Acropora bleaching!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

[XanderPR]

I would ditch the Brightwell block and see if you can get a piece of real live rock to put in the sump. There are some instances of blocks like these, not sure about Brightwell, leaching aluminum into the tank. If you can't get LR for the sump, the 40-50 pounds of rock in your tank will be enough.

Be sure to rinse that sand well until the water runs clean. You will thank me later.

Do you reccomend dry sand and not live? I was planning on using the CaribSea live sand. In your experience is using live sand better or doesbit bring pests into the aquarium. I used it for the 29g and it still took a long timw to cycle. Iwas also going to use Microbacter7 to seed nitrifying bacteria into the system. I have a 4 pond rock in the sump of my 29g as well to use on the 75g.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

Do you reccomend dry sand and not live? I was planning on using the CaribSea live sand. In your experience is using live sand better or doesbit bring pests into the aquarium. I used it for the 29g and it still took a long timw to cycle. Iwas also going to use Microbacter7 to seed nitrifying bacteria into the system. I have a 4 pond rock in the sump of my 29g as well to use on the 75g.

I've only used "live sand," so I can't say if dry is better or not. "Live sand" will not have any pest. They call it live because it does contain bacteria. How much bacteria, who knows. Using a bacteria additive will not hurt, but isn't necessary either. Your tank will cycle with or without it. Using the rock from the sump of your already cycled tank would be just as beneficial as adding bacteria IMO.

Rinsing the sand thoroughly just ensures that you are not adding organics that may be in the sand and can cause issues later. Rinsing with fresh water will not hurt any bacteria that is in the sand. Why not start off as clean as you can is my opinion.

 

[XanderPR]

Just git my gate valve for my overflow! Now just need to replace the unions I got and we will be ready!!

 

[XanderPR]

OK, for anyone who is interested, my latest parameters:
Salinity: 1.025
Temp: 78°F
Calcium: 480 ppm
Alkalinity: 8dKH (will dose liquid soda ash to get to 9)
Magnesium: 1440 ppm
Phosphate .25ppm
pH: 8.0
Ammonia: .025 ppm (always reads this)
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm

 

[T-J]

The only test out of everything you posted that I'd trust is the Magnesium.
But, if PO4 and Nitrates are that high, I'd work on getting them down a bit.

 

[SamMule]

Alk of 8 is fine. You said you get premixed salt water from your LFS?
Find out what the salt mix runs at and leave your alk there. Will reduce swings when you change your water.
No reason to spike it up to 9. That won't do anything but make more work for you and stress the corals.
I agree with TJ. Those test kits are pretty unreliable.
Get a good refractometer for measuring salinity. Much more accurate. If salinity is off, everything will be off.
1440 mag is high. Not sure it is going to hurt anything, but you certainly don't need to be dosing it.
If I were you, I wouldn't be dosing anything at this point.
K.I.S.S. is a good rule to live by.
Hence, my earlier suggestion of picking a tank and sticking with it. Trying to juggle 2 different tanks while you're trying to learn how to keep things stable is rough. I know, because that's exactly what I did...
@islandreef has given you some very spot-on advice. Live rock and live sand are the only way to go.

 

[XanderPR]

Sorry for the lack of updates! Been busy making some purchases !

About my battle with RTN and my Acros: I an lossing my Bubblegun digitata to STN in this case it has taken weeks to slowly dissolve. The side that gets light directly has polyps extending, but I do not hold out too much hope!
My other 2 Acros and 3 birdsnests are looking healthy though so I am glad for that! I am still dosing 1 ml of Brightwell Coral Amino, but am no longer using reef roids per recommendation of the community (thanx guys!) and my LFS. All other cirals and fish seem to be thriving and I am seeing a lot of color coming back to the others and my Kenya Tree leather is loving life and growing fast (I know its a softie, but you gotta celebrate the victories right?!l

Regarding Tests I am waiting for my RedSea Ca, dKH, and Mg tests (Still testing with API in the meantime). Hopefully I will win some more points im @Bulk Reef Supply and get a couple more!! I won the Father's day prize and they gave me $100.00 in points!!! Which I quickly used to up my test game and a bit for the new 75g tank!!

About my 75g tank:
I have drilled the holes for my Overflow and return (I did not have a guide for the return so I scratched the tank solidly)! Hopefully when I paint the back it will mask it a bit!! Any opinions as to which color I should use?? I was thinking dark blue (like the ocean) or black (not sure if the scratchea will show more on black background)... let me know what you think!!
I am currently working on cutting pipes and fitting everything as I had to enlarge the opening on the stand to fit the plumbing I need.
Waiting for some tubing, clamps, fittings, rocks from BRS to finish the return plumbing and the I will add water and start the cycle using Brightwell Microbacter7 a dry live rock I have had in the sump of my 29g for the last 2-3 weeks and my Fiji Pink live sand. Not in much of a hurry as I don't plan to move my corals for a very long time!!

Please let me know what you think or if I am doing some thing wrong!! Thank you in advance!!

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Sorry for the lack of updates! Been busy making some purchases !

About my battle with RTN and my Acros: I an lossing my Bubblegun digitata to STN in this case it has taken weeks to slowly dissolve. The side that gets light directly has polyps extending, but I do not hold out too much hope!
My other 2 Acros and 3 birdsnests are looking healthy though so I am glad for that! I am still dosing 1 ml of Brightwell Coral Amino, but am no longer using reef roids per recommendation of the community (thanx guys!) and my LFS. All other cirals and fish seem to be thriving and I am seeing a lot of color coming back to the others and my Kenya Tree leather is loving life and growing fast (I know its a softie, but you gotta celebrate the victories right?!l

Regarding Tests I am waiting for my RedSea Ca, dKH, and Mg tests (Still testing with API in the meantime). Hopefully I will win some more points im @Bulk Reef Supply and get a couple more!! I won the Father's day prize and they gave me $100.00 in points!!! Which I quickly used to up my test game and a bit for the new 75g tank!!

