Fallow tank and SPS are bleaching

ReefMadScientist · Sep 2, 2015

lyscer said:
How would you recommend I bring up nitrates? They have always been undetectable in this tank - at least according to my API test kit.
For reference I use the following test kits:
API - Nitrite/Ammonia/Nitrate/PH
Salifert - MG, CA, ALK, Phosphates

I know that I do have some phosphates because I have noticed in recent weeks that my chaetomorpha has turned into a giant hairball of hair algae. So my guess is that the tank is using up the phosphates as soon as they are created which makes my test read 0.

Hey lyscer,

First step, I would upgrade your testing kits to Hanna Checkers (except Calcium IMO), and Red Sea test kits. Red Sea kits for PO3 is excellent. You may also have undetectable PO4 like myself. But I introduce PO4 into my tank by feeding my fish everyday. So I know PO4 will always be in my tank.

As for NO3, look into Seachem Flourish Nitrogen. I've included Russ to give you some pointers as I am his padawan lol. @Russ265

ReefMadScientist · Sep 2, 2015

The tank has been fallow since Aug 12. So not quite a month. The pink birdsnest was added middle of june and it is seeing the worst bleaching. IT did awesome up until I removed the fish. It did have lighter colors but it really started to turn white after the removal of the fish and the larger water change that I performed to get the QT tank setup.

Some other things to note, that I'm not sure if they are relavant or not that I have been wondering about.
- There is a slimy mucus film that builds up on the surface of my sump water every week. I get as much out as possible every week and then I wipe the glass down where the mucus is still clinging to the glass surface. I have no idea what is causing this. - Your sump needs more flow. Add a small powerhead. This can be cause of yours TDS.
- I have a 15 gallon water jug that I keep filled with RO water all the time so that when I need water I have it readily available. I'm sure that this has that buildup on the inside - is it bad to keep my water change water in this jug filled all the time? When I perform water changes I do a 10 gallon change a week. This is on a 68 gallon cadlights versa tank with a 20 gal (?) sump. I figure that my overall water value is probably 80 gallons. Not necessarily bad unless the jug is kept in a warm climate. Keep it in house.
- My RO Unit is probably 8 months old (air water ice dual home reef setup). I changed all of the filters on it (except the membrane) at the end of July. My TDS reads at 2-3ppm. This should be your #1 priority to fix. Get a new membrane for sure! Your TDS should be at 0 and nothing else.
- This is an open top tank and I have found that kids like to put their fingers in the tank and "pet the snails" when they are at the top of the water column (even though we have had many talks about "discovery time") Could be a problem but I do not think its that bad. My son always tries to get on a chair to touch the fish ;(

I have tried to take pictures but all I have is an iPhone6 and the pictures are horrible. If I am able to get a better picture I will post it up.

Thanks for all of the help/suggestions thus far.

Russ265 · Sep 2, 2015

ahhhhh.
where have i heard this before?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/help-my-sps-are-paling-and-i-dont-know-what-to-do.210035/

enjoy

long and short of it is... get to dosing no3 and wayyy smaller po4(if you feed corals no need)

or add fish

Reefrookie220 · Sep 2, 2015

Might be dumb to ask, but when you did that big water change did your Sps get exposed to air?

Also I've seen several sps dominant systems that get ick, go fallow, and the water is too clean if you will.

+1 on changing membrane even 1 tds is bad news.

In my personal experience I'd recommend a 10-15 gallon water change with dirty water from a fellow reefers tank, but a more established tank.

Mattrg02 · Sep 2, 2015

Go to lowes and get some spectracide brand stump remover. It is potassium nitrate. Use that to up your nitrates. I'm seeing some corals slowly regaining colors after I began dosing that.

Russ265 · Sep 2, 2015

Mattrg02 said:
Go to lowes and get some spectracide brand stump remover. It is potassium nitrate. Use that to up your nitrates. I'm seeing some corals slowly regaining colors after I began dosing that.

is it 100% potassium nitrate?

Mattrg02 · Sep 2, 2015

Russ265 said:
is it 100% potassium nitrate?

According to its msds sheet it is. Google turns up a lot of others using it as well.

ReefMadScientist · Sep 2, 2015

Russ265 said:
is it 100% potassium nitrate?

Yes it is. Here is the makeup.

Mattrg02 · Sep 2, 2015

Using the spectracide is a very cheap method to raise nitrates without having to over feed. It mixes easily and should last a super long time.

Plus, it makes nice smoke bombs when mixed with sugar.

Should work until fish feedings can resume.

Russ265 · Sep 2, 2015

ill have to do conversions again for my doser then. currently im dosing 15ml per day of seachem flourish nitrogen and i may have to bump it up to 20.

nitrates are getting eaten like candy in my tank.

