Need some advice

[roadrashpaul]

I am still having issues with my tank. Ever since I tried switching to kalk I have not been able to grow any sps and nothing seems to be growing bigger only living. Everything extends when lights are on but nothing seems to be growing in size. I bought another Monti frag and within 2 weeks all color is gone. Parameters are in normal range. New filters in rodi. Doing water changes more than I ever have. One thing I have noticed is I have a lot of detritus. I have basically no clean up crew. When I changed tanks I bright over all I could find and I don't have very many crabs or snails left. Also my scrubber has been going for 4-5 weeks and it's still not growing very much algae. I feed heavily and have several fish.

Sorry for rambling. Any ideas or suggestions? I am open to anything at this point.

 

[ninjabeaver]

what kind of lights are you running? what size of tank is it?

 

[Defective_Weeble]

With heavy feeding and heavy stock, my bet is on high phosphate levels. Though I find it strange that the algae scrubber wouldn't have kicked in yet. What are your parameters?

I found that high phosphates make my montipora fade out pretty quick, but so too do a number of other factors (I added carbon, cleaned my water too fast and bleached almost everything. Oops!).

 

[roadrashpaul]

T-5 and I do need to change some bulbs. Tank is a 125 with a 100 gallon stock tank for sump.

 

[roadrashpaul]

With heavy feeding and heavy stock, my bet is on high phosphate levels. Though I find it strange that the algae scrubber wouldn't have kicked in yet. What are your parameters?

I found that high phosphates make my montipora fade out pretty quick, but so too do a number of other factors (I added carbon, cleaned my water too fast and bleached almost everything. Oops!).

This is kind of what I am thinking as well. Haven't tested in a few days but it wasn't outrageous last time I checked.

 

[JOKER]

I notice lack of light makes my monti brown out or just become white. I would almost say lighting for sure. I had a tank that got really high in phosphate and monti still had color.

 

[roadrashpaul]

No one else has any suggestions?

 

[bknapp]

A run off of your parameters would be of help.

How are you using kalk? Through your top off or with a reactor? I found it difficult to have any stability while using kalk in my top off.

What are you using for lights for the scrubber?

 

[pickupman66]

I agree. Post actual numbers here paul. Also what test kit u using for phosphate

 

[roadrashpaul]

After further review my nitrate and phosphate test kits are out of date so I don't trust their readings. I will report back when I have more concrete info.

 

[roadrashpaul]

A run off of your parameters would be of help.

How are you using kalk? Through your top off or with a reactor? I found it difficult to have any stability while using kalk in my top off.

What are you using for lights for the scrubber?

Not using kalk anymore. Gave up on it months ago after losing several pieces while using it.

Lights are what everyone suggests being used. I believe 23 watt cf in the correct spectrum. I do know that if I put them 4" to screen like advised, the algea will not grow in center like there is too much light. Kinda weird. I also get a lot of red algae on the screen.

 

[bknapp]

Are you lighting both sides of the screen? Have you tried adjusting the flow over the screen to help with growth? How long are you running the lights?

 

[roadrashpaul]

Yes lighting both sides. Getting great flow on both sides. Honestly it may be too much flow although I didn't think that was an issue. Lights are on a timer 18 on 6 off.