Lighting vs nutrients questoons

[PhantomHalo]

I have been running my Alkatronic for a few days now and just set up my carx today to try to stabilize my dHK and pH. My corals growth have been nonexistent due to several catastrophic events, but also, a lack of stability. Anyway, now that I can control that, I was wondering if there was any correlation to par and nutrients as well as dHK. I have my Alkatronic set for 8.2-8.7 dKH (currently 8.6dKH), but my phosphates are .02 and nitrates are very low. (Have Red Sea test kit and can’t tell exactly what reading. Can see a hint of color, but not enough to be the lowest shade.) I just put a coral pack in the tank that was nice and healthy, but today they are starting to pale out. Also, one of my existing corals is starting to get white tips. I have raised my Alk from 8.08 up to 8.6 dKH over three days. (Lowest was 7.98 and highest 8.84.) Long story short, I’m trying to go slow with changes, but also need to know which direction to go first. Reduce lighting due to low nutrients, reduce dKH, dose nitrates (have neonitro), or something else? Thank you for the help!! Below are parameters from just now.


Hanna Salinity 1.026
Temp 78*
Hanna Ph 7.7 (8.2 Alkatronic)
Hanna dKH 7.8 (+/- .3) (8.59 Alkatronic)
Hanna Phosphorus ULR 8 ppb (.024 ppm)
Red Sea Nitrate (low, see a hint of color but not enough to hit the first shade on the color wheel.)

P.S. I can’t figure out how to change the title. Lol obviously it was questions. Dang fat fingers.

 

[joseserrano]

You would increase lighting/photo period with low nutrient

 

[PhantomHalo]

You would increase lighting/photo period with low nutrient

Thank you! May I ask why so I can understand it better? Also, does Alk or pH have anything to do with high or low nutrients?

 

[joseserrano]

Corals will use more light to make food when nutrients are lower.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Do you think I should dose nitrates to bring them up then or increase my lighting. The SPS are not as vibrant and some are showing white tips.

 

[joseserrano]

Do you think I should dose nitrates to bring them up then or increase my lighting. The SPS are not as vibrant and some are showing white tips.

Lighting. Be sure to identify what the white tips are. They could indicate alk burn marks or growth. Kinda important

 

[PhantomHalo]

How would I tell the difference? With the other corals turning pale does that hint one way or another?

 

[PhantomHalo]

Thanks for all the help by the way!

 

[X-37B]

Tank size?
Tank age?
Pics would help.
Whats a catastrophic event entail?
Without knowing I would feed your fish more to get nitrates to betweeen 5-10.
I ran low po4 0.02 and no3 2 for quite a while.
Once I got n03 up to 10 and po4 .04-.08 my colors greatly improved.

 

[joseserrano]

How would I tell the difference? With the other corals turning pale does that hint one way or another?

Google pics. There should be lots of examples. Check out Greg Carroll’s talk with reef bum and coral euphoria videos on it as well. Ppl are confusing nutrient availability with consumption

 

[PhantomHalo]

Tank size?
Tank age?
Pics would help.
Whats a catastrophic event entail?
Without knowing I would feed your fish more to get nitrates to betweeen 5-10.
I ran low po4 0.02 and no3 2 for quite a while.
Once I got n03 up to 10 and po4 .04-.08 my colors greatly improved.

It’s a 300gal DD that is about a year and a half old. Live rock and base rock with multiple strands of bacteria added throughout. I will try to get some pics when the lights come on. The catastrophic events entailed a broken heater in my mixing station and pumping ~45 gallons of contaminated water in the tank causing a mass die off. The next one was a light (Chinese black box) falling into my sump and not catching it for a day or two killing 30+ corals. I will bump up my feedings to bring up my nutrients then. I am not sure if it may be the addition of 20+ corals at once just absorbing them or what. I do have GHA in my sump, so I can’t trust the PO4 reading much. I also shut off my skimmer due to it overflowing with the coral frag putty causing it to go nuts and to bring the nitrates up some.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Google pics. There should be lots of examples. Check out Greg Carroll’s talk with reef bum and coral euphoria videos on it as well. Ppl are confusing nutrient availability with consumption

Will do! Thank you!

 

[PhantomHalo]

The PC Rainbow isn’t really showing up in the pic but the bottom right branch is white at the tip and the yellow tip hurlock is white at the very top of the stem. The torch looks ticked as well. The other coral is coloring back up from the last catastrophic event but has started losing more of its color at the tip. There’s still flesh on it, but just no color.

