I have been trying to keep SPS for a couple of years now and for some reason just can't keep it alive. My parameters have been stable for a long time. I'm able to keep softies, clam, Anemone without a problem. My parameters are PH 8.1, Alk 8-9, Cal 400, Mag 1400, Nitrate 0. I use red sea coral pro salt Last Jan I updated my lighting to Radion pro's from reef breeders and still can't keep SPS. I'm starting to wonder if my well water has something in it that is causing the problem. I use an rodi system the results in o tds at the output but still wonder if I'm missing something. My powerheads are two Maxspec 230's flow seems good. My tank size is 150gal with a 40gal sump. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
SPS and I don't get along
- Thread starter Ironwood
- Start date
Could be chemical warfare from the softies potentially... you mention alk of 8-9... how often does that fluctuate? If that's over a month that'd be fine, if it's over 24 hours would be too much of a swing for most SPS to deal with. Also, nitrates are on the low side, if it's truly zero then I would think softies in particular would be struggling... I'm guessing it's either a dodgy test or they're being used as they're produced. You might want to try upping nitrates a little. Also, what's your po4 reading? If this is on the high side, nems and softies will be fine but it can interfere with calcification...
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Thanks for the response. My Alk does move a little but it is very slow. I use a redsea test kit for measuring Nitrate and it always seems to come out zero even though I have a lot of fish and feed fairly heavy.
At this time I don't know what my Po4 is. I use to have a hanna checker but it always read zero even though I had algae so I got rid of it. I use to run GFO in a reactor but stopped a couple of months ago thinking that it could be the culprit but that didn't seem to change anything either. That is why I'm starting to think that it is something to do with my well water.
Zero nitrates and phosphates is a common result in a tank with algae... the nutes are used up by the algae before they can register in the water column. That you're getting zero TDS but don't know the po4 would suggest to me that you check that avenue before blaming the well water...
Do you still have algae or not? What nutrient export are you using?
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I do have some algae but it's not bad. I use a Skimmer for export I use to use a reef Octopus but upgraded to a Skimz even though they seem to work the same.
Ok, so I'd check po4 for sure... if that's at zero too, could be the issue.
What's your lighting schedule and intensity?
Also, what SPS have you tried?
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So SPS likes/needs phosphate? I have tried Montipora, acropora.
A thin line... the zoox need some po4 but too much inhibits calcification. Aim for somewhere around 0.010ppm to 0.025ppm.
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murphreef
Active member
How do your SPS end up dying? RTN, STN, bleaching ?? How they die will tell a lot on what might be happening.
I would strongly suggest changing up salt brands. Sometimes certain salts just have something off in them even if you measure everything something might be off. I would suggest trying Tropic Marin Pro and do some large 10-20% water changes a few days apart until you have done approximately 100% in WC.
Everytime I see issues in my tank a decent WC always seems to help.
I would strongly suggest changing up salt brands. Sometimes certain salts just have something off in them even if you measure everything something might be off. I would suggest trying Tropic Marin Pro and do some large 10-20% water changes a few days apart until you have done approximately 100% in WC.
Everytime I see issues in my tank a decent WC always seems to help.
Maybe try birdsnest (seriatopora) once any issues are sorted... pretty hardy as sps go, certainly less finnicky than acros.
Also, flow... what sort of turnover are you achieving?
You'll need good, random flow with around 50x tank volume per hour... don't forget most manufacturers overstate maximum flow rates.
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If you are driving your N and P toward zero with GFO, Organic Carbon or Lanthanum Chloride, then stop. If they are there naturally, then you are OK - be assured that you have some. If you were/are driving them too low, this is usually a dull-color thing and not death.
Do you tinker with your lights?
If you run your well water through RO/DI and the DI is not exhausted, then you are probably OK. Get a Triton or other ICP test if you want to be sure.
Do you tinker with your lights?
If you run your well water through RO/DI and the DI is not exhausted, then you are probably OK. Get a Triton or other ICP test if you want to be sure.
Thx
I have 16 fish and I think that I over feed which it surprises me that my po4 and po3 come out to 0
Usually my sps dies from bleaching and then algae seems to take over. For example my last red montipora started get lighter in color so I thought is
T was too much light so I lowered it in the tank. It never seemed to get any better and eventually jus t had algae all over it.
I have have a reef tank for three years although last December I upgraded to a 150 from a 72 but used the same rock and sump.
