Need help with SPS

[tweeter]

HI, I have been trying for a year to get SPS to grow in my 120 gal tank. LPS grow beautifully, but SPS just die in about 8 wks after I put one in. Have tried Birds Nest, Acro's and Monti's. I have a 55 that they thrive in, but not my big tank. I have Radions on my 120 at 80%. My Alk is 7.39, Calcium 471 and Phosphates are .03. What am I missing? I have even tried several frags from my 55 reef, and ones that I have purchased. Most rtn from the bottom.
Any tips you can give me would help....

 

[twilliard]

What is your no3 at?

 

[tweeter]

What is your no3 at?

0.1

 

[tweeter]

My lights are 18 inches off the water. Could it be something about my lighting?

 

[Pete polyp]

Your alk and calcium are way off balance

 

[Pete polyp]

Rtn from the bottom would suggest a flow issue perhaps

 

[tweeter]

Rtn from the bottom would suggest a flow issue perhaps

You know, I was thinking about that. I ahve 3 powerheads in my tank. @ marineland, and 1 Korallia. I have been really thinking about the Gyre 150.
About the Alk & Calcium what do I need to do to correct this. I use a 2 part dose in my 55, but up til now have not added it in my 120, since there were no SPS in this tank. Do I need to do equal parts to correct the balance?

 

[twon8]

How much flow

 

[Diesel]

Must be something in the water.
Can you fill in the questions here and post a pic so we have a better understanding how you handle your system?


A. Total water volume ( Please include sump, etc.)

B. What are your parameters? ( CA, ALK, PO4,Salinity, No3, etc.)

C. Type of lighting. Please include age, watts, and bulb/ballast name.

D. Filtration method (Skimmer, GFO, DSB, etc.)

E. What types of corals do you keep other than SPS?

F. How long has the tank been running?

G. What are you dosing? Dosing schedule?

H. Which brand of salt are you using?

I. What brand of test kits are you employing?

J. What are you using for CA/ALK supplementation?

K. What are you using for flow? (Pump names, how many, placement, etc.)

 

[Pete polyp]

You would need to let the calcium fall and raise the alk. You might try using some baking soda to slowly raise the alk. Here's a chart showing the balance

 

[Pete polyp]

What's the magnesium level?

 

[tweeter]

Must be something in the water.
Can you fill in the questions here and post a pic so we have a better understanding how you handle your system?


A. Total water volume ( Please include sump, etc.) 120 gal tank 30 gal sump

B. What are your parameters? ( CA, ALK, PO4,Salinity, No3, etc.) CA 471 ALK 7.39 PO4 .03
nitrates 20 ppm nitrites 0 mag? salinity 1.025

C. Type of lighting. Please include age, watts, and bulb/ballast name.Radion XR30 Gen 2 x2 @ 80% 18" above water

D. Filtration method (Skimmer, GFO, DSB, etc.) Skimz Monster SM163 , GFO- BRS Ferric Oxide HC, Carbon-BRS ROX 0.8 DSB lots of live rock

E. What types of corals do you keep other than SPS? LPS (lobos, acans, euphyllia), mushrooms, gorgs

F. How long has the tank been running? 21/2 yrs

G. What are you dosing? Dosing schedule? none on this tank, weekly 10% water changes

H. Which brand of salt are you using? IO reef

I. What brand of test kits are you employing? Hanna checker for PO4, CAL & ALK, aquarium pharmeceuticals for nitrate, ammonia, and nitrates

J. What are you using for CA/ALK supplementation? weekly water changes w/IO reef

K. What are you using for flow? (Pump names, how many, placement, etc.) 2 Maxi jet 900 at top each end of tank, 1 Korallia on end of tank

 

[tweeter]

Diesel, I want to ad that I recently lost a wrasse that was about 5" and couldn't find him min the tank. I'm sure that's probably why my nitrates are up.

 

[Reefman24]

I use to have the same problem with acros in my tank until a changed a few things. The most important factor was keeping the parameters in the tank stable. Sometimes I would get lazy and let my top off run out for a day, not do regular water changes, dosing every couple of weeks, etc. The intensity on the radion should be good as I run mine for 9 hours a day at 85% (18k spectrum). I wouldn't worry too much about finding the perfect calcium / alk level, just get them into the proper range and maintain those numbers.

 

[tweeter]

Since I do not ad any supplementation to this tank, other than the weekly water changes with IO reef crystals, why is my CAL high and ALK low? Is it the salt?

 

[JMLewis]

2 maxi jet 900s and a korallia is definitely not enough flow for a 120 imo. Sps need a lot of random flow. A gyre would definitely help you in this area. Just be careful of a sand storm when you first turn it on.

Also if your maintaining your alk and CA with water changes I would switch up your salt mix. In a balanced tank having 471ca your dkh would be up around 15 which would be bad. I use Red Sea pro salt mix, the CA is always 440-450 with a dkh of around 11. Always perfectly balanced. And if your water changes are how you maintain your parameters your salt mix should be priority.

Also Magnesium level is important, you want to keep it around 1350. If your magnesium is too low you'll never be able to get your alk and CA up to the levels they need to be. It's very easy to maintain.

 

[twon8]

Get some tunze streams

 

[Pete polyp]

2 Jebao rw15 would be more than adequate and around $115 total.

 

[Pete polyp]

I think you need to get a second opinion on the calcium level. I had an issue with a test kit giving false high readings in the past.

 

[tweeter]

Thank you all for your help and advice! That's what makes R2R so great! It is nice to know that there is a place to come to when we need help.
What test kits do you use?