Look for some advice/critique on sps

[mfaso24]

I have 2 photos that I have some questions on.

This is a birds nest I've had since January 2014. It looks healthy (to me at least) but it hasn't grown a lick since I've got it. I'm just curious if it looks unhealthy to any of you experts out there and maybe I'm not looking for something.

This is an acro frag I got about a month ago. Is this browning or is this "paleing" in color.
The branches don't seem very colorful, but the base hasn't lost any of its blue color.

 

[swk]

With the pale colors and the cleanliness of your rock, I'm going to guess that your tank is very low in nutrients and is possibly lit by LEDs?

Some test results and setup info would be helpful as well. Not much to go on with pics alons

 

[mfaso24]

With the pale colors and the cleanliness of your rock, I'm going to guess that your tank is very low in nutrients and is possibly lit by LEDs?

Some test results and setup info would be helpful as well. Not much to go on with pics alons

Tank is lit with Kessil ap700 leds. I setup my original tank in May 2014 but upgraded to my current tank in October of this year. I used half of my live rock and half of new dry rock (hence the clean rock)

Regarding my readings:
Alk runs about 7dkh
Calc 400
Mag I honestly have never tested for
Nitrate 0
Phos 0 -api so this is worthless to me
Salinity 1.026

I don't know how much I trust any of my test kits anyway since it's all api but I will be switching to more reliable test kits later this month.

 

[mfaso24]

By the way, can anyone give an ID of the acro?

 

[swk]

Well, if you want to diagnose issues and/or succeed with your sps, then I would invest in some decent test kits. Off hand - the no3 and po4 numbers would coincide with what I see in the pics.

 

[mfaso24]

Well, if you want to diagnose issues and/or succeed with your sps, then I would invest in some decent test kits. Off hand - the no3 and po4 numbers would coincide with what I see in the pics.

That's a fair assessment. Thanks

 

[nemodan]

The bird nest looks healthy with the polyps out and with color. The acro can be pale due to the low nutrient of your tank. But is not dead or going bad (for what I can see in 1 picture only a little bit out of focus). Polyps are also out.

So.....How many fish do you have ?

A full tank picture will also help, to see your bioload.

Cheers

Ps: the bird nest has growing tip in almost all branches....good.

 

[mfaso24]

The bird nest looks healthy with the polyps out and with color. The acro can be pale due to the low nutrient of your tank. But is not dead or going bad (for what I can see in 1 picture only a little bit out of focus). Polyps are also out.

So.....How many fish do you have ?

A full tank picture will also help, to see your bioload.

Cheers

Ps: the bird nest has growing tip in almost all branches....good.

Bioload is slim to none. Have a clown and just added 2 blue reef chromis and a baby hippo tang yesterday.

I realize the birdsnest has the white growth tips, but trust me, it's been like that since the day I got it and hasn't grown [emoji20]

 

[nemodan]

Bioload is slim to none. Have a clown and just added 2 blue reef chromis and a baby hippo tang yesterday.

I realize the birdsnest has the white growth tips, but trust me, it's been like that since the day I got it and hasn't grown [emoji20]

If it is a 5 G tank that is a lot. If it is a 100 G tank is nothing. Plus you only have those 2 corals ?

Can you please provide full details if your system. If the BN hasn't growth in one year then something is not totally correct.

Please, do as requested. Full data of your tank and parameters with reliable test kits.

Best !

 

[mfaso24]

If it is a 5 G tank that is a lot. If it is a 100 G tank is nothing. Plus you only have those 2 corals ?

Can you please provide full details if your system. If the BN hasn't growth in one year then something is not totally correct.

Please, do as requested. Full data of your tank and parameters with reliable test kits.

Best !

75g display 40breeder sump
Running Kessil ap700
Skimmer and chaeto for export (was running gfo and carbon but took that offline)
Calcium runs about 400
Alk 7
Ph 8.1
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 0
Weekly 10-15g wc
Don't dose (yet) as there is low coral stock
I will throw up a fts tomorrow when the day lights are on so you can get a better idea of what I am working with

 

[btb72]

No nutrients for the corals.

 

[nemodan]

75g display 40breeder sump
Running Kessil ap700
Skimmer and chaeto for export (was running gfo and carbon but took that offline)
Calcium runs about 400
Alk 7
Ph 8.1
Salinity 1.026
Nitrate 0
Weekly 10-15g wc
Don't dose (yet) as there is low coral stock
I will throw up a fts tomorrow when the day lights are on so you can get a better idea of what I am working with

Thank you !

Similar setup as mine in tank size and I have a 40 Breeder as fuge.

My conclusion is the same that was just posted. Corals need food and privide it by increasing the fish number slowly and feeding well.

I have 17 fish and lots of corals. My parameters are like yours, as well as the WC. I have T5.

 

[mfaso24]

Ok sounds good to me. I've been feeding some roti feast every few days trying to get some nutrients up

 

[C.Eymann]

You said you added a blue hippo? 75 gal is way too small for a hippo, I would take it back/ rehome it.

Also do you have an idea on how stable your parameters are? Your alk is currently at 7?? thats considered a tad bit low, do you have an idea how much it fluctuates between waterchanges without dosing?

What are you currently using as far as water movement/ flow?

I do agree with others that your system is too clean and that is why your colors are a bit washed out, however I would be looking into other ways in addition to upping the nutirents to improve color and growth.

 

[mfaso24]

Does low nutrients have an impact on coraline growth?

 

[mfaso24]

You said you added a blue hippo? 75 gal is way too small for a hippo, I would take it back/ rehome it.

Also do you have an idea on how stable your parameters are? Your alk is currently at 7?? thats considered a tad bit low, do you have an idea how much it fluctuates between waterchanges without dosing?

What are you currently using as far as water movement/ flow?

I do agree with others that your system is too clean and that is why your colors are a bit washed out, however I would be looking into other ways in addition to upping the nutirents to improve color and growth.

Alk is pretty darn stable between WCs since there's not too much coral to use it up. And for flow I'm using a wp 25 on a pulse and a wp10 on random mode. Water flow is solid I have no concern of that being an issue.

 

[nemodan]

Also do you have an idea on how stable your parameters are? Your alk is currently at 7?? thats considered a tad bit low, .

7 dkh is a very good level for his conditions.

And 15 G WC do not change the Alk at all.

Beside that, his SPS do not show any issue of Alk stress.

Cheers !

 

[mfaso24]

7 dkh is a very good level for his conditions.

And 15 G WC do not change the Alk at all.

Beside that, his SPS do not show any issue of Alk stress.

Cheers !

The salt I use also has a dkh of 7-9 so that helps

 

[mfaso24]

Look for some advice/critique on sps

As promised here's a FTS along with some coral close ups.

The corals on the sand bed were added on Sunday and are just acclimating to the light

 

[nemodan]

That tank is empty !!!! ...... LOL.

Ok...I will suggest you continue your rutine. Add more corals and fish " not all together". Start to feed well. Keep an eye on P. and N. levels. The trick is to increase them with a good exportation.

Don't worry more for that frag color for now, but it can be the control for your tank evolution.

Measure Alk let say today at XX time. Measure it again in 3 days at the same XX time and before your WC. Record the use. And depending on the decay it will come the time for start dosing Alk and Ca. Mg will be replenish with the 10-15% weekly WC.

If your P and N start to increase then you will need to find the way to keep them in line......time will come.

Best
Daniel

Ps: do you clean the tank glass every minute... LOL
How can be they are soo clean ? There isn't one spot of coraline algae in the plastic of the overflow.