What am I doing wrong?

[terraincognita]

I do have a little gha. I had no algae when I was carbon dosing and using gfo to keep no3 and Po4 in the “recommended” ranges. The only problem, and this was a big one, is all my sps would slowly wither away and die. So now all I do is grow chaeto and use my skimmer.

This post is underrated man.

I love it.

 

[terraincognita]

I do have a little gha. I had no algae when I was carbon dosing and using gfo to keep no3 and Po4 in the “recommended” ranges. The only problem, and this was a big one, is all my sps would slowly wither away and die. So now all I do is grow chaeto and use my skimmer.

If you don't mind me asking as well what's your feeding schedule and routine.

Do you feed just the fish? or the coral too?

Are you dosing phyto, or other nutrients? Did you try leaving the gfo out but continuing carbon?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

If you don't mind me asking as well what's your feeding schedule and routine.

Do you feed just the fish? or the coral too?

Are you dosing phyto, or other nutrients? Did you try leaving the gfo out but continuing carbon?

50g cube
Around 12 fish
I feed about 3 cubes of frozen mysis once a day. That’s it. I’ve tried various aminos but all they do is fuel cyano/dinos and algae

Yes I tried many combinations of carbon dosing and Po4 exporting and the only good that came out of all of them were the test results. I stopped all of them bc I was going to give up on acros. A couple weeks later I noticed some of my old sps (12 year old montis) started recovering.

 

[terraincognita]

50g cube
Around 12 fish
I feed about 3 cubes of frozen mysis once a day. That’s it. I’ve tried various aminos but all they do is fuel cyano/dinos and algae

Yes I tried many combinations of carbon dosing and Po4 exporting and the only good that came out of all of them were the test results. I stopped all of them bc I was going to give up on acros. A couple weeks later I noticed some of my old sps (12 year old montis) started recovering.

I wonder you if you spread the feeding, if you'd have even better results. but I love it.

Au Natural.

I think I'm gonna drop the carbon, but keep the AB+ for now.

What about for Cal,Mg,Alk? you dosing or calc reactor?

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I wonder you if you spread the feeding, if you'd have even better results. but I love it.

Au Natural.

I think I'm gonna drop the carbon, but keep the AB+ for now.

What about for Cal,Mg,Alk? you dosing or calc reactor?

Brs pharma kalk
And tropic marin all for reef on a versa doser

 

[Max93]

You guys think my plan is good or should I try something else?

 

[terraincognita]

Sorry lol didn't mean to hijack your thread!

You guys think my plan is good or should I try something else?

Ok so I’m not going to write the numbers on every part of the tank because it is not necessary at this point after these findings. Phosphate checker comes in tomorrow, and after seeing this I think I’m having a problem with the nutrients/light balance.

the quarantine is at 100 par by the way, so same thing in there I just think the corals where happier since there is no skimmer in there.

The number in the image is on the surface of the rocks. what do? I tried increasing my lights to literally 100% (looks horrible, so white) and the par was 180 tops.

should I bring the lights down? Jump onto a T5 hybrid ?

phosphate tests tomorrow..

A little surprising to me you're getting those par numbers for hydra 32's.

You can also drop them down a few inches. T5 Hybrid system is definitely a good idea.

But that's like saying should I replace my stock suspension, of course you're gonna get better results but it comes with money. No reason 4 Hydra's can't handle it IMO.

Mount them Sideways, and also drop them a bit. I think it'll help your spread.

Also BRS did a video on it, even spacing isn't neccesarily your best option, since the edges of your tank are empty, you want to maximize the light you have, crossing cones of light in the best way possible.

This is how I have 2 Hydra's right now over my 2ft wide tank.

It's overkill for sure. But look how they're mounted.



Also try to buy some diffusers. It'll give you better spread.

This is all saying of course if you're not LOOKING to spend money. IF you want to drop $$ on T5's you'll have more even spread and gurantee'd better lighting.

How tall is your tank?

 

[terraincognita]

Posting phosphates soon! These are my current light settings, bringing par up to approximately 150 in the 110 areas.

Pump those lights up my man!

Here's my schedule.

no point in buying $400 lights if you’re not gonna burn em to the ground ;-)

 

[Max93]

Sorry lol didn't mean to hijack your thread!




A little surprising to me you're getting those par numbers for hydra 32's.

You can also drop them down a few inches. T5 Hybrid system is definitely a good idea.

But that's like saying should I replace my stock suspension, of course you're gonna get better results but it comes with money. No reason 4 Hydra's can't handle it IMO.

Mount them Sideways, and also drop them a bit. I think it'll help your spread.

Also BRS did a video on it, even spacing isn't neccesarily your best option, since the edges of your tank are empty, you want to maximize the light you have, crossing cones of light in the best way possible.

This is how I have 2 Hydra's right now over my 2ft wide tank.

It's overkill for sure. But look how they're mounted.



