Why cant u keep sps?

[ycnibrc]

@ycnibrc hey do you think zeobak will help add different bacteria? I cant seem to keep any sps or even lps. Everything came good from the icp except elevated levels of aluminum ( due to marine pure blocks) and very high levels of antimony which i have no idea how it got to the system.
Parameters
Alk 8.6
Cal:440
MG:1400
N03:10
PO:0.08 ( gotta keep dinos at bay)
Salinity:1.025
Running 4 kessil a360x on the 75 gallon at %50 intensity( had to lower it to 50 because my scoly was dying off and other lps where retracted) i have the typical 12 hr light schedule with 1 hour ramp up and 1 hr ramp down).

Yes thats what i use. If u want to control phosphate and nitrate then add zeostart3

 

[Marc2952]

Yes thats what i use. If u want to control phosphate and nitrate then add zeostart3

Ok but since i want to keep phosphate stable at that level will zeobak affect it in any way? Awesome tank btw.

 

[ycnibrc]

No zeobak is more like a microorganisms to help the biological of your reef tank. According to biologist reef in the wild contain multiple microbes and bacteria which help to clean the water

 

[ycnibrc]

Sunday pictures time jF raja ramparts chalice

 

[Marc2952]

Sunday pictures time jF raja ramparts chalice

Oh my that is one beautiful chalice, i jist bought one from the WWC live sale. Where do you keep it in your tank? Low flow and lights?

 

[ycnibrc]

Oh my that is one beautiful chalice, i jist bought one from the WWC live sale. Where do you keep it in your tank? Low flow and lights?

Low and low

 

[Reefermadness775]

is there a commercial bacteria blend that you guys would recommend?

 

[Marc2952]

is there a commercial bacteria blend that you guys would recommend?

From what ive been told zeobak is good.

 

[WallyB]

What Perfect thread, but you need a "SICK SPS" PATIENT to examine, diagnose, and hopefully cure.

I'm a perfect SPS Failure.

This (below) is the 110G SPS Multi-FAILURE TANK (*NOW*) where I'm start from again. Bunch of new FRAGS (The Large Yellow LPS is the only non SPS I have, and it's been around growing for years)

Why can't I keep SPS (long term)? is it depleted bacteria after so many rebuilds/restarts.

Can someone Help me make this next attempt succeed?

I'm Back....5 Months Later......Photo of my Tank 5 Months ago (is above), when I took another Crack at SPS.

I posted before that for years I've been totally failing with SPS.
This is what's left of my Beautiful SPS purchases (many more, I threw out)
All a pile of Lessons Learned, one after another. (But nothing Learned to improve)
Some instantly, some painfully slow.

I think you were right. It MUST BE BACTERIA, and Tank Age (Rocks fully Alive)....plus a few other things you mentioned.

For last many of months, things were ok. Still had losses.
I did get into regular GFO to keep PO4 Stable just at 0.1ppm.
Everything else remained as I did in past.

Then about 3 months ago. I stopped all Coral Foods. Not a Drop of Any Aminos or addtives.
Nothing change. SPS got paler. Some Died, some hung in there.

I lost a fish, but added 3, and stopped feeding Flakes. Mostly Frozen (often), and quality Pellet every so often.

Then about 2 months ago, Cyano crept in. When Phosphate slowly lowered to about 0.06 (but Stable)
I also notice my Nitrates drop (slowly) to 5, then last week to 2ppm. And Phosphate now stable at 0.05ppm

I decided to treat Cyano with BACTERIA. Zeovit Cyano Clean. ANd I also got some Zeo Bak.
I treated for a few weeks, and stopped. Cyano didn't go away 100%. Still around.
During the whole Cyano outbreak, one thing I notice is SPS got better.
Started Coloring up. PE improved. No change in growth, but no degredation.

All of a sudden (2-3 weeks ago) the SPS took off like never before.
Healing. Color, PE and Growth like never in the past. Not even close.
Then like overnight, the Cyano Rapidly retreated.

This is the tank now. It get's better each and every day.
-> No RTN, STN.
-> Frag remenants that I pluck off dead are coming back from their Residue.
-> I even added a SSC Frag, which I would kill in week before. It's coloring up.
-> Another New Frag Encrusted the Plug in just under 2 weeks.
-> Frags that Went Brown for weeks, reversed their brown, and got color back. That's never happened EVER!

The really Nice Frags I get from Stores Beautiful Collections, Actually improve in my tank. Not the opposite.

And the ROCKS. They look alive. Mixes of Different Coraline. Natural Green Algae coverage. NOT Nuisance Algae.

This is my Tank of SPS TODAY. Still not colonies. Some Old Some few weeks old

I'm terrified, that it will go downhill, but have confidence things have clicked into place....
I bought some more Zeovit Zeo-Bak, and will continue the bacteria. Not chaning Anything else.

I think the Tank Matured SLOWLY and Super Stablized, establish a Bacteria Balance and the SPS Love it.

What do you think?

 

[Pdash]

I can.

