New to SPS

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

So 2 weeks ago, I've decided to try out some SPS for the first time and failed miserably.
I have a JBJ 45 rimless that has been running for about 2 1/2 months

Equipments:
IM reactor running BRS carbon,
IM reactor running 2 fishes bio plastics,
Tunze 9004 protein skimmer,
Seachem matrix on first chamber, chaeto on last chamber
LED: Ocean Revive Artic T247 (16" above water level)
2 Jebao RW4, 2 stock return pumps
40 lbs live rock and sand

Parameters:
Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia: 0 / Ca:470 - Alk: 11.2 - Mg:1300 (manually dosing)
Salinity at 0.025 and temp around 80

Acclimation:
Temperature then 40m drip
Placement: bottom for first week
Light: 20% first day with 5% increase each day

Corals:
Cadmium Pocillopora Coral
Wildwood Bottle Brush Acropora Coral
Branching Acropora Coral Fiji
Bushy Acropora Coral Fiji
Purchased from Liveaquatia.com

I am attaching some pictures I took today, please advise what you think I did wrong
Still thinking I should wait for my new tank using Kessil a360WE if I would ever try to grow them again.

Virtualbasil · Nov 24, 2015

Have you tried different placement in the tank to adjust for more/less flow/light?

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

Yes, started out from the bottom center, then tried left and right where the flow is much higher. Now they are on top and I am running my lights at full capacity.

Fenzinna · Nov 24, 2015

Am I seeing this wrong in the photos? Your tips look burnt in two photos but have no stn at base. Plus, one is browned in the light but green at the base.

Am I correct?

Tahoe61 · Nov 24, 2015

Let that alk drift down to the 7-9 if you're gong to be running an ultra low nutrient systems, ( although you did not post a phos number)

Trust me if you're a longer term hobbyist past the 1st year, you're going to loose sps, if they tell you other wise then I would question their integrity. Sps involves an expensive learning curve.

Avoid wild or maricultured pieces while you refine your sps skills.

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

Fenzinna said:
Am I seeing this wrong in the photos? Your tips look burnt in two photos but have no stn at base. Plus, one is browned in the light but green at the base.

Am I correct?

Tips are not burnt but the whole back side of one of them is bleeching and the other one is turning white towards the bottom and browned 1/4%

Fenzinna · Nov 24, 2015

Bleaching and browning might indicate too much light. How's the polyp extension?

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

Tahoe61 said:
Let that alk drift down to the 7-9 if you're gong to be running an ultra low nutrient systems, ( although you did not post a phos number)

Trust me if you're a longer term hobbyist past the 1st year, you're going to loose sps, if they tell you other wise then I would question their integrity. Sps involves an expensive learning curve.

Avoid wild or maricultured pieces while you refine your sps skills.

Thanks for the tips, will let my alk get down to those levels. Not sure what my phos levels are since I still haven't purchased a tester for it. So far, I haven't had any diatom or green algae problems. Do you think I should stop running my reactors to let some phos to rise?

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

Fenzinna said:
Bleaching and browning might indicate too much light. How's the polyp extension?

Haven't seen any polyps since I got them

joshkirkland83 · Nov 24, 2015

Brian Kim said:
Haven't seen any polyps since I got them

I would have personally started with a cheap red or green cap or a birdnest frag. Get your tank adjusted and those growing then add whatever else you would want.

twilliard · Nov 24, 2015

Malnutrition for zooxanthellae vrs lighting
You have 0 no3 and ALK over 11
Lighting
What % is the light at now?
Too much light and movement too fast (unless kept at the bottom the whole time)
I acclimate in 2 steps, placement first then lighting.

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

twilliard said:
Malnutrition for zooxanthellae vrs lighting
You have 0 no3 and ALK over 11
Lighting
What % is the light at now?
Too much light and movement too fast (unless kept at the bottom the whole time)
I acclimate in 2 steps, placement first then lighting.

I am running at 70% blue and 40% white atm
Kept them at the bottom for about 8 days

twilliard · Nov 24, 2015

Should be good on intensity.
When I move coral up the tank I do it over a months time with magnetic plug holders
Either add no3 or take that ALK down to 7 - 8 and feed just a little more.

Brian Kim · Nov 24, 2015

twilliard said:
Should be good on intensity.
When I move coral up the tank I do it over a months time with magnetic plug holders
Either add no3 or take that ALK down to 7 - 8 and feed just a little more.

Thanks for the advise, I won't be adding any fish until mid Jan since I am letting it go fallow due to an early ich outbreak. Been feeding the tank dried food twice a week and marinesnow / phyto twice a week as well.