SPS Growth Issues

[nickenayat]

My Red Sea REEFER 250 has been set up for almost a year now and I haven’t been able to grow any kind of SPS for the life of me. All other corals thrive except SPS. This is my second tank, I had an IM Nuvo 24 gallon tank up for 2 years and everything grew in that tank. I haven’t changed any methods or care except went from AI primes to EcoTech XR 15s and went from the Gyres to EcoTech MPs.

In this new tank, the SPS seem to do okay for about a week or two but no growth. After that they begin to slowly bleach, either from the base or tips. There are no nudibranchs. I have viewed them closely at night and dip every coral before anything goes in the tank. Below are my parameters, light settings, wave maker settings, pictures of my previous tank and the current Red Sea.

Any troubleshooting suggestions to get this tank turned around would really help.

Parameters:

Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 78F
Alk - 8.6
Ph - 8.2
Calc - 390
Mag - 1320
Nitrate - 2ppm
Ammonia - 0

Light settings -
Using two EcoTech XR 15 pros, AB+ schedule at 80% intensity running from 1030-830 with hour ramp up and hour ramp down

Wavemaker - tons of random flow and settings changing, make speed is 40%. There are two EcoTech MP40 on each side and then I have two jebao wavemakers on alternating mode in the bottom back blowing upwards towards the front

Pictures:

Old IM Nuvo 24

New Red Sea REEFER 250

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Do you dose?

 

[Litlover89]

Have you dialed in your lights with a par meter? I don’t have any experience with the XR 15s, but it could be that your lights aren’t quite right.

Also, do you test phosphate? It wasn’t listed. How consistent and stable are calc/alk/mag?

 

[Acrofiend]

Not enough light.

 

[nickenayat]

Do you dose?

I was dosing but the parameters would then be all over the place. I took the doser off and have been able to maintain parameters with water changes. I was planning once I got more SPS in the tank and they started to take up more elements I would bring the doser back on.

 

[nickenayat]

Have you dialed in your lights with a par meter? I don’t have any experience with the XR 15s, but it could be that your lights aren’t quite right.

Also, do you test phosphate? It wasn’t listed. How consistent and stable are calc/alk/mag?

I have not used a par meter. I wanted to but my local fish store wouldn’t lend it out and I don’t want to spend $100+ for a one time use.

I have tested phosphate back in February and it was at .03.

Should I bring the intensity of the lights up towards 100% over time?

 

[nickenayat]

Not enough light.

Should I slowly bring it up to 100%?

 

[AquamanE]

IMHO young tanks are hard to dial in. Patience is important. IDE start with kalwasser and work up to dosing after.

Phosphates?

 

[Pete_the_Puma]

Not enough light.

2 XR15’s at that height at 80%?!!!?

It’s probably reaching 300-400 PAR in a cone under those lights easy. I would get a PAR meter before adjusting the light level up or down...

 

[CDavmd]

You need to check phosphate at least once per week. Don’t let it run near zero.

Check nitrates weekly. Also keep them above zero. Personally I run 10-20.

Check alk twice per day for a week or two. You need data on swings. You want very stable alk levels. Dial in your dosing then check at least 2x per week.

Calcium is ok but could be a bit higher. I shoot for 420 to 440

Check par and aim for 250-350. Make a map on a photo for future reference in frag placement.

Photo period should be closer to 12 hours long. Again you need to know your Par and then make adjustments very very slowly over several weeks.

Make sure there are no rusting magnets, etc. consider an ICP test.

Hope this helps!

 

[nickenayat]

You need to check phosphate at least once per week. Don’t let it run near zero.

Check nitrates weekly. Also keep them above zero. Personally I run 10-20.

Check alk twice per day for a week or two. You need data on swings. You want very stable alk levels. Dial in your dosing then check at least 2x per week.

Calcium is ok but could be a bit higher. I shoot for 420 to 440

Check par and aim for 250-350. Make a map on a photo for future reference in frag placement.

Photo period should be closer to 12 hours long. Again you need to know your Par and then make adjustments very very slowly over several weeks.

Make sure there are no rusting magnets, etc. consider an ICP test.

Hope this helps!

Thank you. I will get an ICP test. How can I raise my nitrates?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I’m in the not enough light camp. Another Reefer had an xr30 with diffusers at 80% over a 60 gallon cube and got a par meter and discovered the par was under 200 where their acros were.

 

[CDavmd]

Thank you. I will get an ICP test. How can I raise my nitrates?

Feeding more will usually do it. You can also shut your skimmer off for part of the day. If you have a refugium, cut the photoperiod and harvest the macro algae.

Again don't forget phosphates....that is frequently a cause of SPS withering away

 

[Acrofiend]

What does your light schedule look like?

 

[nickenayat]

Feeding more will usually do it. You can also shut your skimmer off for part of the day. If you have a refugium, cut the photoperiod and harvest the macro algae.

Again don't forget phosphates....that is frequently a cause of SPS withering away

Would those suggestions increase phosphates also?

 

[nickenayat]

What does your light schedule look like?

It is the AB+ present schedule from ecotech

 

[nickenayat]

I rented a par meter from BRS. Hoping this will help with finding the actual light readings.

 

[melanotaenia]

feeding more will increase your phosphates, frozen foods particularly.

 

[CDavmd]

Would those suggestions increase phosphates also?

Yes but I find feeding more algae based foods raises it more when I need to bring phosphate up.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

I see happy zoas up top. That means your par is too low for sps. Most zoas aren’t going to tolerate par levels that sps require. That par meter will reveal all

Fwiw- I have a Red Sea reefer 170 and I need TWO hydra26hd over it to get 350 par. These are very comparable to the xr15.

The Hydras are running 85w each and are about 17in above the Acroporas.