Photo period question

[magdelan]

My light is 165w of LEDs at max output. I have it dialed down to 10% power but I'm noticing that I have constant bryopsis and so cyano that wont go away. I'm running GFO (Pura Phos) and the name of the carbon type bag escapes my mind at the moment.

Furthermore, when I get home at night, only the blues are on so I don't typically see the tank with the full light spectrum on. Tonight I turned on the whites and realized that my Cyphastrea looks almost bleached! Polyps still extended as usual but not a whole lot of pigment in the mat.

So what approach would [you] suggest?

 

[Conesus_Kid]

You know that someone is going to ask this:

Are you still using tapwater?

 

[magdelan]

....ummmm

 

[idisc]

I have the same light...and almost I have never bleached my corals..I run blues around 50% and whites at 20-25% - My blues run from 10am to 9pm. My whites run from 12pm - 7pm.

I have never noticed any cyano or bryopsis, but I get crazy film algae or diatoms that I clean off daily to keep it unnoticeable or every few days. Although the tank is just over a month old, I am letting it run its course and not directly blaming the light as the tank is still young.

I run carbon, but don't run any GFO atm. Tank is full of sps and few lps

 

[magdelan]

How many inches off the surface is your fixture hung? Mine is on a bookshelf and hangs from the top of the bookcase. It is maybe 10" off the surface. I definitely get the haze on the glass and diatoms too.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

No poll option for water?

We already know silicates feed diatom blooms...

 

[idisc]

12" Off Water - I run RO/DI and have 0TDS and 110 going in...and still have huge issue..so..idk something in my tank is leaching or phase..

 

[magdelan]

Gary, Im on the lookout for a rodi unit. But how do you explain what is happening in idisc's tank? I'll tell you what though, my 180 was easier to care for!!!

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I dunno whats going on in Auburn.

Easier to address one at a time

 

[Gravesj1s]

the tank is just over a month old

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

X2 bingo.

Plus we don't know about his rock, sand etc.....

 

[cardiffgiant]

I'm sorry if I missed it, what type of fixture?

It sounds like there are some other factors involved, but if the fixture was the only variable, I'd say reduce the intensity of the whites and maybe shorten their photoperiod to 5 hrs.

What are your water parameters? Any PH or alkalinity swings?

 

[Gravesj1s]

=magdelan;23777867]I'm noticing that I have constant bryopsis and so cyano that wont go away. I'm running GFO (Pura Phos)

Gfo can exhaust in no time ,like over night when using tapwater.Imo/e it is ineffective in this type situation.Im with conseus & Gary that's its a water issue.Not because I have an ro listed up,but its something Ive personally had to go through.

So what approach would [you] suggest?

Id get an ro/di or get a canister type filter and use your gfo/carbon combo to filter the tapwater in a brute can. Not preferred way but it can work.

Id ditch any substrate that was exposed to tapwater,sand ,gravel ect.It can take months & months to lower P unless some other action is taken .Perhaps Gary M's Lacl2 approach is worth a look.
I would not dose any organic carbon (vinegar ,vodka ect.

 

[magdelan]

Gravesj1s, that's a great point that you bring up regarding substrate. What about my LR?

Also, I change the GFO Weekly when I do a 90% water change. I didn't realize that it was possible to exhause GFO in a matter of hours, but it makes sence.

Change out the membranes in that rodi system and I'll come get it tomorrow.

 

[Gravesj1s]

Ha! Yeah, I would but im so pressed for time right now. frofan has a pretty nice looking ro/di F/s .

What about my LR?

Rock can be saturated ,yep. If it were my tank ,Id probabaly look to the LaCl folks. I don't have any experience with using it ,but it seems to be a very effective way to bring down high phosphate levels.Then,tweek/maintain a phosphate level with gfo.

 

[magdelan]

Thanks!

 

[magdelan]

Bought a SpectraPure RODI unit so step on off me fellas! Should be here by weeks end. Moving forward... Large cyphastrea colony has seemed to have bleached out a bit as origonally posted. I am concerned that my photoperiod had a lot to do with it. PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong, but I have drastically reduced my white lights from 7hours per day to 30 min in the morning and 30 min in the evening. Is this too much? I will begin ramping it back up [very] slowly next week.

THOUGHTS?

 

[Conesus_Kid]

I just went back and reread that you're running whites at only 10%. I would be surprised if this were a photoperiod issue.

What are your Ca and Alk numbers?

 

[cardiffgiant]

I agree. What are your Ca, Kh, and Mg? Additionally, how do you measure pH? What is your pH at peak photo period and opposite of your peak photo period?

Do you dose kalk? If so, how? Do you use 2 part? If so, what recipe and how do you dose?

 

[magdelan]

Confession:

I have never, in the three years that I have had this little tank up, tested the parameters. with that being said, my parameters are as follows:

PH- 8.4
dKH- 7
Ca- 450
Po4- zero
No3- zero

I lowered my photoperiod so drastically because a friend of mine has the same light. His tank is slightly bigger (by two gallons) and his light hangs at least 6 inches higher. He is only running his whites at 10% as well and his inhabitants look amazing!

The photoperiod was the first thing I thought about when I saw some corals losing their pigment. I figured that I drop it off and build it back up slowly. I also had a green Poci that lost color but still has green polyps...so I moved him down too.

*side note

Remember when I zapped my tank and a couple frags bleached out? Here they are now all colored up again (Back right Montipora and front left green Acropora... Poci is back left) I must be doing something right.