struggling

cwb_reeftank · May 2, 2015

right now my nitrates are at 5 now I checked them yesterday

Reefing Madness · May 2, 2015

Ok, and your phosphate reading? Do you still have SPS in your tank? If your Phosphates are down, why not try an easy SPS first, like the Birdsnest?

glb · May 2, 2015

Reefing Madness said:
Ok, and your phosphate reading? Do you still have SPS in your tank? If your Phosphates are down, why not try an easy SPS first, like the Birdsnest?

Agreed. I just started with birdsnest and they're pretty forgiving.

cwb_reeftank · May 2, 2015

phosphate Is at 0 and I have my green and orange montipora and orange setosa?

cwb_reeftank · May 2, 2015

I actually had a piece of procillapora? that bleached out but the tip so I cut it off and it actually grew pretty good and then it fell off and I lost it for a year or two

Reefing Madness · May 2, 2015

Yea, falling off corals sucks. Epoxy helps that.
Ok, so the bleaching seems to be your issue now, all else has been repaired or resolved.
You have to watch what lighting you getting your corals from under. If they are using Halides, and your using LEDs, your going to bleach them out. If they are under LEDs ask them what their intensity level is for them, then you can acclimate to your lighting over a period of a few weeks. being as this is your last item to check, you should be pretty set on keeping SPS. Then you'llk be banging your head against the wall, asking how the heck to keep the ATO full while dosing, and keeping up with the dosing, as those babies grow out, they use a ton of elements from the tank.
Keep us posted!!
Always here to help, I can't read all the posts, so if you ever have a thread not going your way, throw me a PM, we will get it going.

cwb_reeftank · May 2, 2015

Idk if you saw but I have mine under 4 t5 bulbs and two metal halides I have the t5s come on for 3 hours then they go off and the halides come on for 6 than they go off then the t5s go back on for 3 than off for the night

cwb_reeftank · May 3, 2015

what are some good sps besides birdsnest

Reefing Madness · May 3, 2015

Yea, I read your lighting. Its strong enough. Maybe Halides on for 8 hours, 15k is a very good rating on it. Might leave the T5s on the full 14 hours, if you jump the halides up to 8, I take it they are full blue or actinics, won't hurt to keep them running. Also, might want to get a tester for you MAG, thats very important here.

Reefing Madness · May 3, 2015

Kind of easy to care for SPS
Pavona Decussata
Montipora Digitata
Montipora Capriconis
Montipora Hispidia
Tubinaria Peltata
Acro Formosa
Pocillipora Damicornis

cwb_reeftank · May 3, 2015

now when you say to get them use to my lighting would I put them in the sand bed for a week than bring them up or have them in the sand band then after a few days bring them up at a higher level and so on?

Reefing Madness · May 3, 2015

Correct. But if they've come from under LEDs, you can put them right up at the top without issues.

Bones · May 3, 2015

Welcome to the wonderful world of SPS. Based on your posts in this thread I cam identify a few issues that would cause bleaching; 1. Your nitrates are high and I see that you have been able to bring them down which is great but you need to identify what the source is (over feeding, feeding flake food, a sponge or filter Floss pad that needs to be changed, could be a number of things) if you don't identify what's causing it they are just going to creep right back up and cause the same issue. 2. Your phosphates are high for keeping sps, again identify the source and find a way to reduce it. 3. You mentioned you run halides a few hours a day but you don't run a chiller. How many degrees does your water temp change during this? Temp swings will definitely cause this to happen or even worse RTN. If you want to successfully keep SPS stability of your levels is key. You must get your levels all within a reasonable proximity of what's considered "correct" and keep them all stable. All your levels don't have to be exactly perfect but they can't be fluctuating either. I don't suggest trying to tackle every issue at one time cause that's going to cause other corals to become unhappy. Pick one issue and resolve it then move on to the next. Sometimes solving one thing will correct a few others. I would also suggest having a text kit for atleast Mg, Ca, Alk in addition to basics. Again, stability is key with keeping SPS. I hope this helped and GL.

cwb_reeftank · May 4, 2015

when I get up in the morning my tank is at 79.9 then after a few hours of the halides come on it goes to 80.5 and around half way through the halide "cycle" its about 82 when I see it hit 81 I kick my celling fan on high and I have a fan on my tank but I don't think it does a lot some I'm getting to desktop fans to put on the back so I can push the heat forward I'm also getting a portable A/C unit put in my room because its also naturally hot in my room and that's not good for my crested geckos either.

cwb_reeftank · May 4, 2015

I also have been think about changing my halide bulbs because my tank is 55 gallon and the metal halide bulbs are 250 watts and there two of them so idk if that's to much light?

Reefing Madness · May 4, 2015

No, its not to much light. But LEDs would put out much much less heat.
You need to just add the fans to the back like you were saying, that will keep the water temp down.

cwb_reeftank · May 4, 2015

ok I wasn't sure and would it look weird if I had a 20k and 15k on it?

Reefing Madness · May 5, 2015

20ks are FANTASTIC!! I'v run em both, and the blue of a 20k Halide is unmatched.
So, wierd, no, some out there will run 3 different colors, but you will be able to notice the difference.

cwb_reeftank · May 5, 2015

well Ive been looking at changing all my bulbs out and get a 20k and 15k halide bulb and get the ati aquablue special, blue plus, purple plus, and the coral plus.
but I don't want to really see a difference In color for my halide like I don't want to see half my tank blue and the other white