Corals not doing good

[40B Knasty]

I am going to +1 that. First thing I noticed was in your picture the surface was not agitated. Also the Reef Octopus does not have any micro bubbles in it. Did you shut everything off while taking the picture?
This is how it should look.

If you pickup and HOB filter. The Fluval C4 works for my 65g. All I have is a filter sponge, block of Marine Pure in the basket where the carbon is normally, and the Cnodes in the wet dry area.

 

[NS Mike D]

on the issue of changing the filters in your canister, BRS did a test on filter socks, and concluded that twice a week changing of the socks reduced nitrates as opposed to one a week. I would think canister filters would need to be changed in the same frequency to prevent nitrates from forming.

 

[Clipsterzzz]

Before water change:
Salinity-1.024(low usually at 026 thus resulting in my mag to be low and alk to be high from my normal levels)
Phosphates(hard to tell but I believe it's around 0.1-0.25.
Calcium-435
Alk-10.3
Mag-1350
Really? I thought I should throw all my bio things away as they collect detritus and throw my sponges as well. Because the rock and sand can handle?
Yes my skimmer was off
Forgot to mention, I feed coral frenzy once a week

 

[CoralWealth]

So in your picture on page one of your FTS. You are saying those rocks are 1 year old?

 

[Clipsterzzz]

Yes, half of them. The other half I bought 6 months ago. Also forgot to mention. My biggest mistake was not changing the media. I bought this setup as a cichlid tank. I didn't change the pads or bio media before starting this tank. So on this tank I had the pads and bio media forever. If I remove it, the bacteria would be lost and cause a cycle(not all). I talked to innapropriatereefer and he recommended me using marine pure block in my canister. What are your thoughts? I will take a picture later today showing the filter pads, bio media, etc. I am confused on what to do. I heard so many varying opinions. Wouldn't the marine block trap the detritus even further because it's so big? I was just thinking on cutting the filterpads and removing them in chunks at a time to not cause a cycle. And I should also remove the bio media. If I go with the block will it be good? I read that it can cause hgher nitrates and ammonia. I don't know what to do

 

[Clipsterzzz]

I meant sponges instead of pads*
Anyone?

 

[Paul Howard]

Do you also use live rock in the aquarium?

Glad someone asked, the rock does not look alive, yet?

 

[Clipsterzzz]

Glad someone asked, the rock does not look alive, yet?

If it were not alive, would there be ammonia present? I currently have no ammonia. I started my tank with 50lbs of live sand and 4 pieces of dry rock with bacteria in a bottle. After about 5 months, I added the remaining rock. It's been 11 months since the tank started. I would expect it to be alive otherwise that would be strange

 

[CiCikl85]

From looking at your tank parameters things don't look bad, Nitrates look a bit high and could possibly be higher just because API test kits are not very accurate, I would look into investing in good test kits like Red Sea, Salifert, Nyos. I am currently using Red Sea and I like them alot and are fairly easy to read. I would start looking into getting some better lights, IMO those don't pack enough punch to get growth at sand bed with SPS, if you look at pic with monti the Zoas to the right are streaching as far as they can reach trying to get as much light as they possibly can. Manufacture specs of that light says you are looking at 63 par @18" which IMHO is not enough for SPS... If you replace media in canister filter do it slowly, I like marine pure or even Seachem Matrix but both work very well for biological filtration. Also a series of 35% water changes about 1-2 weeks apart would help knock nitrates down and "reset" system. Elevated Nitrates (above 10ppm) and inadequate light will result in color loss and slow growth but if you fix those 2 things your tank will start to take off!

 

[40B Knasty]

If your water has nitrates above 10ppm. It most likely would not do well for the white bucket test. So if your par is at 63. You could have a higher reduction in your light penetration with yellowing of the water. Putting you down at 40 par at 18". 63 par is not good at all to start with. At least you are feeding them to keep them afloat for now. You might want to invest into a better light.
About the MP block. Post #19 says it all. They do float and they are very brittle. Maybe finding an area in your tank to build up a beneficial bacteria colony for a bit and dosing w/ a Dr. Tims or Nite Out ll. Weigh down the block and have an air line with an air stone underneath it for a bit. This will give flow through the MP block to colonize.
I have 2 blocks on my 13g brackish. 1 block is 4x4 and the other 5x5. On my 65g a 7x7 block. You can cut it with a bread knife to fit your desired area. If the block is clogged up. Which it will not be if you have filter floss/sock/sponge in front of it. Take the block out and swish around in used tank water that is in the bucket during a water change. Place back in canister. Done!

 

[Pelagic One]

Following for the great advice I’m reading...

- Didn’t see it mentioned above, but MarinePure also makes balls that work great in my QT’s Hydor canister filter, along with carbon. I insert the filter pads after stirring up a cloud of sand and detritus, but I remove the pads when all’s clear to prevent detritus buildup in the canister. The Fluval XP looks big enough to hold a MP block though, so I would imagine that would be more beneficial to you.

- QT has only sand, live rock and a couple Chromis with stable parameters.

Not sure any of what I posted will help your coral growth issues, but earlier advice includes upgrading your lights and moving to a sump.

- I upgraded DT from Current USA Orbit strip lights to Kessil A360WE lights last year, and saw noticeable coral growth when I couldn’t really tell before. That’s when I learned what real polyp extensions looked like!

Hope this helps, but I look forward to seeing if any of the more seasoned advice will help you get your tank back on track. I look forward to seeing your monti smiling once again!!