 

[ycnibrc]

I'm Back....5 Months Later......Photo of my Tank 5 Months ago (is above), when I took another Crack at SPS.

I posted before that for years I've been totally failing with SPS.
This is what's left of my Beautiful SPS purchases (many more, I threw out)
All a pile of Lessons Learned, one after another. (But nothing Learned to improve)
Some instantly, some painfully slow.

I think you were right. It MUST BE BACTERIA, and Tank Age (Rocks fully Alive)....plus a few other things you mentioned.

For last many of months, things were ok. Still had losses.
I did get into regular GFO to keep PO4 Stable just at 0.1ppm.
Everything else remained as I did in past.

Then about 3 months ago. I stopped all Coral Foods. Not a Drop of Any Aminos or addtives.
Nothing change. SPS got paler. Some Died, some hung in there.

I lost a fish, but added 3, and stopped feeding Flakes. Mostly Frozen (often), and quality Pellet every so often.

Then about 2 months ago, Cyano crept in. When Phosphate slowly lowered to about 0.06 (but Stable)
I also notice my Nitrates drop (slowly) to 5, then last week to 2ppm. And Phosphate now stable at 0.05ppm

I decided to treat Cyano with BACTERIA. Zeovit Cyano Clean. ANd I also got some Zeo Bak.
I treated for a few weeks, and stopped. Cyano didn't go away 100%. Still around.
During the whole Cyano outbreak, one thing I notice is SPS got better.
Started Coloring up. PE improved. No change in growth, but no degredation.

All of a sudden (2-3 weeks ago) the SPS took off like never before.
Healing. Color, PE and Growth like never in the past. Not even close.
Then like overnight, the Cyano Rapidly retreated.

This is the tank now. It get's better each and every day.
-> No RTN, STN.
-> Frag remenants that I pluck off dead are coming back from their Residue.
-> I even added a SSC Frag, which I would kill in week before. It's coloring up.
-> Another New Frag Encrusted the Plug in just under 2 weeks.
-> Frags that Went Brown for weeks, reversed their brown, and got color back. That's never happened EVER!

The really Nice Frags I get from Stores Beautiful Collections, Actually improve in my tank. Not the opposite.

And the ROCKS. They look alive. Mixes of Different Coraline. Natural Green Algae coverage. NOT Nuisance Algae.

This is my Tank of SPS TODAY. Still not colonies. Some Old Some few weeks old

I'm terrified, that it will go downhill, but have confidence things have clicked into place....
I bought some more Zeovit Zeo-Bak, and will continue the bacteria. Not chaning Anything else.

I think the Tank Matured SLOWLY and Super Stablized, establish a Bacteria Balance and the SPS Love it.

What do you think?

For me my tank didn’t get to it prime until 1 year after dosing zeovit. Some will take longer some will be faster but dont give up the first 6 months is really hard because your tank biology is changing thats why all the algae and cyano happening. But when a year come and your bacteria populations are balance with your tank you will see much improve of your coral health.

 

[justingraham]

I'm Back....5 Months Later......Photo of my Tank 5 Months ago (is above), when I took another Crack at SPS.

I posted before that for years I've been totally failing with SPS.
This is what's left of my Beautiful SPS purchases (many more, I threw out)
All a pile of Lessons Learned, one after another. (But nothing Learned to improve)
Some instantly, some painfully slow.

I think you were right. It MUST BE BACTERIA, and Tank Age (Rocks fully Alive)....plus a few other things you mentioned.

For last many of months, things were ok. Still had losses.
I did get into regular GFO to keep PO4 Stable just at 0.1ppm.
Everything else remained as I did in past.

Then about 3 months ago. I stopped all Coral Foods. Not a Drop of Any Aminos or addtives.
Nothing change. SPS got paler. Some Died, some hung in there.

I lost a fish, but added 3, and stopped feeding Flakes. Mostly Frozen (often), and quality Pellet every so often.

Then about 2 months ago, Cyano crept in. When Phosphate slowly lowered to about 0.06 (but Stable)
I also notice my Nitrates drop (slowly) to 5, then last week to 2ppm. And Phosphate now stable at 0.05ppm

I decided to treat Cyano with BACTERIA. Zeovit Cyano Clean. ANd I also got some Zeo Bak.
I treated for a few weeks, and stopped. Cyano didn't go away 100%. Still around.
During the whole Cyano outbreak, one thing I notice is SPS got better.
Started Coloring up. PE improved. No change in growth, but no degredation.

All of a sudden (2-3 weeks ago) the SPS took off like never before.
Healing. Color, PE and Growth like never in the past. Not even close.
Then like overnight, the Cyano Rapidly retreated.

This is the tank now. It get's better each and every day.
-> No RTN, STN.
-> Frag remenants that I pluck off dead are coming back from their Residue.
-> I even added a SSC Frag, which I would kill in week before. It's coloring up.
-> Another New Frag Encrusted the Plug in just under 2 weeks.
-> Frags that Went Brown for weeks, reversed their brown, and got color back. That's never happened EVER!

