Jeremy Luke
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2017
- Messages
- 547
- Reaction score
- 358
- Location
- Northern VA
- What state or country do you live in
- Virginia
Just thought I would share an observation that seems to be helping me.
I've recently started my 3rd reef tank. My first was soft and LPS focused. My second tank was at first LPS, then I started to add SPS and struggled. This third tank is SPS only and I'd say so far I'm doing ok. The few frags in it thus far have good color and have shown a little growth. While I've maintained my alk in the 8-9 range I've paid close attention to my nutrients. In my last tank my SPS, at first, lost their color as my water was too clean and I was not adding coral specific food. I have an ORA green bird's nest in my tank that has helped me as much as using my Hanna ULR checker. It seems that this frag is very quick to tell me that my nutrient level is too low by losing a little color quickly and regaining color quickly when the nutrient levels raise. When my PO4 drops below .02 it goes off like a fire alarm. As I attempt to dial in my GFO reactor this frag has been my friend. I am shooting for a .04-.08 PO4 range. I don't notice an obvious, rapid response like that from other frags. The ORA green bird's nest is definitely my canary in the coal mine.
I've recently started my 3rd reef tank. My first was soft and LPS focused. My second tank was at first LPS, then I started to add SPS and struggled. This third tank is SPS only and I'd say so far I'm doing ok. The few frags in it thus far have good color and have shown a little growth. While I've maintained my alk in the 8-9 range I've paid close attention to my nutrients. In my last tank my SPS, at first, lost their color as my water was too clean and I was not adding coral specific food. I have an ORA green bird's nest in my tank that has helped me as much as using my Hanna ULR checker. It seems that this frag is very quick to tell me that my nutrient level is too low by losing a little color quickly and regaining color quickly when the nutrient levels raise. When my PO4 drops below .02 it goes off like a fire alarm. As I attempt to dial in my GFO reactor this frag has been my friend. I am shooting for a .04-.08 PO4 range. I don't notice an obvious, rapid response like that from other frags. The ORA green bird's nest is definitely my canary in the coal mine.
