Constantly Failing At SPS What Am I Missing?

Scorpius · Mar 14, 2018

20ppm nitrates is not that bad either. I had mine go that high recently and my colors improved, but so did algae. lol

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

bif24701 said:
Ok so seems like you are using it correctly I assume, do you give your reactor a daily stir?

Yes I shake the media twice a day 15 times.

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

ChaosAquaculture said:
Turn ur lights down. UV is way to high and only run ur whites for s few hours. My UV is only running a fraction of that and the whites I run for 4-5 hours depending on the tank. As far as ur nutrients go, ur nitrate seem a bit high but should be ok. You def want to increase your calc. I run mine st 450-470. Most say 420 is good. For SPS I like to run higher. And all I run in the high 8s or low 9s when calcium is high like that. Most importantly is stability. Keep everything stable as possible.

I got the LED set up from BRS, it's ecotechs setup for their coral growth project thing. BRS did a video on it, stating that set up gave the best spectrum for SPS growth. That was the reasoning behind my LED schedule...

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

MccReefer said:
I’d lower the intensity of your primes. Start at 40% then acclimate from there. Usually lightening of sps is the result of too much light or too low of nutrients.

I think the lighting and making my own rodi is where I might start. You're definitely onto something.

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

Orcus Varuna said:
I don’t know if this was addressed but years back I had a similar issue with no coraline and odd coral deaths. One day I was working on the tank without shoes on and when I put my hand in the tank I got shocked pretty bad. Turned out a heater was leaking current. I replaced the heater and bam coraline and corals came back with vengeance in less then a month. It was quite interesting and now a tank of mine never goes without a grounding probe.

So I do put my hand in the tank and I have not gotten shocked so I might be in the clear for that.

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

Ok here is the setup under my sink and the type of faucet I have. I'll need to be able to disconnect the rodi system after pulling water for a water change and storing the rodi system in a closet. Need some assistance on how to make that happen. I think reducing my LEDs a bit and making my own rodi is where I'm going to start. I believe after everyone's feedback these items are the 2 biggest variables.

NY_Caveman · Mar 14, 2018

A vertex grounding pole is pretty cheap if you want to eliminate the stray voltage variable.

Orcus Varuna · Mar 14, 2018

Bmwm235i said:
I got the LED set up from BRS, it's ecotechs setup for their coral growth project thing. BRS did a video on it, stating that set up gave the best spectrum for SPS growth. That was the reasoning behind my LED schedule...

Yes the uv diode is not your issue the brs AB+ is a good schedule and besides the uv is not even uv. Now what could be your issue is the amount of light. Try out my reduced AB+ schedule for use with t5’s https://1drv.ms/u/s!Akco_cmvvLNrgbgpMKgNefqsVPd4uA

Also, check out the main hydra settings thread we have years of data using t5’s with ai lighting

Orcus Varuna · Mar 14, 2018

Bmwm235i said:
Ok here is the setup under my sink and the type of faucet I have. I'll need to be able to disconnect the rodi system after pulling water for a water change and storing the rodi system in a closet. Need some assistance on how to make that happen. I think reducing my LEDs a bit and making my own rodi is where I'm going to start. I believe after everyone's feedback these items are the 2 biggest variables.

Why not use a speed fit John guest

Water Dog · Mar 14, 2018

Use this under the sink... it’s not permanent and can be removed.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/john-guest-angle-stop-valve.html

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

Orcus Varuna said:
Yes the uv diode is not your issue the brs AB+ is a good schedule and besides the uv is not even uv. Now what could be your issue is the amount of light. Try out my reduced AB+ schedule for use with t5’s https://1drv.ms/u/s!Akco_cmvvLNrgbgpMKgNefqsVPd4uA

Also, check out the main hydra settings thread we have years of data using t5’s with ai lighting

Awesome! I will definitely make that a read rather than messing around with channels.

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

Orcus Varuna said:
Why not use a speed fit John guest

No idea what that is... Googled it found multiple variations... Which one are you referencing?

RMS18 · Mar 14, 2018

Water Dog said:
Use this under the sink... it’s not permanent and can be removed.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/john-guest-angle-stop-valve.html

Awesome!!! Love it. I think I get where that goes. Then the murlock line from the rodi just plugs into the end and I open valve... O man I can see multiple moments of forgetting to turn the valve off before I disconnect that line from the rodi! Lol.

Orcus Varuna · Mar 14, 2018

Bmwm235i said:
Awesome!!! Love it. I think I get where that goes. Then the murlock line from the rodi just plugs into the end and I open valve... O man I can see multiple moments of forgetting to turn the valve off before I disconnect that line from the rodi! Lol.

That’s the one. Luckily with the murlock if water going through that valve the pressure will make it hard to disconnect.

bif24701 · Mar 14, 2018

Bmwm235i said:
Ok here is the setup under my sink and the type of faucet I have. I'll need to be able to disconnect the rodi system after pulling water for a water change and storing the rodi system in a closet. Need some assistance on how to make that happen. I think reducing my LEDs a bit and making my own rodi is where I'm going to start. I believe after everyone's feedback these items are the 2 biggest variables.

If you get the BRS 4 stage plus it will come with any and every fitting you would need to connect the supply line and waste line under the sink.

iemsparticus · Mar 14, 2018

Do you have your ZEO reactor programmed to come on for 3 hours, turn off for 3 hours, etc etc? I found that to be absolutely vital in my system.

bif24701 · Mar 14, 2018

It include these fittings, the black T looking one goes on the cold supply line. Goes on the valve, the faucet line goes on top of that and the RO supply line fits into the side there. It’s not removable. But you could store it under the sink.

bif24701 · Mar 14, 2018

iemsparticus said:
Do you have your ZEO reactor programmed to come on for 3 hours, turn off for 3 hours, etc etc? I found that to be absolutely vital in my system.

Doesn’t that help support anoxic bacteria? That would help NO3 Control, what if you just leased the supply?

rck329 · Mar 14, 2018

My 2 cents...
I struggled for a long time with acros with similar symptoms to what you have. And your parameters are way better than mine were at least from a nutrient standpoint (mine were way too low). Maybe it's something that Triton is not picking up, I don't know. But what I would do is ditch the Zeovit and start reducing variables.

I tried Zeovit and I know it works for some, but it was just too many variables for me and too much anecdotal recommendations.

A big turning point for me and my way of thinking was this Jason Fox talk at a local reef club. Just dead simple and his results are just out of this world IMO.

I've watched it like 10 times. The only thing I do different is dose nitrate because I can't seem to maintain them otherwise.

I am by no means an expert, but I went from acro frags dying to acros doing pretty good. And the other corals - LPS, montis, etc that I thought were doing ok are exploding now.

RhinoNM · Mar 14, 2018

I say stop zeovit.. Zeovit should only be run on a successful system. You can get good colors and growth with high nitrate and .03.07 phosphate...just have to clean the glass more. I say get your own RODI (really really needed, get $10 TDS meter, should read 0), stop zeovit, add Siporax to sump for nitrate control and sit back. When you are successful than grab that 10% more in coral color through Zeovit.

Every time I complicate things (Zeovit/ Carbon dosing) I get worse results.