CORALS JUST WONT LAST

[mtraylor]

I would stop the nopox and work from there. Nothing is going to be instant. I wouldn't start nutrients unless you want cyano.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Used to have a similar issue. Kept adding things to try to fix it. Not until I got rid of REACTORS, FILTER SOX AND MOST ADDITIVES DID I GET RESULTS

 

[Oldreefer44]

Sorry bout that. Didn't mean to send before correcting. My recommendation is to go back to basics. Also agree with testing water sorce, for copper, fix nitrates and try to get more PO4

 

[reefwiser]

Are all your corals having problems. Is there any corals that seem to be growing and doing good?
Have you sent off a icp test? Changing water twice a week might not be a good thing for this tank currently. Stability is the key. Especially with SPS. While some sps can handle water chemistry changes many don't. So less chemistry changes the better. 3 radion 15's is not a lot of light for a big tank. I would add some T5's and you will have better coverage.

 

[reeferfoxx]

Are all your corals having problems. Is there any corals that seem to be growing and doing good?

Right now I have softies and some small lps frag

 

[saltwater newby]

NO3 of 2.5 and PO4 of 0.1 is not a ULN tank. And a level of 0 - 0.1 of PO4 is not a very accurate measurement.
There are many tanks running with those levels and doing just fine.
Maybe a Hanna ULR phosphorus checker would help you get a more accurate measure of PO4, but I don't think that is your problem.

The other 2 important basic elements needed (besides a good clean water source) are water flow and light.
Can you describe your tank dimensions, how are the lights mounted, max % your light schedule peaks at, how long the lights are a max %, number and type of flow pumps in the DT?

Have you done any PAR measurements in the tank?

And as other's have asked - what is the source of your water? RO/DI?
Used rock/sand?
Also - you didn't list the temperature range over 24hrs in the tank.

Can you post more pics?
The one you posted looks pretty good, I wish my toadstool leather had PE that good.

HELLO
TEMP IS @ 78
MY TANK IS 47X24X18 I BELIEVE 75 GALLONS Red Sea REEFER 350
I HAVE A BRS RO/DI UNIT, TDS READS 0
I HAVE 2 GYRES RUNNING AT PULSING MODE WITH NEW CONTROLLER RUNNING AT 30%.
MY ROCK WAS CURED LIVE ROCK FROM LFS AND SOME DRY ROCK AS WELL, THE SAND WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW. EVERYTHING IN MY SYSTEM WAS NEW. MY LGHTS ARE MOUNTED AT THE HEIGHT THE RMS BRACKETS FOR THE RADIONS ARE SET TO. NEVER USED A PAR METER.

 

[saltwater newby]

I think your alk is too high for lns. I would let it fall to the 7 - 8dkh range and see how things do.

SO SHOULD I STOP DOSING?
I ONLY DOSE 1 ML OF ALK AND CA.

 

[saltwater newby]

If you dont have any unwanted algae or cyano, I wouldnt change anything except alkalinity. Thats the only thing increasing growth. But with an increase in growth you have to have nutrients.

I DO HAVE SOME HAIR ALGAE ON ONE LIVE ROCK, NOT SURE WHY IT'S THERE BECAUSE PARAMETERS SEEM UNDER CONTROL. I THINK IT WAS FROM RUNNING MY KESSILS TOO WHITE WHEN I WAS TRYING TO ADJUST MY LIGHTING BEFORE I ENDED UP GETTING RID OF THEM.

 

[saltwater newby]

Have you tested for Copper? Perhaps the Live Rock you put in was used in a fish only and treated with Copper.

Just a thought. Good Luck

I HAVE NEVER TESTED FOR COPPER. MAYBE I'LL TRY THE TRITON METHOD.

 

[reeferfoxx]

SO SHOULD I STOP DOSING?
I ONLY DOSE 1 ML OF ALK AND CA.

IMO and IME consistent nutrients is just as important as consistent parameters. If you have measurable amounts of N and P but on the lower side, you need a reduced amount of alkalinity. The high the amount of alk the more corals will uptake nutrients. If said nutrients aren't readily available, your corals will turn white. If they remain white and still unable to absorb nutrients they eventually die. My suggestion to you is if you aren't seeing any cyano(common issue with nopox) then remain doing what you were and slowly reduce alk to the 7dkh-8dkh. I think it would help tremendously.

