SPS advice.

[Vannpytt]

I've had a fair bit of trouble since start, a year ago and I'll try to give as much info as I can and hopefully someone can solve this.

200gallon system

3 tangs (purple, achilles and sohal)
4 wrasse
1 Salarias Faciatus
1 Pygoplites
Nothing large

I got some 20 small SPS frags/colonies

P 0,02
N 0,4
KH 9,5
CA 410
MG 1450

I feed 1 teaspoon pellets/flakes a day, got a Bubbleking Supermarin 300, no carbondosing and just recently installed a CArx. I got no GFO or GAC, 4x Tunze 6105 on random flow, 2x smaller pumps, aprox 1k gph through the sump. Nothing eroding inside the tank, nothing else beeing added. I get green slime carpet algae on some of the sand and rocks, which doesn't go away during lights out. My corals are not very colorful, but growing and showing signs of color. My skimmer doesn't produce much skimmate, atleast not the smelly dark stuff other people report.

I got 108 Cree LEDs divided like this:

36 CW/NW 1A (6 hours on 100%)
36 RB/B 0,7A (6,5 hours on 100%)
36 Green/UV/Cyan 0,6A (6,5 hours on 100%)

Changes I made "recently".

• Stabilized KH. I used to have large swings 2-3 within a week, every week.
• Biweekly water changes of 10% / cleaning rocks and sand
• Less feeding

Anyone got anything to add, or should the corals return their colors in time with the current scheme?

 

[divewsharks]

In the places where there is cyano, how is the flow? Possibility of dead spots?

Is there a reason you haven't tried GFO? I would add a GFO reactor or bump up the water changes. after that; given the above, the slime should disappear and coral color should gradually come back.

 

[Vannpytt]

The flow is quite heavy and random with computer control, and the algae grows even in the high flow zone.

Would Aqua Vision phosphate control be the same as GFO? I read lots of positives about it.

 

[divewsharks]

From what I was able to find on it, the function is the same (reduce phosphate) just via a different compound.

 

[Alex T.]

I have to interject here. That is WAY too much skimmer for that tank. I have a Supermarin 200 on my 195 gallon SPS system and I feel I need to increase the bioload.

Did you know that it is meant for systems up to 1,050 US gallons? My BK 200 is meant for up to 330, and is beginning to work great. I understand everyone's need to jump to the next size, but I feel you're not getting the efficiency per pass through the sump that you'll need. You're simply not going to build a stable foam head enough to pour out into the cup. I'm pretty confident that there is more gunk on the neck of the skimmer than there is in the collection cup.

I would definitely point at the skimmer before anything else. It's simply too large for your system. If it was properly sized, I would bet your tank would make a turn around for the better. It's a great skimmer, but simply not the right one for you.

 

[REEF SMAC]

A few questions;

Your system is 200g total gallons? Or DT?

You have 3 tangs, six other fish, and your PO4 is still at .02 a year later without carbon dosing or GFO? Is there something else you are using to keep your PO4 (and NO3) that low?
What are you testing with to get that .02 PO4 result?

Did your skimmer produce more juice before you cut back the feeding?

What is your salinity at?

When you ask "will they return their colors?", is that because they did have better colors at one time? Something has caused them to lose those colors?

It does sometimes take a while for colors to come back, if that is the case.

 

[Vannpytt]

DT is 165 gallon net.
Sump is 35 gallon net.

I used to run an algae scrubber with 0 detectable N or P before setting in the skimmer. Not stable KH. Tried with both the Red Sea Pro test and the Salifert, along with the D-D Merck kit. They all say the same.

Yes, there is more gunk in the neck than in the skimmer cup, although if I run it wet, I get light yellow fluid in the cup.

I changed LEDs from a RB/CW 50:50 setup to a RB/CW with B/NW and 1/6th of total amount to color LEDs (Green, UV, Cyan) to increase spectrum. Before this it was good and improving, though the KH was never as stable as it is now.

I have a Deltec AP851 skimmer also, rated for 200 gallons. Really don't know if that would sort matters.

SG is at 1.026, auto topof via 5 stage DI filter. Water here in Norway is very clean even without RO/DI filter.

 

[jrb466]

I had issues with algae in the past. I now run GFO and have not seen algae since. Most common issue is if you have PO4 present something will consume them. So most test will show they are not present because they are being consumed. GFO will consume the PO4 that the algae is consuming and the algae will die off.

Just my opinion and experience. (disclaimer)

 

[acesq]

+1 on the skimmer advice -- that BK300 is too much for that size system. With a poorly functioning skimmer and no other supplemental means of nutrient export, no vodka dosing, no BP, no GFO, no GAC, you're going to have problems.

Consider solid or liquid carbon dosing, a better sized skimmer, some GAC and possibly some GFO. Implementing the changes slowly, of course.

 

[rogerwilco357]

agree^^bigger is better when running a ULNS type setup and dosing carbon dosing if not dosing then a rated skimmer would be best..maybe you should start carbon dosing or zeovit type system? that is what i am attempting to do now ..good luck it can be tricky

 

[Vannpytt]

http://www.saltvannsforum.no/forum/showthread.php?t=10209&page=13

(Norwegian forum). This is probably the nicest tank I've ever seen, wicked growth and coloration. Same volume as mine, with a BK 300 running wetskimming, producing liters of fishpoop a week. No carbondosing, but GFO changed ever month and GAC changed every 3-5 weeks.

I use a manual SG checker (they don't need calibrating I believe?) at 1.026. I agree that the Supermarin is too large, but unable to function?

 

[Metal Man 1221]

Every tank is different, if his bioload is higher, than so is his demand for nutrient export.

 

[Vannpytt]

Wastly more corals, not much fish or feeding at all.

All in all, quite similar in terms of equipment, size and such. I know other tanks also with this kind of waaaaaay over sized skimmer that looks just stunning.

Point is, I got green turdalgae on my sand like this: View attachment 196498
and my corals did at some point grow and color, it's just not what it used to be, and I cannot pinpoint any reason for the crap that is growing, and the corals to not grow as much anymore. Some of them also tanned, which I consider to be nutrients, I just don't understand why this happens with little feeding and heavy skimming.

 

[Metal Man 1221]

Corals will contribute to the bioload.

Sorry if I missed it, but how old is your tank? Problems with algae and bacteria are common with younger tanks.

 

[Vannpytt]

3 years, though restarted 1 year ago with new rockwork.

Thinking about going lights out to kill it off, or atleast try.

 

[Vannpytt]

Another "hint" or 2.

There is not much coraline growing at all.

The underside of the corals are pale without much polyps, yet on top (facing the light) they have coloration and lots of PE.