 

[Clipsterzzz]

So my lighting isn't enough? Are there any other options out there around 100-200$ that would sustain all types of corals? Thank you all for the feedback! truly helps

 

[40B Knasty]

So my lighting isn't enough? Are there any other options out there around 100-200$ that would sustain all types of corals? Thank you all for the feedback! truly helps

Do you have a glass top or is it open?
What is the length of your tank?
What is the width?

 

[Clipsterzzz]

Do you have a glass top or is it open?
What is the length of your tank?
What is the width?

My tank is open. 48 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 21 inches tall. I found some lights on Craigslist. They are the everglow led box lights that you hang for $40 each(165W). Do you think that will be a good purchase if I buy two of them and use with my current lights?

 

[CiCikl85]

So my lighting isn't enough? Are there any other options out there around 100-200$ that would sustain all types of corals? Thank you all for the feedback! truly helps

To sustain all types of corals is tough for your price range because SPS require strong lighting but i'm sure its possible with proper placement and planning but doing your research for care requirements for each coral is going to be the key for success. As for Ebay or chinese LED's I have no experience using them but have seen some very nice tanks using them... Here is a good Video from BRS that I found about lighting on a budget: .

 

[Gareth elliott]

Best inexpensive reef lighting imo would be t5’s and a timer.

 

[40B Knasty]

My tank is open. 48 inches long, 13 inches wide, and 21 inches tall. I found some lights on Craigslist. They are the everglow led box lights that you hang for $40 each. Do you think that will be a good purchase if I buy two of them and use with my current lights?

Well man. I am not an LED fan. I run T5s for many reasons.
This may sound harsh, but this is what someone told me and is the only LFS I trust out of 8 states I have shopped in. He said,"ever heard of an LED tanning bed. They are T5s. It is what replicates the Sun as best as possible. Why would you want to replicate the Sun another way?" Made sense to me. Plus after seeing T5 vs LED videos from BRStv. I can never go to LEDs. T5s reduce shadowing. So that means the whole corals zooxanthellae is feeding off the lights. You can buy a $300 T5HO-48 inch JBJ Aquarium Light with LED Moonlight. This is the largest of the trinity illumination series of fixtures. 4X54Watt or a $10,000 ATI fixture and still use the same bulbs. Don't worry about the reflectors. There is no way a piece of metal to reflect light better is even worth $100 dollars more never mind $10,000 dollars more. I have the JBJ Trinity 4x36Watt with ATI Blue+, Coral+, Blue+, and Actinic for bulbs and I could grow any coral or support a clam no problem and my tank is 24" deep. I love the flip up part.
I run the LED moonlight on a timer to wake the corals up and put them to bed. 8am-9:30am & 6:15pm-7:30pm.
The timer for the 2 Blue+ kick on from 9am- 6:30pm.
The timer for the Coral Plus and Actinic 9:30am-6pm.
Gives a nice day night cycle. You have to buy the 3 timers, but it is so sweet to never have to turn a light on or off again or ask someone to be there to turn them on or off. You can see the Aussie Gold Torch in my profile picture is very healthy at the bottom of the tank around 20" down and here is my Rastas sitting on the top 12" from the top.
Also BRStv just did a video about how T5 bulbs. After a simulated year the ATI bulbs only lost 8-13%. So that kind of put the squash on all the worries about changing bulbs at 6 months. I always did a year. Looks like it is going to be longer since the performance of the bulbs had actually increased.
If you are looking for LEDs that are cheap. You get what you pay for. The bulbs for T5s are always of quality.
Last year I had 7 Rastas. Now 100+

 

[Gareth elliott]

My anecdotal experience with blackboxes is they grow corals but have some serious drawbacks.
1). You are buying a very cheaply made unit. The led lenses are bottom barrel. The led layout is not optimal, more white, red, and green than corals should have imo. And they dont blend for shallower depths unless you hang higher reducing par to the lower areas of the tank which you will see on a 55g at 20” deep.

2). Kind of loud compared to any other light ive used(cfls, led strip lights, or t5s). Most of my lighting experience comes from planted tanks so not truly a 1:1 comparison.

3.). Hanging them was annoying i ended up building a pvc stand for it so i didnt have to hang from my ceiling.

I ended up replacing mine with 2 ai primes and have seen markedly higher growth in sps.

I am also planning an upgrade similar to your footprint(92g) and my final decision is:
A t5/led hybrid. 4 ai primes and ati bulbs over a slightly wider foot print than yours. So far have the primes, havent yet bought the tank so no rush on me building the reflector with cutouts for the primes.
I will get the shimmer of leds plus the even par of t5’s, the plan anyway lol.
All in all this will probably cost me ~$800 in lighting alone. $660 so far in the leds.

But to recommend a startup light though.

For their years of successful tanks and startup cost and even par, hands down t5s are better than a blackbox led.

 

[CiCikl85]

I agree with most every comment above, the best growth/color I ever had was run by a ATI 6x24 sunpower (non dimmable)... Currently on my new tank which is a 90 gallon 48"x24"x18" I'm using 3 AI Hydra 26 HD's and plan on adding 4-T5's once the tank starts to fill in more to eliminate shadowing. Check your local forums and even here on R2R I see 4 bulb T5 units F/S all the time at a great price or even slightly older name brand LED's that someone decided to upgrade (other Problem with LED's is everyone wants the new and hottest thing on market like Iphones) that would be a better option IMHO than spending $ on the Evergrow units...

 

[ZaneTer]

@Clipsterzzz You should be able to pick up a second hand unit ATI T5 for very little considering the length of your tank. As others have said you truly cant get any better. It is plug and play with proven results and no hot spots or colour blending issues. If T5s cant grow your corals then you definitely have a problem besides lighting. Good luck.