Too early to try SPS, or maybe too much light?

[laguest]

We have a 75 gallon standard tank. It's been running for about 8 months now and is lightly stocked with LPS and 3 fish. Running 2 x Kessil A360W-E Tuna Blue that ramp up then down to a high of 65% intensity and 50% color. The LSP are all doing good.

Alk = 8.7
Calc = 441
Phosphates = 0
Nitrates = 0
PH = 8.0 "“ 8.2
Temp = 77 - 78
Flow is via the returns and also 2 x MP10's
Skimmer

No algae problems other than a small bit of bubble and the normal stuff on the glass that we clean once a week. I am starting to deal with cyanobacteria

We have gone through 2 x bird's nest, one placed half way up the tank the other more toward the top. They bleached out in approx. 4-5 weeks. Have a green slimmer in the middle of the tank half way up, just started to bleach on the side after approx. 10 weeks in the tank, also not much growth other than covering the plug which when I got it was only a small bit covered.

I just watched the BRS deep dive on the A360 and I was surprised they are running it at 100% so I am not sure if what I am dealing with is a light issue, or a lack of nutrients.

Thinking maybe its to early to try SPS?

Thanks

 

[MondoBongo]

are you dosing anything to stabilize your calcium and alkalinity?

if things are going to bleach due to light levels, i would expect them to do so well before the 5 - 10 week mark. did the frags come from a system that had LEDs over it already?

 

[RobZilla04]

If you're not having large Cal or Alk swings but algae growth is increasing you could have a problem with nitrates or phosphates.

Start the corals at the bottom and see how they do acclimating to the lights.

 

[hkgar]

I am not sure there is any science behind it, but it seems that a tank, even with the best numbers and stability, cannot keep SPS until is is at least a year old.

And possibly your tank is too clean. .02 PO4 and 5 NO3 could help. How are you keeping your levels at 0? If yyou aren't exporting them than you may not be producing enough for the corals to use.

 

[MondoBongo]

I am not sure there is any science behind it, but it seems that a tank, even with the best numbers and stability, cannot keep SPS until is is at least a year old.

when i upgraded i had all of my SPS moved in and happy at about the 6 week mark.

new tank was so much larger than the old tank that it was almost like starting over.

i don't buy this arbitrary time limit.

 

[gprdypoo04]

Too early.....perhaps. I lost a hammer and SPS that was put into my tank less than 15 months. I was quite surprised to lose my hammer coral. I just gave the tank more time and now 4 years up it's doing great.

 

[hkgar]

Like I said, probably no science, but quite a bit of anecdotal.

 

[laguest]

Thank you everyone for the comments.

 

[TwentyfiveCents]

I doubt it's due to the tank not being a full year, I have LPS and SPS in my tank I just hit 5 months so I really think something is going on That maybe you over looked

 

[djbon]

Constantly in an absent of nutrients condition (both N & P are zero) is bad for corals.