Also try to buy some diffusers. It'll give you better spread.

This is all saying of course if you're not LOOKING to spend money. IF you want to drop $$ on T5's you'll have more even spread and gurantee'd better lighting.

How tall is your tank?

No worries at all I enjoy seeing and learning everyone’s setups, knowledge is power!
I am down to spend the money on the T5s as it seems inevitable my hydra 32s won’t keep up once I have this tank loaded with acros. But I can’t do that until I have the lights! The tank has been empty for 9 months and I’m ready to start growing things.

the tank is 2 feet tall, 6 feet long and two feet wide.
I was also very surprised at the par findings it was mind blowing.

phosphates now at .16!

 

[terraincognita]

No worries at all I enjoy seeing and learning everyone’s setups, knowledge is power!
I am down to spend the money on the T5s as it seems inevitable my hydra 32s won’t keep up once I have this tank loaded with acros. But I can’t do that until I have the lights! The tank has been empty for 9 months and I’m ready to start growing things.

the tank is 2 feet tall, 6 feet long and two feet wide.
I was also very surprised at the par findings it was mind blowing.

phosphates now at .16!

Don’t get them too high lol.

Stability is more important.

just make adjustments slowly and surely.

but re the hybrids go for it.

you can get 2 36” I think the longest they make is 48”

 

[Max93]

Don’t get them too high lol.

Stability is more important.

just make adjustments slowly and surely.

but re the hybrids go for it.

you can get 2 36” I think the longest they make is 48”

I found this guy, 61”. I think this is the one I need to go for or do you recommend two?

61" Hybrid T5HO 4x80W Fixture

Welcome to the future of aquarium lighting! Combine your favorite LED Light module along with Aquatic Lifes T5 lighting fixture to create a stellar lighting system! Accepts many of your favorite LED lighting modules! Includes standard LED Light Brackets Powder Coated Aluminum Frame Individual...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[terraincognita]

I found this guy, 61”. I think this is the one I need to go for or do you recommend two?

61" Hybrid T5HO 4x80W Fixture

Welcome to the future of aquarium lighting! Combine your favorite LED Light module along with Aquatic Lifes T5 lighting fixture to create a stellar lighting system! Accepts many of your favorite LED lighting modules! Includes standard LED Light Brackets Powder Coated Aluminum Frame Individual...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

No that's perfect.

You'll lose 5.5 inches on each end of your tank, where there's nothing anyway, and light emits in a cone so it'll cover it. You're good.

 

[terraincognita]

Not quite sure if you also got what I said about the spacing thought of your LED's.

It's important.

Here's a super childhood grade drawing i've done on paint showing how the light more or less is emmitting from your lights. See the cones and all the gaps?

If you move the farther ones on the edge much closer in, and make the gap in the middle larger between the pairs. It'll give you much better and fuller coverage and better par with what you already have.

you have it right now like #1

But it should be more like #2



Hope that makes sense and helps.

 

[Max93]

Not quite sure if you also got what I said about the spacing thought of your LED's.

It's important.

Here's a super childhood grade drawing i've done on paint showing how the light more or less is emmitting from your lights. See the cones and all the gaps?

If you move the farther ones on the edge much closer in, and make the gap in the middle larger between the pairs. It'll give you much better and fuller coverage and better par with what you already have.

you have it right now like #1

But it should be more like #2



Hope that makes sense and helps.

Thank you so much for explaining this, and with the pictures!!! That makes complete sense. I would do this right away however there is one slight issue. The tank cover! I’d have to remake the whole back part, wish I would have known about this before.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I think it would be worth temporarily removing your lid to rearrange your light the way @terraincognita suggested to check the par.

 

[Max93]

I think it would be worth temporarily removing your lid to rearrange your light the way @terraincognita suggested to check the par.

Definitely worth it.
Just did this, and it improves a ton. The par is about 200-250 on the surface of the highest rocks. A little bit higher, about 6”, and it turns into 300 par.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Definitely worth it.
Just did this, and it improves a ton. The par is about 200-250 on the surface of the highest rocks. A little bit higher, about 6”, and it turns into 300 par.

With the ab+?

 

[terraincognita]

Definitely worth it.
Just did this, and it improves a ton. The par is about 200-250 on the surface of the highest rocks. A little bit higher, about 6”, and it turns into 300 par.

Bam I knew those Hydra's could do it baby.

 

[Max93]

This is AB+ but with everything at 100% except the whites.

wow your drawing should be used on every single manual for LEDs. If it is and I missed it well.. haha.
Now I have more options on what to do here. I’m still thinking the hybrid will suit best due to my goals but definitely changes the game.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Awesome

I really hate to be a Debbie downer but I’ve had to replace all my hydras 52s, 26’s and my prime 16 lenses bc they got burned from running the UV too high

This one I have to send back bc the plastic lens melted onto the led….and won’t come off