About my 75g tank:
I have drilled the holes for my Overflow and return (I did not have a guide for the return so I scratched the tank solidly)! Hopefully when I paint the back it will mask it a bit!! Any opinions as to which color I should use?? I was thinking dark blue (like the ocean) or black (not sure if the scratchea will show more on black background)... let me know what you think!!
I am currently working on cutting pipes and fitting everything as I had to enlarge the opening on the stand to fit the plumbing I need.
Waiting for some tubing, clamps, fittings, rocks from BRS to finish the return plumbing and the I will add water and start the cycle using Brightwell Microbacter7 a dry live rock I have had in the sump of my 29g for the last 2-3 weeks and my Fiji Pink live sand. Not in much of a hurry as I don't plan to move my corals for a very long time!!

Please let me know what you think or if I am doing some thing wrong!! Thank you in advance!!

Only thing I can think of is I would have used the brs 100$ for Hanna ulr phosphate tester and nyos nitrate tester. But glad to hear things are slowly turning around

 

[XanderPR]

Only thing I can think of is I would have used the brs 100$ for Hanna ulr phosphate tester and nyos nitrate tester. But glad to hear things are slowly turning around

I plan to use the next prize I win for the Hanna ulr PO4 test! They are having a event that with any purchase you make they send you bonus points (from $10 to $500) and there is no min purchase! Baught a couple of hose clamps I needed for the return and ATO on my tank paid about $9 including shipping! Figure I can get $1 back or if I'm lucky maybe a bit more ! I will let you know when I get my Hanna, but promise it's the next purch I make ( I think I have evrything I meed for the 75g, but I said that like a week ago ;-)

 

[Bronx19]

You want some advice that most are going to poo poo? Take your skimmer offline, stop filtering PO4/NO3 and stop adding/dipping anything. Leave a bag of carbon in the sump if you like (passive). You have plenty of good media in there which will handle it, if you give it a chance. Let the tank sit for 4 weeks and let it find its feet. Then test and see where its at.

 

[XanderPR]

You want some advice that most are going to poo poo? Take your skimmer offline, stop filtering PO4/NO3 and stop adding/dipping anything. Leave a bag of carbon in the sump if you like (passive). You have plenty of good media in there which will handle it, if you give it a chance. Let the tank sit for 4 weeks and let it find its feet. Then test and see where its at.

Thank you for the suggestion. I do not currently have a skimmer. I am changing filter pads every 3 days. I don't usually have a huge problem with nitrates or phosphate, but my tests are not the best. I am upgrading ( already purchased RedSea calcium, alkalinity, and magneaium. Will be getting Nyos nitrate next Tuesday! Hopefully a Hannah PO4 in the neae future! Is gge skimmer that essential? My LFS said it was not necessary.

 

[Bronx19]

Thank you for the suggestion. I do not currently have a skimmer. I am changing filter pads every 3 days. I don't usually have a huge problem with nitrates or phosphate, but my tests are not the best. I am upgrading ( already purchased RedSea calcium, alkalinity, and magneaium. Will be getting Nyos nitrate next Tuesday! Hopefully a Hannah PO4 in the neae future! Is gge skimmer that essential? My LFS said it was not necessary.

A skimmer is not essential at all. You'll have to increase the water changes a little though. I tip in coral snow (clacium hydroxide DIY mix) every second night and have crystal clear water.

 

[XanderPR]

A skimmer is not essential at all. You'll have to increase the water changes a little though. I tip in coral snow (clacium hydroxide DIY mix) every second night and have crystal clear water.

I usually do about a 29% change every week. I did a test last night and got 5 ppm nitrate (nyos test), 480ppm Ca (red sea test), and Alk at 8.1 (red sea test), phosphate was at 0ppm (API test). Testing Mg again today as had issue with test yesterday.

 

[T-J]

Ditch the API phosphate test. Invest in a Hanna phosphate checker. You'll have much better results.
And if it is truly 0 phosphate, you'll want to get that up a bit.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Ditch the API phosphate test. Invest in a Hanna phosphate checker. You'll have much better results.
And if it is truly 0 phosphate, you'll want to get that up a bit.

+1 on this

 

[XanderPR]

Hello Everyone!! Just wanted to drop by and provide an update on my situation. My Bubblegum digittata is still with us although it did lose half of its tissue and I am still dosing Coral Amino every day. All my other corals are looking awesome and I can definitely see a great improvement in color of many of my SPS corals. My surviving acros are also shiwing growth and great coloration. Will post pics soon. Just did some tests on the tank and here they are with test kit maker:
Instant Ocean Hydrometer:
Salinity= 1.025 SG

Thermometer:
78°F

RedSea:
Calcium= 460ppm
Alkalinity=8.1dKH
Magnesium=1340 ppm

Nyos:
Nitrate= 12ppm

API:
Phosphate= 0ppm (Sorry)
Ammonia=0ppm
Nitrite=0ppm
pH=8

I will continue to monitor and post info on this link. If you would like an update on my 75g tank build (currently cycling), please visit my build thread by clicking onthe build thread contributor button on my heading!! Thanks!!!