Decision time on failing tank

[Reef_puck]

Have a long thread here on lack of coral growth and dying corals. Even basic corals. Example one colony of Zoas opens and one wight next to it has been closed for over a month. Others don’t open either. Even mushrooms don’t grow.

Little to no growth and dying corals

Hello, Looking for some ideas for little to no growth in corals. Mushrooms fade away or never grow, Zoas grow very slow, some don’t open. Frogspawns hammers don’t grow and eventually die after months. Have a toad stool leather that barely opens. Ricordeas start off strong then all shrink...

www.reef2reef.com

In the short of it all water parameters are good including a ICP test. Changing light parameters over the year ( months at a time) have not helped as well. In short of buying a par meter for the price of a new light to possibly see if it’s the lights I have a few options.


1. Tear the whole thing down and try to sell what I can or put on the curb.
2. Buy different lights (current Radion XR15 blues) - to what?
3. Thrash these lights and get a basic light and make it a FOWLR - not sure what I would need additional.
4. Throw out everything in the tank and get new LR, Sand. And start over.

 

[flashsmith]

Fish only unless you just don't have the desire. Then just sell. Coral isn't for everyone. I've been there myself. No need to get rid of your lights. A reef tank takes dedication and comes with a lot of frustration and expense. I switched over to mostly fish only and love the fact I can put anything I want in there that my system will accommodate. I only have a couple leathers left and they do just fine without dosing and constant testing and water changes. Hobby is much more enjoyable and much cheaper now. I'm no longer throwing money at my tank hoping for a fix. I went from spending a couple hundred a month usually more when I added coral and now maybe $20-30 a month if I don't add livestock.

 

[Formulator]

Your previous thread parameters looked a little suspect. Especially phosphate and magnesium. Did you ever get those corrected? I don’t think there is anything wrong with your lights. Get some leathers and see if you can keep those alive. If you go FOWLR, no reason to scrap your existing lights.

 

[Reef_puck]

According to the ICP test all looks good. If it’s not the lights. Then how can one Zoa colony open and one close next to each other. And some of the ones that mixed do open so it’s not attacking each other.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

zoas and paly's can be fickle, id check for pests



I've had large amphipods eat these at night, I've watched. also had serpent stars irritate them..so I'd check at night for pests if your still looking for reasons

 

[Uncle99]

According to the ICP test all looks good. If it’s not the lights. Then how can one Zoa colony open and one close next to each other. And some of the ones that mixed do open so it’s not attacking each other.

That’s not overly unusual. Some of mine just died out, some are going nuts.

Now I just let what dies, die, never to be replaced.

I focus on the stuff that’s happy.

I’d still post your parameters and flux for others to think about.

It seemed a ton of changes went on.

Maybe less is better?

 

[Formulator]

According to the ICP test all looks good. If it’s not the lights. Then how can one Zoa colony open and one close next to each other. And some of the ones that mixed do open so it’s not attacking each other.

Zoas are notorious for this kind of behavior. Sometimes there is no good explanation. Have you tried running the lights at 100%? I don’t know why more people don’t… I run metal halides and the lowest PAR in my tank is 200 at the sand bed. 600-700+ at the top. Never fried anything.

 

[Lavey29]

Have a long thread here on lack of coral growth and dying corals. Even basic corals. Example one colony of Zoas opens and one wight next to it has been closed for over a month. Others don’t open either. Even mushrooms don’t grow.

Little to no growth and dying corals

Hello, Looking for some ideas for little to no growth in corals. Mushrooms fade away or never grow, Zoas grow very slow, some don’t open. Frogspawns hammers don’t grow and eventually die after months. Have a toad stool leather that barely opens. Ricordeas start off strong then all shrink...

www.reef2reef.com

In the short of it all water parameters are good including a ICP test. Changing light parameters over the year ( months at a time) have not helped as well. In short of buying a par meter for the price of a new light to possibly see if it’s the lights I have a few options.


1. Tear the whole thing down and try to sell what I can or put on the curb.
2. Buy different lights (current Radion XR15 blues) - to what?
3. Thrash these lights and get a basic light and make it a FOWLR - not sure what I would need additional.
4. Throw out everything in the tank and get new LR, Sand. And start over.

I may have told you this before but XR15 lights are weak par lights especially for a 90g tank. I have 2 XR15 lights on my 65g. I was running at 60 and 70% and was shocked when I finally rented a par meter. Corals had no growth due to low par. I run my lights at 100% intensity now and corals thrive. Your light intensity is way to low for that size tank.

