a year or two
watchguy123
New member
I have been going through your most recent pictures and your tank is a reefer's dream. The variety of sps, colors and shapes are just magnificent. What a joy to look at your pictures. I can't imagine anyone having more success than what you share
Alex Costa
Member
Hi Matt,
What's the specie of this starfish?
Do you have it since when?
I'm looking for one for my tank....but I want one that could thrive for a long time.
Alex
