Dry rock only. I’ve seeded the tank with different bottled bacteria. No actual live rock. Although I’m not against it. Was just trying to keep pests to a minimum. I purchased chaeto from a guy on here and ended up with a huge flatworm issue. This why I started keeping wrasses.
Sounds like the system is amply mature for SPS. Next suggestion is the ICP test.
I've been researching and mentally documenting the struggles with algae for those with and without live rock as of late. I understand that this doesnt apply to everyone however it appears to me that a good portion of reefers to use "dry rock" regardless of the curing process etc eventually struggle with Dino's,Cyano etc more so than reefers who started with real live uncured aquacultured rock.
Tanks too old (2 years) to still be cycling. I agree with nutrient imbalance. My Hanna phosphate checker was steady at .04-.03 however after researching more about this issue I’ve learned that my test could actually be zero or close to it. I have since raise my nitrates to 10 and phosphates to .08 however I’m seeing more acros starting to decline (montipora’s that once we’re starting to decline, perked back up, and now are declining again)!!! I’m hoping my ICP test results come in soon. They reached their destination in California this morning but I’m guessing now they have to ship them out to Germany. The Dinos showing up means my nutrients bottomed out despite showing up on my Hanna test results.
Waiting on my ICP results now. I also tested my water with every test kit I had the day I shipped my samples out. I feed my fish approximately 4 times a day. Hikari type s pellets through an auto feeder morning, afternoon and night and then frozen food mixed with selcon once per day. Sometimes a piece of nori on a clip too at night. I have a 120 gallon tank with a 36 gallon sump. No macros at the moment since I never had a need (high nitrates/phosphates). However I do have a chamber with a light running from 0000-0700 to keep PH stable. Some bio block media in that area and snails.
Sounds like you’re feeding plenty and hopefully your Icp test will reveal the problem. I have never owned an Angel fish so I can’t say worry/don’t worry about them.
Bellus angels are documented as being reef friendly. Regals are nippers but mostly with soft fleshy LPS corals and clams. I never noticed either nipping.
Yes, 2 years should be your stability setting but dealing with dry rock, I went through the same problems for at least 1 1/2 before the tank actually settled. My tank turnt out to be more phosphate deficient dealing with dry rock so I keep my phos much higher than my nitrates. 0.20 phosphate and 0.05 nitrates. Keep parameters in check and use uv and ozone to kill remaining nuisance bacteria i.e dino or cyno. You should balance out eventually. Dinos will kill Acropora if its numbers arent kept in check.
My alk is not and has never been “stable” and I’ve never had an issue. It swings from 6.0-8.5 pretty regularly. I wouldn’t worry too much about “alk swings”
Maybe a 1.5 dkh swing is acceptable, but I don't recommend going from 8 to 12 dkh. This was the result of an alk swing of 4-5 dkh overnight.My alk is not and has never been “stable” and I’ve never had an issue. It swings from 6.0-8.5 pretty regularly. I wouldn’t worry too much about “alk swings”
I had a +32dKh swing overnight in august 2019 and didn’t lose anything. Went from 8 to over 40 after I had a doser malfunction drain an entire alk reservoir.Maybe a 1.5 dkh swing is acceptable, but I don't recommend going from 8 to 12 dkh. This was the result of an alk swing of 4-5 dkh overnight.
Yeah, I remember that. Didn't you correct it quickly? Or moved the acros? Anyway, alk swings will definitely kill acros. I'm surprised you would dispute that. See pic above.
I got out what I could with the 5 minutes I had before I had to leave for work. I had 10 colonies that were attached to my rock structure. So they were in 40 dKh for more than 18 hours. I changed 90% of the water and the dKh came down to 16, still no losses.
It was 100% from alk swing. That pic was 2 yrs. ago when I upgraded tanks. I've rebuilt my acro collection since then. I had stored the acros in a Rubbermaid bin for the night and mixed new saltwater for them. Was tired and didn't test the alk. It was 12. The tissue blew off every single one as I placed them in the new tank.
