SPS Frag Tank = Brown

browntrout

New member
So ive had my frag tank setup for about a 2months. It's a 24x48x8
It has 1 1.5 drain and a 1 3/4 return line split with a T. It has a 30g sump/fuge. Im using a ASM Mini G skimmer and a MAG 9.5 for the return/flow I also have a Koralia 3 in the tank. Lighting is a 48" Coral Life fixture which houses 2 250watt Single ended bulbs 10k and 496watt actinics.

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 sometimes 5ppm
PH 8.2
SG 1.025
Phosphates 0

Cal 425/450
Alk 13
mag 1200

Temp ranges from 76 in the day and gets to about 80 81 when lights are on

Lights are about 12" above the surface.
I feed 3 times a week with roti feast/oyster feast/ and cyclops.

Ive noticed alot of my sps frag are starting to look Brown. Now these are all frags from which I have purchased online and from LFS.

I run my light for about 8hrs a day. Any Ideas?

Water changes? Sure when I get to it. I mean I have not much of a bioload so as long as my nitrates stay low im good. I dose calc/alk/mag so keep levels in tact. Id say I do about 15-20gallons a month for water changes.

Here is my setup/ Need to take a current picture. Ignore the fixture on this one as it's not what I am running

frag1-1.jpg


frag2-1.jpg


frag3.jpg
 
I have had the similar problem with my sps frags from what I notice and it was also my initial problem is your alk. 13 is kinda high should be 8-9 after a month or so they should color back up.
 
How many hours should I run my halides? Should I do the 50/50's for an hour before the halides kick on and then an hour after they kick off? Should I reduce the halide time to 6hrs?
 
I tried to run a similar frag tank about 30 gal volume I could never get it stable enough for my SPS tapped into my main system and everything took off.
 
Alk is a bit high.Do you do a water change every 2 weeks or just once a month?

Once a month. I don't see the need to change the water if my water is not getting full of nitrates or has the calc/alk/mag in check. Most people change water to keep the params in check and keep nitrates down. With a frag tank these changes should occur less often I would think
 
Alk of 12 isn't going to brown corals out. It could be your lighting. That tank is extremely shallow so the corals might not be liking it. It could also be flow. Most likely, brown corals are caused by excessive nutrients.
 
Alk of 12 isn't going to brown corals out. It could be your lighting. That tank is extremely shallow so the corals might not be liking it. It could also be flow. Most likely, brown corals are caused by excessive nutrients.

Right now I feed 3 times a week. A squirt of oyster and roti feast and a small chynk of CYCLOP-EEZE

I have 4 snails and 5 hermits in the tank

Also. I checked my DKH in my fresh batch of mixed water. 11.5dkh *** is that? Im using Reef Crystals.
 
first, switch salt, reef crystals suck!, I used to use reef crystals, stopped using it, and after a few changes with kent marine, or red sea coral pro, (I use what is available at the time) I noticed better health throughout my whole system., after that, keep your parameters stable, also keep in mind that new frags need to aclimate to your tank conditions.:dance:
 
Will corals brown because of too much light? I have the lights 12 inches above the water surface.

So now some people say high DKH will not brown and some others say it will ?????

I have a mag9.5 for the return line. I have a T in that line and have to heads that create flow. On the other end of the tank I have a korallia 3.

Will TOO MUCH flow cause corals to brown?
 
i have the same problem with my alk i use reef crystals salt mix i switched to red sea coral pro but i had a hard time keeping the tank parameters stable my alk is at 12 is this the only way to lower your alk by water changes
 
lowering alk is reefing 101.get a bubbler and a bubble stone and toss it in there for a few hours.arm and hammer works good too.
 
how exactly will a bubble stone and air pump help to lower alk? also i thought baking soda will raise alk not lower it.
 
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