 

[iemsparticus]

To me, it looks like you are running your lights too hot, and for too long. I'd ramp up and down slower, and not go up to 50%. Those lights can easily push 480 PAR in the center 6-8" or so, and you have three of them on your tank, which light 16" sections of your tank.

 

[saltwater newby]

Have you used a PAR meter to make sure you are not blasting your corals with too much light? It's very easy to pump too much light in there, especially with LEDs.

I HAVE NEVER USED A PAR METER.

 

[saltwater newby]

Are all your corals having problems. Is there any corals that seem to be growing and doing good?
Have you sent off a icp test? Changing water twice a week might not be a good thing for this tank currently. Stability is the key. Especially with SPS. While some sps can handle water chemistry changes many don't. So less chemistry changes the better. 3 radion 15's is not a lot of light for a big tank. I would add some T5's and you will have better coverage.

SOME OF THE CORALS LOOK GOOD WITH SOME COLORING AND NO GROWTH. OTHERS LIKE ZOA ARE LOOKING OK, BUT NOT REALLY GROWING.
I DO WATER CHANGES EVERY OTHER WEEK, I MIGHT HAVE SAID THE WRONG THING EARLER WHEN I ANSWERED THAT QUESTION. I CANNOT US T5 LIGHTING IN MY HOME BECAUSE MY WIFE HAS LUPUS. SHE NEEDS TO STAY AWAY FROM THAT TYPE OF LIGHTING. WHAT IS AN ICP TEST?

 

[saltwater newby]

IMO and IME consistent nutrients is just as important as consistent parameters. If you have measurable amounts of N and P but on the lower side, you need a reduced amount of alkalinity. The high the amount of alk the more corals will uptake nutrients. If said nutrients aren't readily available, your corals will turn white. If they remain white and still unable to absorb nutrients they eventually die. My suggestion to you is if you aren't seeing any cyano(common issue with nopox) then remain doing what you were and slowly reduce alk to the 7dkh-8dkh. I think it would help tremendously.

THAT MAKES SENSE. ILL SHUT OFF ALK AND CA DOSING.

 

[saltwater newby]

To me, it looks like you are running your lights too hot, and for too long. I'd ramp up and down slower, and not go up to 50%. Those lights can easily push 480 PAR in the center 6-8" or so, and you have three of them on your tank, which light 16" sections of your tank.

OK, THAT MAKES SENSE. I'LL DROP BACK TO 40% INTENSITY.

 

[iemsparticus]

Here are some PAR measurements BRS did on the BRS160 series of one Radeon XT15 at 100% to give you an idea of the kind of PAR these things can put out...

At 6" below water surface:

At 12" below water surface:

At 18" below water surface:

Half those numbers and that is what you are dumping onto your LPS and softies.

 

[reefwiser]

WHAT IS AN ICP TEST?

http://uniquecorals.com/dry-goods/triton/triton-labs-reef-aquarium-water-test-single-test-vials.html


If you could turn off caps lock on your phone or computer [emoji3]

A Par meter will really help in setting up those led lights. A local club or store should have have one and may come by your house and check them for you. I do that for our club. [emoji3]

 

[saltwater newby]

Here are some PAR measurements BRS did on the BRS160 series of one Radeon XT15 at 100% to give you an idea of the kind of PAR these things can put out...

At 6" below water surface:

At 12" below water surface:

At 18" below water surface:

Half those numbers and that is what you are dumping onto your LPS and softies.

gotcha!
thanks

 

[saltwater newby]

http://uniquecorals.com/dry-goods/triton/triton-labs-reef-aquarium-water-test-single-test-vials.html


If you could turn off caps lock on your phone or computer [emoji3]

A Par meter will really help in setting up those led lights. A local club or store should have have one and may come by your house and check them for you. I do that for our club. [emoji3]

I wish I was in your club. lol
I am very familiar with the triton method but I did not pull the trigger, I even called them and got info on how it is set up.

 

[dealseer]

Not an expert by any means, but based on my experience if you are running a Low Nutrient system like you are the corals will benefit from the addition of some Amino Acids. The corals can absorb them through their tissue and help sustain them in these low nutrient systems.

Remember that Zooxanthellae is an algae and needs some NO3 and PO4 to thrive.

While not an exact science, most softies like "dirty water" and LPS still like decent NO3 levels - so while the low levels may keep algae away, it also makes your corals unhappy. So if you're not going for SPS at the moment, try cutting back the NoPox dose for a little bit.

Also, are you using RODI water?

2.5 Nitrates is plenty