Trouble keeping SPS

[x2boarder]

Hey guys, I am having problems keeping SPS alive. Right now I have a Stylo that is losing the battle as well as a birdsnest (I think it's dead) and some month that isn't too happy.

I have a 150G tank with live rock. I use a RW-15 propeller pump on random mode for circulation. I am also skimming and have a cheato sump with a phosban reactor.

My levels are all normal

Temp 76.5

Ammonia,nitrite,nitrate 0/0/0

Dkh 9

Calcium 440/460


Any help would be awesome. I keep polyps, anemone, LPS, and

mushrooms with no problems.

 

[toothman]

I have better success with: tank temp 78-79, nitrates 1-2, kh 7-8, 9 is too high, what type of light do you have? You could add some sodium nitrate to raise it. What are your phosphates and what do you use to test it. There are some great tanks with higher phosphate but I think it is easier to keep coral healthy with phosphate less than .03 ppm. And welcome to reef central.

 

[milto29]

When I had problems with my monti. It was that I had too much GFO in my reactor. I found out the hard way. That it has to be right on.

 

[Mark9]

What are running for lights?

 

[x2boarder]

Trouble keeping SPS

Phosphates are 0.00 according to my test kit (API) I do run GFO but not sure I need to anymore. I had a major bloom about 9 months ago after a crash. Since then everything has been stable so I just kept running it.

I am running AI LEDs 2x over my tank. 70w/85B/85RB are my current settings. I don't have a par meter, but they are way brighter. Than my old MH (had LEDs for 2 years now, just tried SPS about 3 months ago)

How would I lower my kh?

Also, temp is something I am experimenting with. I live in the frozen tundra so it's hard to get my tank that warm without heaters running 24/7. I have a basement sump too

 

[Mark9]

I wouldn't consider 9 high, I run around 8.4.

 

[Travis.K]

having same problem here with montis and deepwater acros. im convinced its the LED's as i have just converted to Hydra52s a few weeks ago and thats when my troubles started. Im positive i started them out on the tank too high intensity, too low to the tank, and too long during the day. i have them at 70% acclimation mode right now and i will see if things improve. Most people that have LEDs on SPS tanks that ive read have the same problem at first with being too intense too quickly

 

[x2boarder]

I pulled the frags from a LFS that had them under T5s, they said my LEDs were not strong enough...so I placed them middle and moved to high over the weeks. I am thinking I bleached them?

Live aquaria says 8-12 is the range, but you can't trust everything you read online....

Can someone help me slowly lower and I'll keep track?

Here is a shot of the monti I took today.

 

[smtank]

The local fish store told your AI's were not strong enough? as in intensity?

I have Hydra, I am running them at 30% acclimation because anything else was too strong. My tank is a shallow tank though.

I would consider stopping your GFO since the algae issue has past, since your tank has no detectable phosphate and or low nitrate I would also let the alk drift down.

 

[x2boarder]

How do I let it go down? I don't dose for it...it's just what it is naturally

 

[smtank]

Back off your water changes if you're doing them routinely and see if it drifts down. Once coralline algae sets in really well the value will drift down quicker, same for when you add larger colonies or your existing colonies begin to grow at a quicker rate.

If you can not get the value to come down using those methods then try and let the phos and nitrate drift up just a little. It's all about balance, I have to run a lower alk the lower my N/P values are, that just my experience.

 

[x2boarder]

Coralline is growing everywhere. I can't keep it off the glass!

 

[toothman]

try adding some fauna marin, organics.
I would also purchase a hanna 736 phos. meter
Nitrates of zero is a problem in my tank, try purchasing salifert nitrate.

Api test kits are great for ca and kh

I would also say 9 kh is ok for some systems depends what your phosphate is, if you run a low phosphate tank 7-8 is much better, nsw is 7.2

 

[x2boarder]

Now that I think about it too, I am adding almost 1 - 1.5 gallons per day of fresh top off.

 

[reefology1]

fresh top off? any kalk in it? what do you dose? what salt are you using? need more info and maybe a full tank pic.

btw, alk is fine. i would guess low nutrients but need reliable test kits. i would also take gfo off line slowly over course of couple weeks at least.

 

[Pife]

How new is your tank? Have you ever kept coral before?

 

[x2boarder]

The fresh water is RO/DI and I just checked my TDS and it's between 2 & 3. I don't add anything to my water, aquarium or top off water. I rely on water changes to get the grace elements and honestly never had a problem with my other corals before.

I am using Instant Ocean salt mix.

This tank is only a little over 2 years now but the rock came from a tank that I had for about 6 years overall. I have kept easy corals and anemones for about 5 years, but always had trouble with SPS. Mainly lighting in my old tank.

Here are some pics of the full tank and a few happy corals for good measure.

 

[Mandrake]

How old are your RODI filters? TDS should be 0

 

[x2boarder]

Trouble keeping SPS

About 3 months. I think I need to clean my container tho, I am pretty sure the output is still 0.

 

[reefology1]

No Tds is never zero in ro water, that's ro/di...2 or 3 is excellent!

Large hammer (which is really nice btw) and zoas, how long have they been in there?

They like high nutrients more so than SPS so if they're thriving it's likely not that. Though I like to see some detectable levels of both N03 and P04 on a decent test kit.

Most SPS need lots of current so I would check out some YouTube videos of SPS tanks to get an idea. Current is a somewhat tricky thing to get right. You want a lot of indirect current to bring food and nutrients to while pushing waste away from your corals. I have 20x internal flow and still blast my corals once a week with a baster to make sure nothing has settled on then.

As for lighting, I believe new additions should be left in indirect light for at least a week while they become accustomed to water conditions (which btw is the most critical and complex part of keeping SPS), then if they look ok, should be moved up and watched for changes in polyp extension and color. If you notice a change then, you know it's likely the lighting.

Many reefers use IO salt (myself included) and it's a good salt, but like most can change from batch to batch. As a general rule, I test the big 3 (cal, mag, alk) every new bucket and usually have to add calcium and magnesium to get my ratios right. IO usual is high in alk so I wouldn't worry too much as long as you bump up the other 2 to keep things balanced.

Hope that helps.

edit: sorry my bad, you did sat ro/di...3 is still excellent and not the problem, also stated N03 and P04 were undetectable