LiquidCache
New member
Alright so here's my problem.. My DT is a 75 gallon. It's been up for a few months and my LPS is doing awesome and showing fantastic growth. A month ago I grabbed a few SPS at a local reef convention (Montipora digitata, tri colored acro) . I put them in the tank and they looked good for a few days. I never once saw the acro polyps open. The monti was open for a few days and then shut tight, only to open a little bit at night when the lights were off. They've been in my tank ever since not browning out or bleaching, but just not opening. They're growing pretty well, but no polyp extension.
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I snagged a frag of birds nest and stylopora from a local LFS for a few bucks each and wanted to see how they would do. They're doing awesome, polyps are always out and nice and fluffy. Around the same time I picked up a little red sea max 130 (34 gallon cube) from a local guy here and set it up and cycled it. No filtration other than some filter floss. I'm still waiting on my upgraded skimmer parts to get here. There was nothing in this tank but rock and sand. Around this time I moved one of my montipora to the red sea, and that very night all the polyps were open and beautiful.. So, a few days go by and I move a few more pieces of SPS over. Every single one of them is doing great in that tank.. Polyps open nicely, and they're doing well.
Here's what I don't understand. The parameters in both of my tanks are close to identical, except for nitrates and phosphates. My Nitrates in the red sea are almost 30, and my phosphates are .25.. Nitrates and Phosphates in the DT are at zero.
The rest of my measurements are as follows
Ammonia- 0
Alk 8
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1440
PH 8
What gives? I thought SPS needed super clean water. I have plenty of flow in my DT, and only stock pumps in the Red Sea. I am using a single D120 in the red sea and some Pacific Sun Triton R2's in the DT.
I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas?
Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I snagged a frag of birds nest and stylopora from a local LFS for a few bucks each and wanted to see how they would do. They're doing awesome, polyps are always out and nice and fluffy. Around the same time I picked up a little red sea max 130 (34 gallon cube) from a local guy here and set it up and cycled it. No filtration other than some filter floss. I'm still waiting on my upgraded skimmer parts to get here. There was nothing in this tank but rock and sand. Around this time I moved one of my montipora to the red sea, and that very night all the polyps were open and beautiful.. So, a few days go by and I move a few more pieces of SPS over. Every single one of them is doing great in that tank.. Polyps open nicely, and they're doing well.
Here's what I don't understand. The parameters in both of my tanks are close to identical, except for nitrates and phosphates. My Nitrates in the red sea are almost 30, and my phosphates are .25.. Nitrates and Phosphates in the DT are at zero.
The rest of my measurements are as follows
Ammonia- 0
Alk 8
Calcium 440
Magnesium 1440
PH 8
What gives? I thought SPS needed super clean water. I have plenty of flow in my DT, and only stock pumps in the Red Sea. I am using a single D120 in the red sea and some Pacific Sun Triton R2's in the DT.
I'm stumped. Anyone have any ideas?