 

[X-37B]

It’s a 300gal DD that is about a year and a half old. Live rock and base rock with multiple strands of bacteria added throughout. I will try to get some pics when the lights come on. The catastrophic events entailed a broken heater in my mixing station and pumping ~45 gallons of contaminated water in the tank causing a mass die off. The next one was a light (Chinese black box) falling into my sump and not catching it for a day or two killing 30+ corals. I will bump up my feedings to bring up my nutrients then. I am not sure if it may be the addition of 20+ corals at once just absorbing them or what. I do have GHA in my sump, so I can’t trust the PO4 reading much. I also shut off my skimmer due to it overflowing with the coral frag putty causing it to go nuts and to bring the nitrates up some.

Wow, quite catasrophic to put it mildly.
How many fish?
I have a 120 with 12.
Its a balance for sure.
Looks like most corals are frags.
You could leave the skimmer off until nutrients come up.
You could also dose nitrate to bring it up while increasing feedings.
With low nutrients you may want to lower alk to 7ish.
I run 7.2 with my carx with excellent growth and color.
I reduced it from 8.5 about 6 months ago and run close to NSW levels.
Check my build thread for info.
Pick your parameters and work to keep them in range.
Stability wins!

 

[PhantomHalo]

Wow, quite catasrophic to put it mildly.
How many fish?
I have a 120 with 12.
Its a balance for sure.
Looks like most corals are frags.
You could leave the skimmer off until nutrients come up.
You could also dose nitrate to bring it up while increasing feedings.
With low nutrients you may want to lower alk to 7ish.
I run 7.2 with my carx with excellent growth and color.
I reduced it from 8.5 about 6 months ago and run close to NSW levels.
Check my build thread for info.
Pick your parameters and work to keep them in range.
Stability wins!

Yes, all corals are still frags. Growth has been non existent due to those two events and instability in the tank. I’m new to the SPS game so trying to learn all that I can. How can I lower my Alk? I will turn off my carx for now and let it lower on its own, but do you think it will lower naturally to those levels? I was thinking of trying to keep it right between 7.5-8 dKH since my salt mix is right around 8. I was thinking 9 for a target before for optimal growth and color, but it seems that this isn’t the case? However, if I am still getting the white tips I may need it lower down to 7 like you said. I have battled with high PO4 and nitrates for the past 6-8 months. Now seeing it that low is a surprising. I have been dosing with prodibio bacteria to get rid of the GHA. It’s worked great in the display so far! Lol

 

[X-37B]

Yes just shut off carx and let it fall to whatever you decide to run then turn it back on.
Get to where you wamt and focus on stability.
Lowering your new salt mix alk is easy.
I us soduim bisulfate to lower.
Dont use it in your tank though.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Yes just shut off carx and let it fall to whatever you decide to run then turn it back on.
Get to where you wamt and focus on stability.
Lowering your new salt mix alk is easy.
I us soduim bisulfate to lower.
Dont use it in your tank though.

Do you just premix it in with the salt when you make it then?

 

[PhantomHalo]

Does anyone know if I can double the reagent mix on the Red Sea kit to get better fidelity on the nitrate kit? Of course still keep the 16ml of water and just half the result.

 

[X-37B]

Do you just premix it in with the salt when you make it then?

NO! Search here on how to use it.
It only takes a small amount as it lowers alk it lowers ph.
Easy to use though.
Look into Elos nitrate test kit.
Easy to read even for my old eyes, lol.

 

[PhantomHalo]

Wow, quite catasrophic to put it mildly.
How many fish?
I have a 120 with 12.
Its a balance for sure.
Looks like most corals are frags.
You could leave the skimmer off until nutrients come up.
You could also dose nitrate to bring it up while increasing feedings.
With low nutrients you may want to lower alk to 7ish.
I run 7.2 with my carx with excellent growth and color.
I reduced it from 8.5 about 6 months ago and run close to NSW levels.
Check my build thread for info.
Pick your parameters and work to keep them in range.
Stability wins!

Sorry didn’t answer your fish question. It have 15 fish. 3x Tangs, 3x Triggers, 2 Wrasses, 2x Clowns, 2x Chromis, 2x Angels, and 1 Lawnmower Blenny.