SPS problems

[Night_shift_reefer_]

Ok guys im finally breaking down and asking some people for some advice.

I have a red sea 350 that has been set up for about 2 years now and still cannot get sps to grow. I have one montipora that will do fine and then slowly start to die and then come back again. I have tried adding a oregon tort and green slimer to my tank and they both will either bleach out very quick or turn brown and no polyp extension. I have tried just about everything i know and am testing daily. I have bought a t5 hybrid and tested par readings, tested TDS for my RODI unit, sent in a ICP test, and turned my gyre pumps way up. Alkalinity stays pretty tight ranging from 8.8 to 9.5.

Parameters:
Calcium: 391 ppm
Magnesium: 1243 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.8 to 9.5 DKH
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.1
Temperature: 79
Nitrate: 5ppm to 10ppm
Phosphates: 0.03
TDS off of RODI: 0
PAR where acros are placed: 300 to 400

One other note is I do have a devils hand and toadstool in my tank. I really do not want to remove them because they are definitely the focal point of my tank. I am considering doing this as a last resort.

 

[Dilan Patel]

do you run carbon., If not try running thst snd see if that helps. Also what is ur phosphates at? Lighting?

 

[ScottB]

Do you have a number for phosphates?
Has the ICP come back yet?

 

[Night_shift_reefer_]

Forgot to include phosphates! ill edit the original post. My phosphates are running .03. My lights are 48" t5 hybrid with 2 hydra 26hds.

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

Ok guys im finally breaking down and asking some people for some advice.

I have a red sea 350 that has been set up for about 2 years now and still cannot get sps to grow. I have one montipora that will do fine and then slowly start to die and then come back again. I have tried adding a oregon tort and green slimer to my tank and they both will either bleach out very quick or turn brown and no polyp extension. I have tried just about everything i know and am testing daily. I have bought a t5 hybrid and tested par readings, tested TDS for my RODI unit, sent in a ICP test, and turned my gyre pumps way up. Alkalinity stays pretty tight ranging from 8.8 to 9.5.

Parameters:
Calcium: 391 ppm
Magnesium: 1243 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.8 to 9.5 DKH
Salinity: 1.025
pH: 8.1
Temperature: 79
Nitrate: 5ppm to 10ppm
Phosphates: 0.03
TDS off of RODI: 0
PAR where acros are placed: 300 to 400

One other note is I do have a devils hand and toadstool in my tank. I really do not want to remove them because they are definitely the focal point of my tank. I am considering doing this as a last resort.

The only thing I see is CAL and Mag could come up a little but. And do ICP and see any pictures of tank thanks.

 

[Cora101]

I have a 75gal with toadstool and colt leather and sps are doing fine. I would suspect metals.

 

[Bryknicks]

Is the tank stable? The Cal and Mag are low as stated above, but unless the tank is not stable, I don't see that being the root cause. I have a full mixed reef including 3 leathers, running parameters close to yours. I do run carbon and think that it does help keep chemical warfare away. If you haven't tried running carbon give that a shot.

Do you have any fish or inverts that could be nipping at the corals?

 

[ycnibrc]

If u start your tank with dry rock then read this thread it might help

Why cant u keep sps?

Water change is a way to export nutrients? Yes but it also change your alk and others parameters. A bad bag of salt can crash your tank easy.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Night_shift_reefer_]

The only thing I see is CAL and Mag could come up a little but. And do ICP and see any pictures of tank thanks.

here is my ICP results and full tank shot

 

[Night_shift_reefer_]

If u start your tank with dry rock then read this thread it might help

Why cant u keep sps?

Water change is a way to export nutrients? Yes but it also change your alk and others parameters. A bad bag of salt can crash your tank easy.

www.reef2reef.com

I have been hearing about this recently. It was started with live rock though.

 

[Night_shift_reefer_]

Is the tank stable? The Cal and Mag are low as stated above, but unless the tank is not stable, I don't see that being the root cause. I have a full mixed reef including 3 leathers, running parameters close to yours. I do run carbon and think that it does help keep chemical warfare away. If you haven't tried running carbon give that a shot.

Do you have any fish or inverts that could be nipping at the corals?

My alkalinity swing is normally within a .5 difference so no real swing on any parameters. I am going to give carbon a shot since I already have a reactor with gfo. I do have a flame angel but have never seen him nipping at anything and I’ve had him for a long time.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Angels will nip when they know your not in the room so don’t count it out. How many acros have you tried other than those two? Where did you get the corals from?

 

[DMG Reef]

I'm not seeing any coralline on your back glass. A two year old tank should be covered in it. If your light intensity and parameters aren't stable enough to grow coralline, SPS usually struggle also.

 

[Night_shift_reefer_]

I'm not seeing any coralline on your back glass. A two year old tank should be covered in it. If your light intensity and parameters aren't stable enough to grow coralline, SPS usually struggle also.

I scrape my coralline off about every 2 months or so. Although I have noticed it isn’t coming back as quickly this time around

 

[Jeff Jarry reef]

You have plenty of par. Just run some carbon like you said band see how it goes. Not showing any thing on ICP bad.

 

[Bryknicks]

My alkalinity swing is normally within a .5 difference so no real swing on any parameters. I am going to give carbon a shot since I already have a reactor with gfo. I do have a flame angel but have never seen him nipping at anything and I’ve had him for a long time.

If your parameters are stable and it is a 2 year old tank that is established then I would bet its the flame angel.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

The monti issue sounds like what a picky flame angel would cause in some cases. The acros not so much, which is why I was wondering about the acros specifically and how many others you have tried?