Rev’s SPS build

[Yrevanth]

Hi all,

I have been reefing for about 8 years now. Current tank has been up and running for a little over 2 years. I had a tank crash due to a power failure last June and almost all coral died.

Tank parameters:
Tank: 110 gal (Red Sea Reefer 525 XL)
Skimmer: vertex omega 180i
Lights: 3 Radions running the AB schedule with very high blues and 20% whites
Pumps: 2 MP40’s running on reefcrest mode at 40%
Temp: 78-80
Alk: 9-10
Cal: 425-430 ppm
Mag: around 1300
Nitrates and phosphates near 0

Fish:
3 lyretail anthias
3 bartletts
1 foxface
1 Lamarck angel
1 naso tang
3 firefish

I never had too many issues growing acros in my previous tanks, but this tank seems to be giving me the most issues.

I have some sort of algae growing on my rocks which seems to be hindering sps growth. Over the past 9 months has been minimal. I think the algae might be preventing the coral from spreading.

Attaching a full tank shot.

But the strange thing is that some of the coral did t grow even half an inch over a 9 month period. Even though I am dosing 2 part at the same rate as I did earlier. I did notice a lot of spionid worms growing, will that be the culprit for alk and cal intake?

Attaching a full tank shot for reference

 

[Yrevanth]

Will post closeups of all my Cora tomorrow once lights are on.. I started doing 30% water changes once a week to try and get to the bottom of the issue.

I also started dosing Vibrant today (14 ml). I will dose 2 times per week for the first 2 weeks and drop it to once a week for the next 2 weeks

 

[icomplii]

Following along

 

[vetteguy53081]

Reduce whites and increase blues.
Add about 10 mexican turbo snails and increase water flow if you can.
Product called Vibrant liquid also works well.
By chance, is your tank at or near a window?

 

[Yrevanth]

I reduced whites from 25 to 20 recently, should I go further?

The tank is in my living area where some natural light filters through a smoked window. Not much.

Also, I have around 6 turbos and am dosing Vibrant. Just started today..

 

[ImNemo]

I would start with getting a new nitrate and phosphate kit. No way they are near zero.

 

[Yrevanth]

Yeah.. will take some water to my lfs to test as well. My hunch is that the nutrients are being taken up by the algal monstrosity in the tank..

 

[kasso187]

I would start with getting a new nitrate and phosphate kit. No way they are near zero.

More than likely nothing wrong with his test kits.

Usually an algae take over like that will result in 0 readings for nitrate and phosphate because the algae is taking up the nutrients (the same reason why algae scrubbers work so well)

 

[ddrueckh]

I would start with getting a new nitrate and phosphate kit. No way they are near zero.

They probably read 0 because the algae remove the nutrients as fast as they are added. It is common to get no nitrate and phosphate readings when you have an algae problem. Can you manually remove any of the algae? A couple of urchins would help remove it.

 

[ImNemo]

More than likely nothing wrong with his test kits.

Usually an algae take over like that will result in 0 readings for nitrate and phosphate because the algae is taking up the nutrients (the same reason why algae scrubbers work so well)

So if the algea is taking up all of the nutrients then what is it feeding off of? Remove the excess nutrients and the algea will starve itself out. It really is that simple.

You need to start by manually pulling out as much as you can by hand and start doing water changes. I would do it every day. Even take a toothbrush and scrub it daily. The real question is how did your tank take on so many nutrients to begin with?

 

[Yrevanth]

Is it gha? Or turf algae? I am struggling to get an id. This is definitely hindering coral growth, so really want to get this fixed soon.. tried water changes and reducing photo period. Didn’t do a blackout yet, but willing to try that out as well, if required.

But I think I will wait and see if vibrant works.

 

[KrisReef]

I would start by only feeding my fish once or twice a week to minimize nutrient additions, or cutting daily rations to 1-2 brine shrimp/mouth.

Next, I would remove a rock each day, scrape off the algae and then replace it where it came from w/o the algae.

And I'd consider returning the Foxface and Naso for not pulling their weight!

It will be interesting to see how Vibrant works for this algae growth.

 

[Yrevanth]

So if the algea is taking up all of the nutrients then what is it feeding off of? Remove the excess nutrients and the algea will starve itself out. It really is that simple.

You need to start by manually pulling out as much as you can by hand and start doing water changes. I would do it every day. Even take a toothbrush and scrub it daily. The real question is how did your tank take on so many nutrients to begin with?

I have been having issues with the tank for about 4 months now. I think it crept up on me, when I was lax on tank maintenance due to work.

Was traveling for almost 8 weeks straight with no time for tank maintenance except for auto top off and 2 part solution refills.

 

[Yrevanth]

I would start by only feeding my fish once or twice a week to minimize nutrient additions, or cutting daily rations to 1-2 brine shrimp/mouth.

Next, I would remove a rock each day, scrape off the algae and then replace it where it came from w/o the algae.

And I'd consider returning the Foxface and Naso for not pulling their weight!

It will be interesting to see how Vibrant works for this algae growth.

I did cut down food into the tank quite a bit. I removed my automatic feeder and am feeding once per day with LRS food.

The fox face and naso peck at the algae all day, but I think the growth is way too fast for them.

 

[ImNemo]

I have a dolabella sea hare that would love to visit your tank, ha.

I would just keep scrubbing and vacuuming it out along with the vibrant and water changes. Could take several weeks but is doable.

 

[Yrevanth]

I have a dolabella sea hare that would love to visit your tank, ha.

would a sea hare really help in this situation?

 

[Yrevanth]

Never had one, so really don’t know...

 

[ImNemo]

Mine is like a lawnmower, ha. You really have to be careful as if it was to die it could release toxins and nuke your whole tank. Probably not worth the risk for most.

The vibrant and regular maintenance will take care of it. I know what you mean about travelling. I travelled most of last year with my job and my wife always overfeeds. I've had luck dosing nopox anytime I let my nutrients get too high that the algea starts to comes back.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Vibrant works good. Back to the window as suspected. Even with blinds closed, you still have indirect light with UV rays that penetrate blinds.
You could try black construction Paper from Walmart to tape on side that faces window.

 

[Yrevanth]

I am planning on putting up blackout blinds