i did check every pump, every magnet in my system.
with the new sump, i will even eliminating the magnet holding the probes and sensors out of the system. (hopefully that will happen soon)
SPS dying
- Thread starter clownnut
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with the new sump, i will even eliminating the magnet holding the probes and sensors out of the system. (hopefully that will happen soon)
Aquabiomics measures the range and relative amounts of different bacteria in your system (water & film samples). You can then compare your populations to their diverse data set. I find it interesting, but cannot say I know what to do next given that information. It might distract you from some of the pain and suffering.
No, there are no rules. For me, once I have a growing sponge population, I won't hesitate to populate with expensive sticks. Until then I stay with the hardy SPS that is cheap.
There is one other thing that has not yet been mentioned. Parasitic pods (white bugs, red bugs). I had them. Mine were working from the base up. Typical dips don't kill them. Interceptor is the only known method for killing them. Not a lot of people are doing Interceptor so they are getting around the hobby. What is your wrasse population like?
tgrick
Well-Known Member
It's been 3 years since I've run ATIs on my system. I know I ran the reds low. I also remember that I did NOT run the UV high because some things hated it that high. I would lower the high channel a bit and bring the others higher balance things out. In the end, they need a certain spectrum for proper growth. That said, I would review the settings with an ATI group just to be on the safe side.
all 10 AI lights run the same setting. they are at 50-75% of acclimation mode.
well, i would love to have any sps to do well dont care if they are cheap or expensive at this time. lol.Aquabiomics measures the range and relative amounts of different bacteria in your system (water & film samples). You can then compare your populations to their diverse data set. I find it interesting, but cannot say I know what to do next given that information. It might distract you from some of the pain and suffering.
No, there are no rules. For me, once I have a growing sponge population, I won't hesitate to populate with expensive sticks. Until then I stay with the hardy SPS that is cheap.
There is one other thing that has not yet been mentioned. Parasitic pods (white bugs, red bugs). I had them. Mine were working from the base up. Typical dips don't kill them. Interceptor is the only known method for killing them. Not a lot of people are doing Interceptor so they are getting around the hobby. What is your wrasse population like?
I have a few patch of white sponge in my frag tank, otherwise sponge free this time around in display so far. i am sure they will pop up eventually lol
no bugs, i dipped and inspect most of the pieces when they start to look off.
zero wrasse for me, they are like flower, they always die(jump). each and every last one of them, so i stop renting wrasse. lol
they have been growing with this setting, i dont think one day they just decide to hate the setting after 4 months of good growth. plus i am using elimination method to try to find the source of the issue, changing the setting now will add more variable into the mix.
Could it be fluctuations with nutrient levels?
Whenever I carbon dose to control my NO3 and PO4 levels, I find that the yo-yoing of my nutrients can cause my SPS to lose their skin as well.
When my PO4 levels go above 0.15, I used to dose higher levels of bacteria and carbon to bring it down to like 0.05 levels. (usually I can see PO4 and NO3 levels drop in 8 hours ) Thi smade some of my SPS RTN/STN...
HTH...good luck.
Whenever I carbon dose to control my NO3 and PO4 levels, I find that the yo-yoing of my nutrients can cause my SPS to lose their skin as well.
When my PO4 levels go above 0.15, I used to dose higher levels of bacteria and carbon to bring it down to like 0.05 levels. (usually I can see PO4 and NO3 levels drop in 8 hours ) Thi smade some of my SPS RTN/STN...
HTH...good luck.
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i am not carbon dosing. just cheato for nutrients control.
less than 1, because i thought that might be the issue when i battle dino, which lead to the reset.
Mellotang
Well-Known Member
I would try getting some High quality carbon blocks and swap the membrane
At this point it can’t hurt
I like Matrikx for carbon
Most membranes are acceptable if rejection rate is right
There are times where I change membranes every 6 months and there is a noticeable difference
I also see lots of instability associated with dry rock
I’ve had tanks I think are cycled and stable, sps growing great then crash
Not saying it’s that but dry rock
Is tricky
If you have a 300 gallon + frag tank you’re using a lot of water
If carbon blocks were exhausted and or RO was not turning off at some point or constantly cycling on and off then your membrane is probably shot
At this point it can’t hurt
I like Matrikx for carbon
Most membranes are acceptable if rejection rate is right
There are times where I change membranes every 6 months and there is a noticeable difference
I also see lots of instability associated with dry rock
I’ve had tanks I think are cycled and stable, sps growing great then crash
Not saying it’s that but dry rock
Is tricky
If you have a 300 gallon + frag tank you’re using a lot of water
If carbon blocks were exhausted and or RO was not turning off at some point or constantly cycling on and off then your membrane is probably shot
dry rock is one of the best thing happen to this hobby, it offers you best clear start you can ask for.
i will switch to every 2 months for the carbon block, just to cover all my bases. i check my local water quality report which show they dont use chloramine, with my usage, i push about 6500-7000g water through a block that's good for 35000g chlorine removal and i have 2 of them. even for some reason they use chloramine, i am just at the edge of the fully use up both block at the end of 6 months. i use brs universal block for both carbon.
Change membranes every 6 months, just create more waste than you have too. typical membranes will last you 3-5 years. you might see decrease in water production, but you shouldnt see any quality drop in your water.