MontiFanatic402 · Sep 2, 2015

I have a feeling that your lights might be causing some of the bleaching......I too had some sps bleach after getting a sunpower. Try and move your sps down a little and leave them there for a week or two and go from there. You can also try raising the fixture up, I have mine about 14" from the water surface, and its still plenty of light, and you can also try only using 6 of the 8 bulbs, and see how your corals respond. Those sunpowers put out a lotta light!!!

lyscer · Sep 9, 2015

Wanted to give a quick update. The bleaching appears to have stopped with the reduced photo period. I have also been using a 2 part coral food that came with my bucket of salt. Forgot I had it until I was looking through a drawer. It is Red Sea Reef Energy A&B. I have been doing 2ml of each every day, or if I skip a day I do 4ml the following day. My Candy Canes appear to be a little happier (tentacles coming out at night) and my lokani may be regaining some color - it definitely has polyp extension again which it hasn't for a week or so. I will give another update in a couple of weeks.

On a side note, the reduced photo period has made it so that the algae growth on the sides and front of the tank is very minimal. I was having to scrape it off every 2-3 days and now I think I could go to every 5-7 days.
Thanks everyone!

lyscer · Sep 9, 2015

And as a side note, I purchased the BRS 6 stage RO unit. I am hoping that the extra contact time with the carbon will help me combat my naturally high TDS numbers. I got the one with the inline TDS and pressure gauge. I hate checking my TDS with the meter because I never know if the container was "clean enough" or the old tds water was off the unit, etc.. The new unit would show up tomorrow so I will start using that and hopefully get some better TDS numbers.

lyscer · Sep 21, 2015

I had another thought hit me today while staring blankly into my tank. Yes I have a maxspect gyre xf130 that pushes 2,300 GPH but I am not running it at 100%. I am running it at 30% (so the sand doesn't blow around).

2,300gph * 30% = 690 GPH
Total Tank Turnover = 690GPH / 68 Gallons = ~10x

Which 10x seems like a very low number for a SPS tank. Seems like most people shoot for 30x-50x.

I turned the Gyre up to 40% and am going to be picking up some rubble rock to put along the sand that blows out of the way to try and help it not look like a strange blown out spot. So for now I am running at:

2,300GPH * 40% = 920 GPH
Total Tank Turnover = 920GPH / 68 Gallons = 13x

There is a small part of me that is considering buying another XF130 to put as a vertical flow that would push the water around the parameter of the tank but I'm still unsure at this point if that is the direction I want to go (pun intended

).

(2,300GPH * 2) * 40% = 1,840 GPH
Possible Total Tank Turnover = 1,840GPH / 68 Gallons = 27x

Mattrg02 · Sep 21, 2015

lyscer said:
I had another thought hit me today while staring blankly into my tank. Yes I have a maxspect gyre xf130 that pushes 2,300 GPH but I am not running it at 100%. I am running it at 30% (so the sand doesn't blow around).

2,300gph * 30% = 690 GPH
Total Tank Turnover = 690GPH / 68 Gallons = ~10x

Which 10x seems like a very low number for a SPS tank. Seems like most people shoot for 30x-50x.

I turned the Gyre up to 40% and am going to be picking up some rubble rock to put along the sand that blows out of the way to try and help it not look like a strange blown out spot. So for now I am running at:

2,300GPH * 40% = 920 GPH
Total Tank Turnover = 920GPH / 68 Gallons = 13x

There is a small part of me that is considering buying another XF130 to put as a vertical flow that would push the water around the parameter of the tank but I'm still unsure at this point if that is the direction I want to go (pun intended ).

(2,300GPH * 2) * 40% = 1,840 GPH
Possible Total Tank Turnover = 1,840GPH / 68 Gallons = 27x

I remember reading somewhere that acroporas need 50x turnover to really thrive. Your low flow could be suspect.

jduck · Sep 21, 2015

Feed your corals and turn the lights down

Kungpaoshizi · Sep 21, 2015

If I had those readings of parameters (0 no3/po4) and skim 24/7, I would ease back a bit. Turn the skimmer off for 6-8 hours a day and get 0 no3/po4 up a little bit.
After all, with the error variances in test kits, that 0 could be .005 or .00000005. The latter being a death sentence that would most likely manifest by necrosis/bleaching.

lyscer · Sep 21, 2015

@Kungpaoshizi great point. I just added in a rule to my cron to have the skimmer turn off at Noon and will turn back on at 8:00pm. I read somewhere a bit back that skimming at night helps to increase the PH - although I haven't tested this theory, seems like a good option.

lyscer · Sep 25, 2015

quick update. I followed the directions for mixing/dosing potassium nitrate as found here (http://reef2reef.com/threads/question-about-spectracide-stump-remover-dosing.213281/page-6) I under-dosed by adding 1oz to my tank. I found that my trumpet coral LOVES it. Its tenticles were out much longer than usual and it isn't looking as shriveled.

I also went ahead and added another Gyre XF-130 for double the flow so I now have 27x turnover in my tank with both of them running at 40%. I think where I have 2 now that I am going to put both into pulse mode so see if I can get some erratic flows going on in the tank. right now both are just running on steady stream at 40%.

Thanks for the help so far. I will post an update in a week or two and hopefully things will be improving and coloring up a little