Parameter and coral health

[tabshire95]

I've had my tank up and running for a while and my fish are doing great. My coral I don't feel like are he happiest though. I tested my params today and had below 1 nitrate, kh around 10.5, mag at 1080 and calcium at 385. I do weekly water changes of about 15% and have an auto topoff so no big jumps in salinity. I've attached my lighting schedule and the intensity when it's at it's peak for the day. I've also attached the corals and they don't look happy. Anything else I need to test for before I get some good advice or guidance?


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[mcarroll]

If you're messing with your lights, stop it. Make one last setting change if you need to and then forget they are adjustable for at least 2-3 years. No joke.

Weird you don't have some more nutrients in the water since it's been fish only. Can you measure your PO4 or take a sample to have your LFS test it?

Looks like you might have a dino or chrysophyte bloom happening at least on the back wall and in the sand.

Have you been treating the tank with carbon-source dosing of any kind and/or phosphate removers? Any other "extra" nutrient reduction strategies in use now or before?

 

[tabshire95]

If you're messing with your lights, stop it. Make one last setting change if you need to and then forget they are adjustable for at least 2-3 years. No joke.

Weird you don't have some more nutrients in the water since it's been fish only. Can you measure your PO4 or take a sample to have your LFS test it?

Looks like you might have a dino or chrysophyte bloom happening at least on the back wall and in the sand.

Have you been treating the tank with carbon-source dosing of any kind and/or phosphate removers? Any other "extra" nutrient reduction strategies in use now or before?

No I haven't done any excess nutrient export besides water changes once a week. And I set the lights on this when it started and have left them. No playing or adjusting since the get go. Wanted to make sure i had everything out. And I used the nitrate pro kit from redsea twice today and I trade came back under 1. I reduced feeding and did a big water change about 5 days ago since I was a victim of the dang hurricane Harvey.

 

[tabshire95]

No I haven't done any excess nutrient export besides water changes once a week. And I set the lights on this when it started and have left them. No playing or adjusting since the get go. Wanted to make sure i had everything out. And I used the nitrate pro kit from redsea twice today and I trade came back under 1. I reduced feeding and did a big water change about 5 days ago since I was a victim of the dang hurricane Harvey.

Oops p04. Let me actually test that now. I didn't today when I ran them.

 

[tabshire95]

.04 ppm

 

[mcarroll]

That's good you haven't gotten into any of those things I mentioned.

Those levels are low enough that they could even be a problem with SPS tanks, but the corals you have would all really like levels on the higher side.

Do you have any sign of green algae growth? I'm a little worried about the algae growths I see in the pics....do you have a microscope?

 

[GatorScott]

My tank started to flourish when I let my nitrates get to 8-10ppm.

 

[jasonw]

Your lighting too bright d I think. For my tank 23inch height with 52hd 12inch above water I max only set 80% blue and LPS all open nicely.

 

[tabshire95]

That's good you haven't gotten into any of those things I mentioned.

Those levels are low enough that they could even be a problem with SPS tanks, but the corals you have would all really like levels on the higher side.

Do you have any sign of green algae growth? I'm a little worried about the algae growths I see in the pics....do you have a microscope?

I don't have any green algae growth. Just that dang brown algae on the back. I get a light film after a few days on the glass but nothing serious. And no microscope

 

[tabshire95]

Your lighting too bright d I think. For my tank 23inch height with 52hd 12inch above water I max only set 80% blue and LPS all open nicely.

I have the 21s with a 21 inch deep tank. Not sure if it's to much light. It's been on the tank since basically the beginning.

 

[tabshire95]

My tank started to flourish when I let my nitrates get to 8-10ppm.

I want sps and stonys eventually and I know they want and prefer the super low nutrient style. Well at least what I've read.

 

[mcarroll]

I don't have any green algae growth. Just that dang brown algae on the back. I get a light film after a few days on the glass but nothing serious.

Definitely not a positive sign. Green algae is good.....critters eat it. Brown is bad....usually nothing eats it, often because it's toxic.

And no microscope

Selecting a microscope

I got the $12 toy scope to start with. Last time I checked, Amazon had the AmScope branded version of the same scope/kit for only $10! Get a scope! While you're ordering, get a $10-20 lux meter for your lights too. I have a LX-1010B, but just about any one should do it for you.