How large is your refugium? How much are you harvesting every week? Do you know your alk swing between night and day ? You say your not dosing any DOC but - you use the black bucket and have - as I understand a good growing chaeto refugium. You may get in DOC from sources that you not realize directly. The black bucket have increased KH concentration and some other "good" things as they state.
A calc reactor produce alkalinity all over the day but the consumption is not equal during night and day. In my aquarium - I need to add around 84 % of the alkalinity between 12:00 and 00:00 and around 16 % during 00:00 to 12:00 in order to get a max variation of around 0.3 dKH. For the moment I dial it in in order to get a constant alkalinity
Sincerely Lasse
A calc reactor produce alkalinity all over the day but the consumption is not equal during night and day. In my aquarium - I need to add around 84 % of the alkalinity between 12:00 and 00:00 and around 16 % during 00:00 to 12:00 in order to get a max variation of around 0.3 dKH. For the moment I dial it in in order to get a constant alkalinity
Sincerely Lasse
Mellotang
Well-Known Member
Love when people come asking for help but got it all figured out
Any skilled reefer will tell
You how hard it is to achieve biological
Balance necessary for SPS with dry rock
Sorry I tried to help you
I’ve been growing SPS since the 90’s
Have worked in public aquariums
Run tanks for a living
But what do I know
Again
Good luck
I look forward to hearing about your sps recovering when you finally change that membrane
BRS carbon block is inferior to Matrikx
Any skilled reefer will tell
You how hard it is to achieve biological
Balance necessary for SPS with dry rock
Sorry I tried to help you
I’ve been growing SPS since the 90’s
Have worked in public aquariums
Run tanks for a living
But what do I know
Again
Good luck
I look forward to hearing about your sps recovering when you finally change that membrane
BRS carbon block is inferior to Matrikx
I am a man of numbers. show me the data i will follow.
i also love when ppl comes to help with zero ideas and act like pro.
change membrane just to change a membrane is non-sense.
the dry rock comment make my day, its the funny joke i heard so far this year.
please do a poll, show me how many reefer will stand in your side with your claim with dry rock.
spsick
Valuable Member
Don’t be so quick to underestimate the OP history or experience. They could have operated a successful reef-centered LFS for years and come here searching for ideas because they are at wits-end. You just never know.
I agree with your comment about carbon blocks, Matrixk is better and now that BRS has come up to almost the same price point I will be going back to using Matrixk but as long as they are changed adequately they do the same job.
Also agree changing the membrane is a good idea if you’re having issues. Typically with a RO membrane 0 TDS is 0 TDS but our membranes are 95% rejection and who knows what‘s in that remaining 5% right? Yes DI takes care of the remainder but with the sensitive organisms we it’s a small price to eliminate concern.
I dont have trident to monitor my alk.How large is your refugium? How much are you harvesting every week? Do you know your alk swing between night and day ? You say your not dosing any DOC but - you use the black bucket and have - as I understand a good growing chaeto refugium. You may get in DOC from sources that you not realize directly. The black bucket have increased KH concentration and some other "good" things as they state.
A calc reactor produce alkalinity all over the day but the consumption is not equal during night and day. In my aquarium - I need to add around 84 % of the alkalinity between 12:00 and 00:00 and around 16 % during 00:00 to 12:00 in order to get a max variation of around 0.3 dKH. For the moment I dial it in in order to get a constant alkalinity
Sincerely Lasse
my kalk dose every hour, only stop from 11-3, because if i do those hours, my alk will go up past 8, so until i have more grow to take up the extra alk, in my case most likely in a long time from now.
carx is run by kamoer, 10ml per min 24/7.
Mellotang
Well-Known Member
You’re funny
You change everything and add everything under the sun possible but won’t try a $50 membrane change
To each is own
I hope you figure it out and don’t have to
Quit
I offered a bunch of suggestions
Just trying to help
You change everything and add everything under the sun possible but won’t try a $50 membrane change
To each is own
I hope you figure it out and don’t have to
Quit
I offered a bunch of suggestions
Just trying to help
Acros
Valuable Member
This is going to sound weird to a lot of people. My acros that were encrusting and growing well, RTNd once I started feeding AB+. The moment I stopped AB+, RTN stopped as well. Now I have frags that have flesh on half the skeleton and have not changed in more than a week.
There could be something else at play that I am not aware of. My 3 acros RTNd, while another acro + 2 SPS were not affected + Zoas were not affected.
Another coincidence is that I was also coming out of a dino outbreak.
Mellotang
Well-Known Member
I’d suspect poor source water or too sterile of an environment
SPS have 90% of their body dedicated to capturing food and you’re stripping all the nutrients from the tank which was already devoid of diversity with that dry rock, refuge, carbon...
Tanks not even been running 6 months
Simplify it, let it mature
Try the membrane
Again, just trying to help
Good Luck
SPS have 90% of their body dedicated to capturing food and you’re stripping all the nutrients from the tank which was already devoid of diversity with that dry rock, refuge, carbon...
Tanks not even been running 6 months
Simplify it, let it mature
Try the membrane
Again, just trying to help
Good Luck
as i stated, the membrane change less than 1 year ago, in fact it was august last year.
zero TDS after DI and ICP test both tell me the RODI water is fine.
what you telling me is to ignore data and just randomly change things out and hope for the best.
let's say i switch the membrane out, how do i know the new membrane is good.
since according to you, ICP test cant be trusted.
again, thanks for the input i will keep that in mind.