 

[Formulator]

I may have told you this before but XR15 lights are weak par lights especially for a 90g tank. I have 2 XR15 lights on my 65g. I was running at 60 and 70% and was shocked when I finally rented a par meter. Corals had no growth due to low par. I run my lights at 100% intensity now and corals thrive. Your light intensity is way to low for that size tank.

Listen to this guy ^. I don’t know much about LED’s but if your light is too low, that’s an easy (though maybe expensive) fix.

 

[NanoNana]

Rent a par-meter. I’d do that before I scrapped a whole tank.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

its obviously your final decision and you have a lot of people telling you a lot of different things..... to me the issue is still low lighting. 90% of coral health is from the lighting, everything else is secondary. Rent a par meter, its worth it.

 

[Reef_puck]

What a mess. Got a par meter and if it’s correct the Radions are crap at PAR

Attached is a drawing of the tank and readings. AB+. ( all LEDS on)

40%
60%
80%
100%

Will test again tomorrow but this is not good for these Holy Grail lights.

 

[Lavey29]

What a mess. Got a par meter and if it’s correct the Radions are crap at PAR

Attached is a drawing of the tank and readings. AB+. ( all LEDS on)

40%
60%
80%
100%

Will test again tomorrow but this is not good for these Holt Grail lights.

Told you so

 

[Reef_puck]

So now what? Reef breeders kessil ap9x? Hydras?

 

[GARRIGA]

Assuming these are Gen 5 or 6. There’s a lens upgrade that reduces spread and focuses to increase PAR. Similar to what Kessil does for deep tanks. I’d try that before giving up on the lights.

We all seek T5 spread with lights that are rather focused compared to running a spread of bulbs. One solution is going with 130 degree lens vs 90 or lower. It’s also a way to have more coverage with less wattage but physics aren’t going to suddenly change and same wattage just getting spread wider at the sacrifice of depth.

 

[Reef_puck]

left is a g5 ( more par) then the G6
Right

Reducing the spread means I will need more rations to cover the tank???

 

[Lavey29]

left is a g5 ( more par) then the G6
Right

Reducing the spread means I will need more rations to cover the tank???

You need 2 XR30s for that tank

 

[GARRIGA]

left is a g5 ( more par) then the G6
Right

Reducing the spread means I will need more rations to cover the tank???

Reducing the G6 I believe brings it to the same spread and PAR as the G5. Was planning on doing that to mine once I move it over to a larger tank.

You have a 90 but what are the exact dimensions?

As another mentioned. You might need 30s.

BRS might have gone corporate but before they did there’s several videos showing the spread and PAR of the 15 and 30 as well as many other lights.

Should you find you need to change lights. I’d check that out although likely cheaper to just get two more 15s vs selling and getting a pair of 30s. Only issue being all those extra cords.

I’m also considering Blades. Reminds me of VHO/T5 options. Not sure on PAR and why I think I decided against them. Haven’t look at that in a while but might be worth reviewing.

 

[Reef_puck]

Been thinking about this. Do I want to add more XR15 blues ? Will that add more PAR to the bottom of there tank or just more of the same spread out? I personally think they are too blue and adding a ai blade may just make the tank more blue.

Since I thought these were the answer and if need to replace do I want to go the Radion route again? If I am spending $2,500 for new lights should I look at 2 x AI Hydra 64’s, hydras and blade combo, reef breeder photon v2 48,

 

[GARRIGA]

Cheaper to add more 15s then starting a new solution since likely not getting what was paid for what you already have and both the G5 and G6 can be converted to blue with the G6 changed out to narrower lens and then PAR might be as desired.

Cheap enough to just change the one to a narrow lens. Close the gap as if one 30 there and take PAR readings. If that works. Decision easy enough to then go get two more 15s, leave that pair as is and get a 30 as well as upgrading existing to Blue or seek another alternative plus I’m not planing on having high PAR at the edges. If I add Sticks they will either be center or one corner. Doubt I’d perceive a difference if one section has higher PAR than another. Never understood the need to get high PAR everywhere and why the g5 angle might be preferred as well as why so many praise the g4 which I’ve seen actually have deeper blues. Another option. Go find g4 30s. Old doesn’t mean useless. Newer isn’t always better.