Help please

domination2580 · Aug 25, 2016

Ok guys here's the deal, i have two frags of birdsnest amd both of them are on the downfall. Both have turned white on the bottom and slowly crawling up the stem. I have a doughnut coral that seems to be dying as well. Same with a superman monti. Anyway tank parameters are as follows. 8.2 ph, no ammonia, no notrite, like 160 nitrate. Alk doesmt usually get below 10, calcium no lower than 430, amd mag ive seen the lowest at 1450. Temp is set at about 78, sometimes goes up a few degrees, i have sbreeflights which are on minimum right now. I did have high phosphates which caused gha but that is under control since I've added phosban. No gha at all. I added the phosban about 3 months ago.

domination2580 · Aug 25, 2016

reeferfoxx · Aug 25, 2016

160 nitrate doesn't concern you? Should be around 10 or less with SPS. I would start with a 50% water change with some added bacteria like bio-spira. Then do another 50% water change in 4 days. Your SPS coral is probably done for.

domination2580 · Aug 28, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
160 nitrate doesn't concern you? Should be around 10 or less with SPS. I would start with a 50% water change with some added bacteria like bio-spira. Then do another 50% water change in 4 days. Your SPS coral is probably done for.

The birdsnest is the only affected besides like a chalice and a lil bleached leptos...other than that i have some acros and tenius doing fine.

nemo1017 · Aug 28, 2016

+1 to water a massive change and identifying the cause of your nitrates and phosphates. Waaaaaay Too much nutrients. The other sps will soon follow the birds nest

domination2580 · Aug 28, 2016

I don't have any phosphates.

reeferfoxx · Aug 28, 2016

Best way to add phosphates is feeding more.

domination2580 · Aug 28, 2016

Yes but i dont want the nitrates. I moght just set up a reactor with bio pellets

reeferfoxx · Aug 28, 2016

domination2580 said:
Yes but i dont want the nitrates. I moght just set up a reactor with bio pellets

Best way to reduce nitrates is water changes.

twilliard · Aug 28, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Best way to add phosphates is feeding more.

feeding frozen prepared food does the trick for po4
Nitrates is water change. 75% then maintain with a diverse refugium.

domination2580 · Aug 28, 2016

twilliard said:
feeding frozen prepared food does the trick for po4
Nitrates is water change. 75% then maintain with a diverse refugium.

Twilliard, i feed using lrs reef frenzy. So the frozen food part is covered. But ive heard biopellets can act like vinegar. The bacteria eat the biopelletes up and consume nitrate. I just add when it needs to be added.

reeferfoxx · Aug 28, 2016

domination2580 said:
Twilliard, i feed using lrs reef frenzy. So the frozen food part is covered. But ive heard biopellets can act like vinegar. The bacteria eat the biopelletes up and consume nitrate. I just add when it needs to be added.

If for any reason you get signs of cyanobacteria, post biopellet installation, turn off the biopellet reactor.

domination2580 · Aug 28, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
If for any reason you get signs of cyanobacteria, post biopellet installation, turn off the biopellet reactor.

I might experiment with the different biopellets out there.

twilliard · Aug 28, 2016

naa hit it with h2o2

reeferfoxx said:
If for any reason you get signs of cyanobacteria, post biopellet installation, turn off the biopellet reactor.

reeferfoxx · Aug 28, 2016

twilliard said:
naa hit it with h2o2

Or just do water changes and avoid pellets and h202

Keeping it simple lol

But your right h202

domination2580 · Aug 28, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Or just do water changes and avoid pellets and h202 Keeping it simple lol

But your right h202

I cant really do water changes as often. Especially with me going to be gone for 4 days straight coming up

twilliard · Aug 28, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Or just do water changes and avoid pellets and h202 Keeping it simple lol

But your right h202

I wonder how many people actually understand cyano is introduced and can be eradicated from a tank never to be seen again?
Hope you are having a good day my friend!

reeferfoxx · Aug 28, 2016

domination2580 said:
I cant really do water changes as often. Especially with me going to be gone for 4 days straight coming up

That is why we recommend a large water change. It also helps to know what is causing the high nitrates.

twilliard said:
I wonder how many people actually understand cyano is introduced and can be eradicated from a tank never to be seen again?
Hope you are having a good day my friend!

It's just an imbalance of nutrients and not limited to improper lighting. High phosphate facilitated by excess lighting? Without po4 we also reduce phytoplankton.

Undetected nitrates reduces strong beneficial bacteria. With weak bacteria, it allows bad bacteria to thrive? That is how I understand it.

The right balance between the two helps provide nutrients in the water column and increase calcium phosphate precipitation?