Tank too Sterile?

[Toadally]

What kind of nog is your skimmer pulling out? This will be a good indication if your tank is to sterile. Really look into pests. I would dip a few corals that look drab, and see what, if anything comes off them. IMO i would bump the alk up to 9-10. Your lights are fine, same with flow.

The skimmer is pulling out some really black looking sluge. It gets emptied about every three to four days.

 

[Toadally]

how much flow do you have in the system? powerheads, closed loop, return, etc.

really good flow.....2 MP10's and the return is 635 gph

 

[curlykid]

Raise the alkalinity.

 

[Toadally]

update!

I've employed the KISS method and I seem to be getting some response from my corals. What I've done.....

1. Upped my water changes from 1% to 2% each day.
2. Raising the alk to 9dkh slowly.
3. Stopped all additions of additives other than calcium and alkalinity....2 part.
4. Have a steady light scheme and stopped changing bulbs trying to get that "right" look. Lighting is T5's 10hrs. and MH's 7hrs. a day.
5. Started feeding the fish every other day and the coral about 2 - 3 times a week. All in hopes of seeing if the algae dies off.

Basically keeping it simple. I'll update later this month and let you know how it goes. I really appreciate everyone's help.

 

[disenchantedone]

+1 on Alk. Pics please. =)

 

[Toadally]

You can see the algae on the overflow. It has died back a little but lately has turned red. It's very hard to get rid of.

Thr last two pictures were taken under Phoenix 14k and T5's. The first is under Reeflux 10k.

The tank looks much better in person....I'm very bad with cameras!

 

[Topbloke72]

How much live rock do you have in there?

 

[tibob32]

PO4. With that kind of algae, there's no way your nutrients are 0. My test kits were showing 0 all around too and I had so much HA on my powerheads the flow had almost stopped. I think the 2% WC is a good plan. some GFO wouldn't hurt either. I have no experience with pellets, but AFAIK they do take quite a while to reach their full effectiveness.

 

[Toadally]

How much live rock do you have in there?

I think there's about 40lbs. or so. There's also a few peices in the sump/refuge.

 

[Toadally]

PO4. With that kind of algae, there's no way your nutrients are 0. My test kits were showing 0 all around too and I had so much HA on my powerheads the flow had almost stopped. I think the 2% WC is a good plan. some GFO wouldn't hurt either. I have no experience with pellets, but AFAIK they do take quite a while to reach their full effectiveness.

You wouldn't think that the tests would show 0. I'm using a Hannah meter for PO4 and a Salifert for NO3.

 

[MeuserReef]

What is the TDS of the water coming out of your RO/DI unit? Mine sneaks up on me sometimes when my DI resin has become exhausted.

Just a thought.

 

[Toadally]

What is the TDS of the water coming out of your RO/DI unit? Mine sneaks up on me sometimes when my DI resin has become exhausted.

Just a thought.

Thanks..... it's 0

I change the filters, carbon and block, every 6 months. I also use two DI filters and change the one up front with the one in the back. I then use a new DI filter in place of that one. The one that is discarded is only half spent. I change the membrane every year.

 

[JSeymour]

The reason your phosphates and nitrates are at 0, is because the algae is eating it. If you scrubbed your walls clean and set your skimmer on wet to remove the upset algae, I almost bet you'll have detectable nutrients a day or so later, if everything else remains the same(feeding the same, skimmer back to normal, etc). Your algae population is just consuming it before you can test for it.

 

[Toadally]

The reason your phosphates and nitrates are at 0, is because the algae is eating it. If you scrubbed your walls clean and set your skimmer on wet to remove the upset algae, I almost bet you'll have detectable nutrients a day or so later, if everything else remains the same(feeding the same, skimmer back to normal, etc). Your algae population is just consuming it before you can test for it.

you are probably correct!

 

[jackson6745]

you will be counter productive ramping your lights up. you should actually decrease to a 4-6 hour photo period and run actinics for 8-12.

there is a big thread on here about growth and color from shortened photo periods.

Agreed. If you run a shorter photoperiod for a while your colors will darken.

 

[Toadally]

Agreed. If you run a shorter photoperiod for a while your colors will darken.

I'm running the halides 6hrs. and T5's for 10hrs. I have already noticed some change in color and growth.