The really Nice Frags I get from Stores Beautiful Collections, Actually improve in my tank. Not the opposite.

And the ROCKS. They look alive. Mixes of Different Coraline. Natural Green Algae coverage. NOT Nuisance Algae.

This is my Tank of SPS TODAY. Still not colonies. Some Old Some few weeks old

I'm terrified, that it will go downhill, but have confidence things have clicked into place....
I bought some more Zeovit Zeo-Bak, and will continue the bacteria. Not chaning Anything else.

I think the Tank Matured SLOWLY and Super Stablized, establish a Bacteria Balance and the SPS Love it.

What do you think?

I think it has nothing to do with your bacteria and more to do with you checking your alk more and not letting it go everywhere

 

[WallyB]

I think it has nothing to do with your bacteria and more to do with you checking your alk more and not letting it go everywhere

I agree stable Alk is key for SPS. My PAST hectic/ACCIDENTAL Alk swings damaged the SPS each time, and recovery was slow if at all.

Yet the Bacteria must have helped getting my Nitrates down to First Time Record levels (and staying there with more Fish Feeding) = Nutrients for Corals (Fish Poo).
It was easy to bring down Phosphates with regular GFO.
Nitrates reduction isn't an easy fix, and denitrification by Bacteria establish in Live Rock/Marine Pure did it. (slowly too!!)

I also think another small factor, was for years I used Tropic Marin Pro. It is a good sythetic salt with Lower Alk but I gave up a couple months ago (since spending more wasn't giving me results).
I switched to Red Sea Blue Bucket. It's not sythetic like TMP. Made from Evaporated Sea Water that has stuff in there from the Sea (I think). The switch to Red Sea may have contributed to the Cyano Outbreak as well.

But back to ALK Stability.
One key thing I added to my System is this. Exactly two months ago when things started to improve and kept improving.

It's a DIY Alk Monitor (3 Tank). Made from a broken Printer. Raspberry Pi and Ardiuno and plenty of spare parts.

All the bit's and pieces help, but the Alk Monitor prevented my Alk Mis-management.

Now I'm building a complimentary DIY Smart Doser to work with the Alk Monitor. That will take things to the Next Level.

What ever it was. I'm happy and pray things continue the way they are.
I seek no more improvements from the Grow and SPS colors.

 

[Dugless]

I think the Tank Matured SLOWLY and Super Stablized, establish a Bacteria Balance and the SPS Love it.

What do you think?

I agree. I struggled with acropora for over a year until I sourced a few good sized pieces of live rock. My alkalinity has had similar stability throughout. I think bacteria and sponge food chains have plenty to do with acro health. Until you run into a sterile system and have these struggles it’s hard to believe and understand.

 

[ycnibrc]

Parameters stability is part of the equation to have a healthy reef tank if one said just keep Alk , Ca and Mag stable to have a healthy reef tank then this thread don't exist. In theory we can maintain a stable parameters but can u keep corals alive.
Well it's Friday so I try my first top down video please excuse the dirty sand bed I have been lazy lately

 

[Marc2952]

Parameters stability is part of the equation to have a healthy reef tank if one said just keep Alk , Ca and Mag stable to have a healthy reef tank then this thread don't exist. In theory we can maintain a stable parameters but can u keep corals alive.
Well it's Friday so I try my first top down video please excuse the dirty sand bed I have been lazy lately

Have you ever dealt with dinos? Ive noticed so many people dealing with them and everytime i ask they started with dry rock. Thats beautiful btw

 

[ycnibrc]

Have you ever dealt with dinos? Ive noticed so many people dealing with them and everytime i ask they started with dry rock. Thats beautiful btw

Yes when my nutrients go to low they will appear. I try to keep at no3 10ppm and po4 0.08

 

[WallyB]

Parameters stability is part of the equation to have a healthy reef tank if one said just keep Alk , Ca and Mag stable to have a healthy reef tank then this thread don't exist. In theory we can maintain a stable parameters but can u keep corals alive.
Well it's Friday so I try my first top down video please excuse the dirty sand bed I have been lazy lately

What dirty Sandbed? I couldn't see past the Beautiful Colony Tips!!
Love the bright Green Staghorn.
Looks like you have an (Green/Blue...Maybe even a IceFire) Enchinata (In past, they wouldn't last a week for me)...Will try again.
and what's that pink speckled Colony on the Left that looks like a Strawberry Shortcake?

 

[ycnibrc]

What dirty Sandbed? I couldn't see past the Beautiful Colony Tips!!
Love the bright Green Staghorn.
Looks like you have an (Green/Blue...Maybe even a IceFire) Enchinata (In past, they wouldn't last a week for me)...Will try again.
and what's that pink speckled Colony on the Left that looks like a Strawberry Shortcake?

Yes unique Coral strawberry shortcake. Lol the staghorn is overwhelming I can't believe how big it is top down view and they grow out of water

 

[johnsonkobe24]

Thanks and helpful, so I guess if I keep dosing bacteria for my dead rock based tank, should without any problem?