Need help...

ReefOG311 · Jun 3, 2019

Ca 420
Alk 8.9
Mag 1280
Po .03
No .25
Sal 1.024

Why are my SPS getting brown on tips and some cases all over. Is nitrates or lighting? All other LPS and softies doing well. Started NOPOX for nitrates last week. No GFO or GAC currently. Thoughts please???

Oscaror · Jun 3, 2019

ReefOG311 said:
Ca 420
Alk 8.9
Mag 1280
Po .03
No .25
Sal 1.024

Why are my SPS getting brown on tips and some cases all over. Is nitrates or lighting? All other LPS and softies doing well. Started NOPOX for nitrates last week. No GFO or GAC currently. Thoughts please???

Could very well be lighting and flow. What lights are you running? How's your flow?

Charlie’s Frags · Jun 3, 2019

Did this start after the nopox?

DivingTheWorld · Jun 3, 2019

What was your Nitrate/Phosphate before starting NOPOX. Why did you start carbon dosing?

ReefOG311 · Jun 3, 2019

Running LEDs. ReefBreeders V2+.
Flow is good. Vortex 40 and two Nero5s.
Started NOPOX after I trying everything else and Nitrates were still high.
No phosphates before NOPOX either. Only dosed NOPOX once so far. Twice a week right per instructions?

ReefOG311 · Jun 3, 2019

Lighting is set to 60%blues and 25% whites etc. Lights are mounted 12" above water surface. Closest SPS are 6" from there.
I may need to rent a PAR meter next because I'm at my wits end. Lol

Flippers4pups · Jun 3, 2019

1.) Source water? RO/DI water? Tap?
2.) How old is the tank?
3.) Dip corals?

ReefOG311 · Jun 3, 2019

Rodi water
Tank is 6 months old
I dipped corals when necessary

DivingTheWorld · Jun 3, 2019

ReefOG311 said:
Started NOPOX after I trying everything else and Nitrates were still high.

What do you consider high Nitrates? I'm just curious because these threads aiming for ULN tend to be followed by threads like, "Why are my acros so pale?"

DivingTheWorld · Jun 3, 2019

ReefOG311 said:
I dipped corals when necessary

Always, always dip corals. I don't care if you got them from a family member.

Charlie’s Frags · Jun 3, 2019

DivingTheWorld said:
What do you consider high Nitrates? I'm just curious because these threads aiming for ULN tend to be followed by threads like, "Why are my acros so pale?"

So so so so so true!!!!!
Way too many sps threads of ULNS with dying sps. Topshelfaquatics keeps their no3 at 25 and po4 around 0.10. They don’t ever carbon dose or use gfo. Neither does Jason Fox, Cherry corals, fraghouse corals, living reef Orlando, the old reefers Direct, etc. Chasing low nutrients typically causes way problems than helps.

ReefOG311 · Jun 3, 2019

I thought high nitrates were like 10 and above.
So if it's not a nutrient problem, what could be causing the SPS issue?
What would dipping them have to do with browning out 3+ months later?

serwobow · Jun 3, 2019

frequency of water changes? I have the same lights as you and similar blue/white levels, higher nitrates and phosphates, and mostly colors are pretty good. My guess is that something else is wrong with the water like ammonia or a heavy metal getting in there somehow. Probably acros are just more sensitive to it than the LPS.

Charlie’s Frags · Jun 3, 2019

Your nutrients are way too low for 8.9 alk. I bet it drifts even higher after you dose. Your alk should not be any higher than 7.8-8 when your nutrients are that low.

Luno · Jun 3, 2019

Alks a bit high for my liking of nutrient levels colour is usually either light or nutrient though. When I ran sps tanks I would keep my nitrate at 1-2 and phos at 0.03 and would regularly dose nutrients into the system, when you run slightly lower nutrients the trick is high export high import.

The other thing I'm curious about would be salinity swing and chance of that?

Finally lighting I would definitely get a pat meter on to find out what your hitting, and you what's your photoperiod?

DivingTheWorld · Jun 3, 2019

ReefOG311 said:
I thought high nitrates were like 10 and above.
So if it's not a nutrient problem, what could be causing the SPS issue?
What would dipping them have to do with browning out 3+ months later?

If your Nitrates went from 10+ to 0.25 in short order, I would think that would cause some browning. IMO, Nitrate of 10 is not an issue. I prefer to run around 4-5, but I would not start carbon dosing at 10.

ReefOG311 · Jun 4, 2019

Photo period is 7 hrs with 2 hours ramps.
Water changes 10% every 2 weeks
Alk swings are possible with kalk I guess. I will try to lower and keep consistent.
Salinity has always been between 1.024 and 1.025.

Any other recommendations?