So frustrating

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

Im sitting here in front of my tank pulling my hair out. I dont know what else to do. Please bear with my long post. LOL

My fish are healthy and happy as ever, and softies are growing. My problem is I cant keep a SPS alive. My birdsnest was doing great initially, as you can see in the picture below, it grew tremendously in just 4 months. Thats why I thought Im ready for the next level and bought a digitata frag. Unfortunately it bleached after two weeks. And at the same time, my birdsnest started to RTN or STN (started couple days ago, see second picture). Ugh.

Here's my set up and schedule:
I have a 25g IM lagoon, under one AI prime. Turns on at 2pm to ramp up 100% at 5pm till 10pm, then ramps down to off at 11pm. Jebao WP10 for powerhead. Im using stock return pump and two felt socks (wash once a week), IM ghost desktop skimmer, and IM minimax media reactor with BRS GFO and BRS Carbon ROX wich I replace once a month. I was planning on getting a Radion xr30 (or adding AI prime), but I held off because of the issue I am having. Anyways, I feed my fish a pinch of Hikari seaweed pellets and NLS twice a day, and a pinch of reef caviar every night. Then 2-3 x week with meaty foods like PE mysis and Rods food alternately (corals are getting some too), and reef roids 2-3 times a week. 3 gallons WC once a week. Using RODI (0 TDS) and Red Sea Coral Pro for salt mix. I dont have cyano or diatom (maybe behind the rocks that I cannot see), or on the sand thats barely noticeable.

When I'm trying to search online, it keeps popping out that it could be from Alkalinity swing, but see my water parameters below:

Salinity - 0.25 refractometer
Temp - 79-80
Ammonia - 0 API
Nitrate - 0 API
Ph - 7.8 - 8.0 API
Calcium - 445 - 450 Hanna
Alkalinity - 7.44 @ 10am / 7.50 @10pm Hanna
Po4 - 0.04 - 0.06 Hanna
Magnesium - dont have test kit (do I need one if the rest are stable?)

The only thing I dose is Kent Liquid Calcium. I mixed 0.5ml (1/2ml) on 1g ATO which get consumed within 3 days. My Ca hovers from 445-455 every time I test. I dont add the calcium on my ATO after a water change though, I use plain RODI.

Thats pretty much it. If anyone have a suggestion or question, please feel free to chime in. I'm really frustrated

Thanks!

reeferfoxx · Oct 9, 2016

What are you testing alk with?

DLHDesign · Oct 9, 2016

sil40sx said:
it keeps popping out that it could be from Alkalinity swing

You give a single Alk measure; do you know how much your swing actually is? Eg; what's the 24hr low and the 24hr high? (Unless you have a controller, this is likely hard to get a good picture of...)

sil40sx said:
Magnesium - dont have test kit (do I need one if the rest are stable?)

Mg is the "buffer" in the tank. If your Mg is low, the Ca and Alk levels are less meaningful. At least; that's how I understand it. So yes; I would say that having an Mg test is worthwhile, but not something you are doing as often as Alk nor Ca.
At the same time, if you are using Red Sea Coral Pro salt, it's unlikely that your Mg is low. IIRC, that salt comes in a little above "normal" in the Mg category; which means regular water changes with this salt should take care of your Mg levels.

Sorry - can't really help solve your issues. Following along as I'm sure that I'll face the same/similar challenges myself. :-\

Lonny · Oct 9, 2016

I know my birds of paradise likes a fair amount of flow. As its grown the inner stalks are bone white because they are shielded from water flow.
Do you think yours is getting enough flow?

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

DLHDesign said:
You give a single Alk measure; do you know how much your swing actually is? Eg; what's the 24hr low and the 24hr high? (Unless you have a controller, this is likely hard to get a good picture of...)

Im confused, what do you mean single measure? I test 10am, then 10pm, is that what you mean?

DLHDesign said:
Mg is the "buffer" in the tank. If your Mg is low, the Ca and Alk levels are less meaningful. At least; that's how I understand it. So yes; I would say that having an Mg test is worthwhile, but not something you are doing as often as Alk nor Ca.

I'll pick one up tomorrow at my LFS.

reeferfoxx said:
What are you testing alk with?

Hanna test meter, this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instru...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B005FH2O6G

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

Lonny said:
I know my birds of paradise likes a fair amount of flow. As its grown the inner stalks are bone white because they are shielded from water flow.
Do you think yours is getting enough flow?

Yes, definitely enough flow. Its in the middle of the tank which get most of the flow from the powerhead.

reeferfoxx · Oct 9, 2016

I think alk is the culprit. Ph is a little low but not terrible. You might have a co2 issue or maybe bump alk up to 8.5.

DLHDesign · Oct 9, 2016

sil40sx said:
I test 10am, then 10pm, is that what you mean?

I think so, yes... you get the same reading both times?

Lonny · Oct 9, 2016

It looks like it's on the bottom of the tank. Have you tried moving it? Maybe higher up?
Possible light issue?

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
I think alk is the culprit. Ph is a little low but not terrible. You might have a co2 issue or maybe bump alk up to 8.5.

How fast can I raise? Or how much in a day would be safe?

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

DLHDesign said:
I think so, yes... you get the same reading both times?

Kinda, 7.44 at 10 in the morning and 7.50 at 10 at night. Is that too much swing?

DLHDesign · Oct 9, 2016

sil40sx said:
Kinda, 7.44 in 10 in the morning and 7.50 at 10 at night. Is that too much swing?

I wouldn't think so. Well within the margin of error for the test kit, at least (which means it may not even swing by that much).

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

Lonny said:
It looks like it's on the bottom of the tank. Have you tried moving it? Maybe higher up?
Possible light issue?

It was on the corner side of the tank, I moved it to the center to get more intensity from the light. I even lowered my LED fixture 2 more inches down.

DLHDesign · Oct 9, 2016

sil40sx said:
How fast can I raise? Or how much in a day would be safe?

1.4dKH/day is the limit I've seen (BRS Calculator).

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

DLHDesign said:
1.4dKH/day is the limit I've seen (BRS Calculator).

I think its going to start to get confusing. Hahaha
Do I need to make changes on my ca dosing as well if I raised my Alk?

reeferfoxx · Oct 9, 2016

sil40sx said:
Kinda, 7.44 at 10 in the morning and 7.50 at 10 at night. Is that too much swing?

You need to use a alkalinity calculator. Determin what you use to dose with. Enter into the calculator and it will tell you what to do. But i wouldnt raise any faster than .5dkh in 24 hours.

reeferfoxx · Oct 9, 2016

sil40sx said:
I think its going to start to get confusing. Hahaha
Do I need to make changes on my ca dosing as well if I raised my Alk?

You might. Higher alk equals faster growth. More nutrient uptake.

reeferfoxx · Oct 9, 2016

DLHDesign said:
1.4dKH/day is the limit I've seen (BRS Calculator).

Seems high to me. Might not be. I'll look into it. I might be thinking ph. Which ph will be affected with added alk.

sil40sx · Oct 9, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
You need to use a alkalinity calculator. Determin what you use to dose with. Enter into the calculator and it will tell you what to do. But i wouldnt raise any faster than .5dkh in 24 hours.