I want sps and stonys eventually and I know they want and prefer the super low nutrient style. Well at least what I've read.

You have at least three stony corals already!! SPS don't require anything different from other stony corals really. If anything, maybe more flow....but even that's debatable. Plus I don't know what your flow is like....might already be just fine. (PM me or start a separate flow thread if you want.)

Oh, I almost forgot....

I reduced feeding and did a big water change about 5 days ago

Go back to feeding your normal amount....the tank is slightly starving right now. I'd try just going completely lax on cleanup for a few weeks and don't even scrape the glass. I would NOT start feeding extra.

But if you don't see at least a tiny amount of improvement in a week or so – like MORE cyano, MORE green hairy algae and LESS brown algae – then you might want to consider dosing a small amount of N and P fertilizer to the tank for a while to get better algae established. Green algae is ideal and it likes LOTS of nitrates.

 

[tabshire95]

Definitely not a positive sign. Green algae is good.....critters eat it. Brown is bad....usually nothing eats it, often because it's toxic.



Selecting a microscope

I got the $12 toy scope to start with. Last time I checked, Amazon had the AmScope branded version of the same scope/kit for only $10! Get a scope! While you're ordering, get a $10-20 lux meter for your lights too. I have a LX-1010B, but just about any one should do it for you.



You have at least three stony corals already!! SPS don't require anything different from other stony corals really. If anything, maybe more flow....but even that's debatable. Plus I don't know what your flow is like....might already be just fine. (PM me or start a separate flow thread if you want.)

Oh, I almost forgot....



Go back to feeding your normal amount....the tank is slightly starving right now. I'd try just going completely lax on cleanup for a few weeks and don't even scrape the glass. I would NOT start feeding extra.

But if you don't see at least a tiny amount of improvement in a week or so – like MORE cyano, MORE green hairy algae and LESS brown algae – then you might want to consider dosing a small amount of N and P fertilizer to the tank for a while to get better algae established. Green algae is ideal and it likes LOTS of nitrates.

From what I've started to look at online I'm thinking this brown crap is Dino. Could this be another reason my coral aren't super happy right now? I've ordered some redsea dosing to help supplement the tank and I've gone back to regular feeding. Should I slow down water changes as well to let some nitrate build in the tank? Or can I keep doing weekly and supplement everything via dosing?

 

[Rikki Reef]

maybe i missed it but what about your mag. an Ca. lvl.? bring Mag. up around 1350 and Ca. 430-450 "slowly" jm2c

 

[tabshire95]

maybe i missed it but what about your mag. an Ca. lvl.? bring Mag. up around 1350 and Ca. 430-450 "slowly" jm2c

My mag was at 1080 yesterday and my Calc was at 375. Obviously these levels need to be raised. I guess just weekly water changes wasn't enough to keep them steady

 

[Rikki Reef]

i have that problem with the salt looking for better brand with higher mag. as well

 

[mcarroll]

I didn't want to jinx you by posting this first, but check this thead out:
Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

Stop in and we'll get you on the right path!!

In a nutshell:

• carbon dosing and nutrient reducers are verboten.
• N and P levels have to be non-zero – preferably ≥ 5-10 ppm NO3 and ≥ 0.10 ppm PO4.

Read the thread and associated links though and definitely ask questions!!!

 

[Tahoe61]

maybe i missed it but what about your mag. an Ca. lvl.? bring Mag. up around 1350 and Ca. 430-450 "slowly" jm2c

Get out of my head!!!!!
Start there for sure.

 

[tabshire95]

I didn't want to jinx you by posting this first, but check this thead out:
Dinoflagellates – Are You Tired Of Battling Altogether?

Stop in and we'll get you on the right path!!

In a nutshell:

• carbon dosing and nutrient reducers are verboten.
• N and P levels have to be non-zero – preferably ≥ 5-10 ppm NO3 and ≥ 0.10 ppm PO4.

Read the thread and associated links though and definitely ask questions!!!

I've actually been reading that post a lot. I have a Dino out break and I'm already letting my nitrates run back up a bit. I've managed to start losing two of my stony corals but I'm assuming that's from my levels all being off and out of wack. Hopefully they bounce back next week.

 

[mcarroll]

I'm already letting my nitrates run back up a bit.

Out of curiosity...

What were NO3 and PO4 before you started letting N run back up?

And what are your current NO3 and PO4 numbers?