So many problems with my acros... and I cant nail down the causes.

[Skujio]

First here are the current parameters I tested on my system.

Temp- 79.2
Salinity- 1.025
Alk- 8.2
Cal- 420
Mag- 1270 (adjusted back to normal 1370)
Phos- 0.00
Nitrate- 25

So heres what I've observed. Some acros slowly "drying out" at the tips and beginning to STN, some completely peeling and dying where they were once growing and colored beautifully. Here are a few thoughts I assume could be the cause.
1. A daily fluctuation in temp of about 1 and a half degrees.

2. Alkalinity could still be too high for the low nutrient environment and causing burns. (Currently cannot raise phosphate no matter what)

3. I recently switched over to a 6 bulb ATI fixture running at 70%. Was running at 95% after a long acclimation up to the point I saw stress.

4. If by some chance the use of Acropower would cause these problems, I've been dosing 4ml daily for a few months.

5. Pests, some unknown entity inside the system be it flatworms or red/black bugs tearing up the flesh without me seeing. (I've never observed any indication they could be the direct cause)

6. Some out of this world problem such as stray electricity of some sort.

If anyone could help me pin down the cause of this I'd be very grateful.

 

[dubmaneh]

Check iodine and potassium. Or go for a full ICP test. Those were the causes of tissue "œdrying out" for me.


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[kimmi2413]

Get your phosphates up to .03 and bring nitrates down to 5

 

[kimmi2413]

Feed a lot to get phosphates up don't run any type of gfo and they should go up if not dos some

 

[alazo1]

I would:
Do a few water changes about 20% (make sure water is 0 tds before mixing)
Bring light down to 50%
Cut acropower way down. I think directions say once a week? It may also be the source of the high nitrates. You can also try Aquavitro fuel instead of the acropower.

 

[Bpb]

At a glance you appear to have too low of a PO4 surplus based on your alkalinity. If it were my tank I would begin carbon dosing and heavy feeding. This will raise your phosphates and lower the nitrates. Continue to feed heavily and monitor phosphate and alk. Aim for 7.5 dKH and 0.03-0.1 ppm PO4. Wouldn't hurt to do a couple big water changes to reset trace elements and maybe toss a little polyfilter and carbon on the tank just in case there's a contaminant. This all obviously assumes there's no rusted magnets or pests


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[Skujio]

I would:
Do a few water changes about 20% (make sure water is 0 tds before mixing)
Bring light down to 50%
Cut acropower way down. I think directions say once a week? It may also be the source of the high nitrates. You can also try Aquavitro fuel instead of the acropower.

Done and done, also just took acropower offline for the time being.

 

[Skujio]

At a glance you appear to have too low of a PO4 surplus based on your alkalinity. If it were my tank I would begin carbon dosing and heavy feeding. This will raise your phosphates and lower the nitrates. Continue to feed heavily and monitor phosphate and alk. Aim for 7.5 dKH and 0.03-0.1 ppm PO4. Wouldn't hurt to do a couple big water changes to reset trace elements and maybe toss a little polyfilter and carbon on the tank just in case there's a contaminant. This all obviously assumes there's no rusted magnets or pests


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Adding a poly and any pointers on what to use and how much for carbon dosing?

 

[outssider]

I don't think too much t5 light is your problem. I run over-driven t5's very close to the water with no plastic cover and sps climbs out of the water to get to the light....running very low nutrients (tests -0- but have lots of fish) dkh 7.2...sometimes gets up to 7.8...no problem with sps tips...

 

[Bpb]

Adding a poly and any pointers on what to use and how much for carbon dosing?

I like vodka because it's easiest and cheapest. Search for the chart for instructions. The original article is still appropriate.


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[Skujio]

I like vodka because it's easiest and cheapest. Search for the chart for instructions. The original article is still appropriate.


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Perfect, thank you all. Lights are running at 50%, I'll be adding that poly in tomorrow, and look into getting nitrates down. Currently I have my auto feeder dropping a small amount of herbivore based flake 3 times daily to raise the phosphates. One last question and that would be how long would you go through with acclimating the lights up to 100%?

 

[Skujio]

I don't think too much t5 light is your problem. I run over-driven t5's very close to the water with no plastic cover and sps climbs out of the water to get to the light....running very low nutrients (tests -0- but have lots of fish) dkh 7.2...sometimes gets up to 7.8...no problem with sps tips...

My hypothesis is that it could very well be that my Alk is still slightly too high and my nitrates need lowering. I'm planning to drop it down to 7.5 in hope I to see improvement along with use of carbon dosing and poly filter.

 

[outssider]

I like vodka because it's easiest and cheapest.

+1

Shot of vodka for the tank, shot of whisky for me....we're both happy

 

[Bpb]

+1



Shot of vodka for the tank, shot of whisky for me....we're both happy

Good thing the tank doesn't need a good single malt scotch or straight rye. I'd go broke!


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[Skujio]

+1

Shot of vodka for the tank, shot of whisky for me....we're both happy

Good on the tank and good on my nerves through all this

 

[reefmutt]

I think you’re on the right track with carbon dosing and getting a po4 reading. But start really slowly with the vodka.
Right now, your tank is po4 limited. without po4, the carbon source will have no effect on n.
just adding straight phosphate would probably have a lowering effect on n, even without using a carbon source.
You could even just try a good bacterial additive and a po4 additive like Seachem’s Phosphorus. This alone may reduce n while raising p.
then, once both n and p are measurable, the vodka will have a better effect.
But I think the key is going with very tiny additions of p..

 

[Skujio]

I think you're on the right track with carbon dosing and getting a po4 reading. But start really slowly with the vodka.
Right now, your tank is po4 limited. without po4, the carbon source will have no effect on n.
just adding straight phosphate would probably have a lowering effect on n, even without using a carbon source.
You could even just try a good bacterial additive and a po4 additive like Seachem's Phosphorus. This alone may reduce n while raising p.
then, once both n and p are measurable, the vodka will have a better effect.
But I think the key is going with very tiny additions of p..

Currently feeding heavy, algae based flake on an auto feeder 3 times a day. Giving the tank 1ml of Nopox daily and have been for about a week. I will test my levels in a couple days to see where they are.

 

[azsoccerpop]

I agree with reefmutt your tank is phosphate limited. I would recommend dosing a source of Phosphate as mentioned above with Seachem or I use NeoPhos as you can control the levels of dose where just doing more heaving feeding is not controlled. Also food will be a source for both Phosphates and Nitrates and so you are raising both which will counter you trying to lower your nitrates with carbon dosing. All of this with the usual disclaimer. "What works for me may not work for you."