Unhappy with my tank, need some advice.

[dohc97]

Old school reefer here so you can ignore my comments. I think your reef is too young, need to let it mature and become stable before diving into sps. I also don't see how you are consuming that much alk and calcium. I run a far from clean system similar in size to yours with colonies and frags I have grown from slivers and I do not consume as much as you do. Maybe double check your test kits, then just let things get stable and start with a couple frags. Many ways to do this but I truly do believe in letting s system mature for best sps success. Are your rocks growing sponges yet?

 

[Jakepen]

Take some water to your LFS and have them test to be sure

Test what, alk? I’m actually grabbing a salifert alk test kit to double check. Using the Hanna currently.

 

[Jekyl]

When worried about any parameters a second opinion is always best. Especially when things aren't making sense.

 

[Jakepen]

Old school reefer here so you can ignore my comments. I think your reef is too young, need to let it mature and become stable before diving into sps. I also don't see how you are consuming that much alk and calcium. I run a far from clean system similar in size to yours with colonies and frags I have grown from slivers and I do not consume as much as you do. Maybe double check your test kits, then just let things get stable and start with a couple frags. Many ways to do this but I truly do believe in letting s system mature for best sps success. Are your rocks growing sponges yet?

No I completely agree, I know my tank is young however thought it was still doable if I stayed on top of everything and have a decent understanding. I don’t know why I consume so much either honestly, I test regularly though and it’s what it’s taking. Yeah I have sponges growing everywhere.

 

[Jakepen]

When worried about any parameters a second opinion is always best. Especially when things aren't making sense.

Yeah you’re right.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Jake it is time for an ATI water test. This may find something for you or give you a baseline. Your rock looks good with coralline. Flow is good, so I don’t know what up. Possibly a low ph issue also. Some say ph doesn’t matter much, but when mine is above 8.2 my alk consumption goes up. I also have better PE. I’m also going to look into so kz products as my corals are pale.

 

[Jakepen]

Jake it is time for an ATI water test. This may find something for you or give you a baseline. Your rock looks good with coralline. Flow is good, so I don’t know what up. Possibly a low ph issue also. Some say ph doesn’t matter much, but when mine is above 8.2 my alk consumption goes up. I also have better PE. I’m also going to look into so kz products as my corals are pale.

My ph stays above 8.2. Yeah maybe I will send out for a test...

 

[Biff0rz]

Didn't read the whole thread? Did you check par? I had similar issues in my frag tank. I thought the light I bought was sufficient... Boy was I wrong. 30 par on the frags. Needless to say the sps don't like that. Changed my light and boom, color, growth. I recently tested par in my DT - I have a 4x60 T5 + 5 a360we's. 130 par middle of the tank. So it's upgrade time.

 

[Jakepen]

Didn't read the whole thread? Did you check par? I had similar issues in my frag tank. I thought the light I bought was sufficient... Boy was I wrong. 30 par on the frags. Needless to say the sps don't like that. Changed my light and boom, color, growth. I recently tested par in my DT - I have a 4x60 T5 + 5 a360we's. 130 par middle of the tank. So it's upgrade time.

Yeah par could be an issue, I’ve been messing with the lights and spectrum a bit too, maybe too much and that could be some of the issue here.

 

[Jakepen]

So this is saliferts Alk test kit, is the syringe reading .52 or do I read it as .48?

 

[Hincapiej4]

I'm curious. How often are you doing water changes?

The reason I ask is because I'm wondering if you are running out of trace elements and not replacing them.

 

[Hincapiej4]

So this is saliferts Alk test kit, is the syringe reading .52 or do I read it as .48?

That's .48

 

[Jakepen]

I'm curious. How often are you doing water changes?

The reason I ask is because I'm wondering if you are running out of trace elements and not replacing them.

Every couple weeks, ashamed to admit since having issues I have not done one. Maybe I can squeeze one in today, just watching brisket on the smoker in preparation for the game tonight.

That's .48

That’s what I thought, and that’s why I’m a bit confused I suppose. My Hanna keeps reading 7.5 (out of nowhere it dropped .5 overnight and has stayed around there) but the salifert is reading 8 which is where it has been steady for some time now.

 

[Jakepen]

Also I had not switched to a new bottle of reagent when the drop occurred.

 

[Biff0rz]

So what's the par?

 

[ScottB]

I might have missed it, but how old is system? Live or dead rock?

Assuming adequate maturity, running low residual nutrient in a light nutrient input/output system is super tricky for SPS stability. If you were feeding 20 fish 4 times a day and running zeros I'd say you were fine. More fish, more feedings, and dial in your export when your nutrient residuals get "too high". Too high is a different value for everyone; I keep 10/.1 or so.

 

[Jakepen]

So what's the par?

Have to borrow a par meter from a local reefer, I have not tested it.

I might have missed it, but how old is system? Live or dead rock?

Assuming adequate maturity, running low residual nutrient in a light nutrient input/output system is super tricky for SPS stability. If you were feeding 20 fish 4 times a day and running zeros I'd say you were fine. More fish, more feedings, and dial in your export when your nutrient residuals get "too high". Too high is a different value for everyone; I keep 10/.1 or so.

Tank is only five months old, used dead rock. Yeah I’m trying to naturally bring up my numbers, i.e. more fish and more feedings. I’m already feeding pretty heavy, two sometimes three feedings a day (always frozen). Yeah I guess it could just be a stability issue, nutrients are up and down still, and I haven’t gotten my lights dialed in yet.

 

[ScottB]

Having coralline growth at 5 months is really good. Keeping acropora at 5 months (dead rock start) would be very very exceptional. Sure, I've seen it done but the odds are tough.

The biome is just going through so many shifts in competitive balance even if we are keeping the basic measurable elements stable.

 

[Jakepen]

Having coralline growth at 5 months is really good. Keeping acropora at 5 months (dead rock start) would be very very exceptional. Sure, I've seen it done but the odds are tough.

The biome is just going through so many shifts in competitive balance even if we are keeping the basic measurable elements stable.

Yeah I suppose so, thank you for you insight, this actually makes me feel better. However I think it could be something else still, now my zoas are not opening up fully, octospawn is not really expanding, neither are my mushrooms. So now my lps and softies are unhappy, I’m thinking it’s something else other than a young tank. Anybody have some ideas what I should look for?

 

[ScottB]

Yeah I suppose so, thank you for you insight, this actually makes me feel better. However I think it could be something else still, now my zoas are not opening up fully, octospawn is not really expanding, neither are my mushrooms. So now my lps and softies are unhappy, I’m thinking it’s something else other than a young tank. Anybody have some ideas what I should look for?

If previously happy LPS and zoas are closing then something is definitely off. I would start with nutrients. I think you quoted a surprise 0/0. Are you using Hanna for PO4? Fix PO4 for sure. Let the skimmer drain back into sump. Or cut back refugium hours. Or feed an extra couple times (my favorite). One lever at a time then watch and measure for a week or so before pulling another lever.

Lastly, I don't know the concentration of your 2-part dosing, but sounds like a lot for the amount of stony corals you have. Kinda puzzles me. Maybe my ESV is just more concentrated.