My first sps

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

Today i picked up a small piece of birdsnest my first sps . My tank has been up for 1year and 2 months . My rock started taking on coraline algea a few months ago. My peramiters are.
Alk. 7.4 increasing it slowly
Phos. .03 increasing it slowly
Cal. 444
Nitrates 3.47 going down slowly
Mag.1380
Temp. 79
Ph. 8
Running 1 1/4 cups activated carbon every two weeks
Skimmer
ATS

blaxsun · Apr 16, 2022

What, no pics?

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

There you go

Lavey29 · Apr 16, 2022

Why are you bringing your already low nitrates down?

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

I'm not they are going down on there own. Just got some neo nitrate what is the magic number.

Lavey29 · Apr 16, 2022

Screwgunner said:
I'm not they are going down on there own. Just got some neo nitrate what is the magic number.

Did you try feeding a little more first? I has to double dose neonitro for multiple weeks before I got measurable numbers. With your phosphate at .03 and nitrates at 3 that is the preferred 10 to 1 ratio but probably not ideal for LPS and even SPS. I try to keep nitrates at 10 and phosphate at .05 to .1. Your numbers aren't bad though. I just started SPS to couple months back with one year old tank. Have had good success so far with about 15 frags only lost one for unknown reasons. Getting lights right on a mixed reef tank is challenging.

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

I have 13 fish that are still growing .
7 blue green chromis
1 YT
1 Foxxy face
2 clarkii clowns
One flame angle
I feed 4 cubes and two pinches of flake and half sheet nori every other day. It is a large algea turf scubber . So I have to put phosphates and nitrates in but I have not put anything in for nitrates yet. Two weeks ago it was 4.4 nitrates today 3.47 so it is dropping 1 by its self every 2 weeks

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

I forgot one neon goby.

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

I will try reducing light on scubber. 1 hour and see what that does.

Lavey29 · Apr 16, 2022

Screwgunner said:
I have 13 fish that are still growing .
7 blue green chromis
1 YT
1 Foxxy face
2 clarkii clowns
One flame angle
I feed 4 cubes and two pinches of flake and half sheet nori every other day. It is a large algea turf scubber . So I have to put phosphates and nitrates in but I have not put anything in for nitrates yet. Two weeks ago it was 4.4 nitrates today 3.47 so it is dropping 1 by its self every 2 weeks

I have 10 fish that get fed 3x a day with frozen. My nitrates stay in 10 to 12 range even with large chaeto in fuge. I think you should at least feed every day and you should get better numbers.

Garf · Apr 16, 2022

Screwgunner said:
I have 13 fish that are still growing .
7 blue green chromis
1 YT
1 Foxxy face
2 clarkii clowns
One flame angle
I feed 4 cubes and two pinches of flake and half sheet nori every other day. It is a large algea turf scubber . So I have to put phosphates and nitrates in but I have not put anything in for nitrates yet. Two weeks ago it was 4.4 nitrates today 3.47 so it is dropping 1 by its self every 2 weeks

Do you eat every other day?

homer1475 · Apr 16, 2022

Screwgunner said:
I have 13 fish that are still growing .
7 blue green chromis
1 YT
1 Foxxy face
2 clarkii clowns
One flame angle
I feed 4 cubes and two pinches of flake and half sheet nori every other day. It is a large algea turf scubber . So I have to put phosphates and nitrates in but I have not put anything in for nitrates yet. Two weeks ago it was 4.4 nitrates today 3.47 so it is dropping 1 by its self every 2 weeks

Screwgunner said:
I will try reducing light on scubber. 1 hour and see what that does.

I was just going to say this as I was reading.

Couple questions

Why bring ALK up? No need 7.4 is absolutely fine, Somewhere in the 8's does give you a bit of wiggle room.

Why feed every other day? I feed twice a day, sometimes 3. Morning is always pellets in an auto feeder( I go to work at 3am, to early to feed lol), then again mid day if my wife thinks of it, then at night when I get home.

You have an ATS, feed more, bring those nutrients up, your tank is maturing. If your numbers are going up, increase the ATS time or light.

Personally, I think your nutrient levels are way to low, but every tank is different.

Screwgunner · Apr 16, 2022

Garf said:
Do you eat every other day?

homer1475 said:
I was just going to say this as I was reading.

Couple questions

Why bring ALK up? No need 7.4 is absolutely fine, Somewhere in the 8's does give you a bit of wiggle room.

Why feed every other day? I feed twice a day, sometimes 3. Morning is always pellets in an auto feeder( I go to work at 3am, to early to feed lol), then again mid day if my wife thinks of it, then at night when I get home.

You have an ATS, feed more, bring those nutrients up, your tank is maturing. If your numbers are going up, increase the ATS time or light.

Personally, I think your nutrient levels are way to low, but every tank is different.

Alk is going down faster than it ever has . I am trying to keep it up but my usual dose of reef builder is not cutting it so I increased the amount. From 1/16 teaspoon to 1/8 teaspoon . I know it does not sound like much but my tank uses 1 gallon a day to vaperation. So i mix in every gallon. I thought I had it stable but . It is still though ing me curve balls.